Decision details

Education, Employment and Training

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Decisions:

LINX presented this item to the Board and had distributed around the room posters of their journeys through education and beyond if applicable.  Members were then asked to look at the young people's journeys and then produce their own and compare them with the young peoples.

 

Following this exercise and discussion, the Board agreed that our young people's experiences in education should not be any different to its corporate parents' educational journeys.

 

Audrey Swann, Headteacher for Vulnerable and Challenging Groups, Education, Quality and Performance gave a presentation on Promoting the Education of Children Looked After in Lancashire to the Board.

 

Audrey reported on the results from last year for all Key Stages.

 

At Key Stage 1: age 7, children in our care achieved better than the national average in Reading, Writing and Science, however did not do so well in Maths.  There was a gap between children who are in care and those who are not, however, results were going in the right direction.  These results have been compared with the rest of the County and previous years in Lancashire.  When children move schools, Maths attainments tends to suffer more and this was also the case if a child misses a number of weeks of school also.

 

At Key Stage 2: age 11, children in our care did better than the national average in Writing, Maths and Reading Writing and Maths together.  An improvement was needed on Reading.  Results were much better than the previous year.

 

At Key Stage 4: age 16, children looked after achieved better results than the last four years with average Attainment 8 scores rising by 3.4% and these were very close to the national average.  More of our young people achieved Grade 4 and above in English (25%) and Maths (18.5%).  This was a good significant rise, however there was still a gap between attainments for children in care and those who were not in care.

 

At Key Stage 5: age 17/18, 12 of our young people achieved Level 3 qualifications with four achieving distinctions.  84% of our year 13 young people achieved at least one qualification.

 

Higher Education – the number of our young people going on to university had increased from 32 (April 2017) to 54 (March 2019).  This figure still needs to increase, especially with the number of care leavers in Lancashire (approximately 900) who are aged 16-25.  Care leavers are supported with higher education up to the age of 25.

 

Audrey informed the Board what was happening next:

 

·  Attachment aware schools – whole school training for up to 84 schools over the next two years – this will raise awareness, understanding and knowledge  of adverse childhood experiences such as separation and the impact on children. It will also help school staff to provide the appropriate support for the pupils affected.

·  Empower Academy, Key Stage 4 Conference.

·  Home reading project.

·  New Personal Education Plans (PEPs) – pupil voice a priority.

·  On line learning tool for all our children, young people and their carers.

·  More recognition and celebration of success: we need ideas.

 

Young people were asked for ideas on how they can celebrate success.  There are the annual PROUD awards, however, wanted to look at something on a more regular basis.

 

Resolved:  LINX to discuss ideas for regular celebrations and feedback to Audrey Swann their suggestions.

 

Care leavers who had undertaken apprenticeships in 2017, 10 had gained employment, 34 had gained employment in 2018 and this year there were 21 doing apprenticeships.  Two of the apprentices at Lancashire County Council had now changed to attend University.

 

Date of decision: 22/05/2019

Decided at meeting: 22/05/2019 - Corporate Parenting Board