Data Management News June 2009

Much has changed in the world of school data since the last news letter and this note contains some of the main points. Also if you are a Primary or Junior school who would like your KS2 results analysed for you in July/August there is some good news for you at the end of this newsletter. THE MAIN NEWS: The announcement last October to do away with KS3 SATs has not just changed the testing and curriculum structure in secondary schools but it has removed the stepping stone for measuring standards and progress. Rather than looking at a percentage achieving 3 or 4 levels of progress in the 5 years of KS3 & 4 the DfE and Ofsted have elected to develop a new form of conversion table expressing the percentage of children converting from their KS2 levels to the expected level in English and Mathematics at GCSE (For example L3 to D+, L4 to C+, L5 to B+). One major implication for schools is that they will need to have robust assessment, target-setting and tracking systems from Year 7 upwards so that they are not reliant on progress judgements from RAISE at the end of Year 11. If you need support in this area please contact us. In KS2 a similar decision to remove the Science SAT means the overall CVA will now only be calculated on English and Mathematics scores at KS2. This may cause some concern to primary schools who have traditionally done well in Science.   As heralded, the KS2-4 CVA is to be adjusted to increase the emphasis on English and Mathematics. The CVA will be calculated using the pupils best 8 GCSEs plus their points score in English and Mathematics. Interestingly they will be added whether or not they are already in the capped points score, so good English and Mathematics GCSEs will effectively score twice!! I am not clear what the effect will be on individual school's CVA scores or ranking positions, although I understand the pilots suggest they emphasise the extremes rather than dramatically move schools' scores. I will hold judgements, as I can't see how this will not favour schools with strong core subject results. I have become aware that RAISEonline/Ofsted are more actively tracking the characteristics provided by schools through their census returns in January. A number of large increases in SEN figures have caught their eye and they have written to schools to investigate them. I think this is good news, as it will help to ensure the integrity of the data by which all schools are judged. There is a new inspection regime arriving in September with increased emphasis on teaching and learning. More time will be spent in lessons but the conclusions are still strongly tested against the pupils' academic progress. The new SEF is now available and it is different and shorter in its requirements. More details on the data requirements of the new regime will appear in the next email this term. Should you wish to learn more, Cocentra is running a series of courses on the SEF and the new Inspection regime in the Summer term, the holidays and the Autumn term - for further details please ring 0845 009 4010 or email me. Further ahead, RAISE is looking at publishing data from EYFSP to KS1 perhaps for September 2010, a thorny area which will no doubt attract some comment!! KEY STAGE 2 DATA ANALYSIS Cocentra have developed a report to provide schools with an early analysis of their KS2 results with commentary from a data expert. All you need to do is enter your raw results for each pupil and you will be provided with a detailed analysis of your KS2 results that can be used to immediately brief staff and governors and aid the completion of your SEF. Get your report as soon as the results are available in July. Introductory price £295 plus VAT. To place your order now please call Andy on 0845 009 4010. We hope you have found this information useful. We are always happy to hear from you, if you have any comments regarding this newsletter or you have anything you would like to contribute to future newsletters please email caroline.smyth@cocentra.com.