Greenwich schools excel again

In results published for Key Stage 2 tests, taken by pupils in the summer term this year, 78 per cent of Greenwich pupils achieved at the nationally expected standard for both English and maths. This represents an increase of 3 percentage points on the figure for 2010.

The result places Greenwich in the top 25 per cent of authorities - and 9th out of London's 33 boroughs - for that measure, which is the key benchmark against which schools are judged by the Government to be succeeding.

Helping pupils progress

Greenwich schools are now among the best in the country at helping pupils make progress between the ages of seven and 11.

For both English and maths, 90 per cent of the borough's 11-year-olds were found to have progressed by two or more national curriculum levels in the Key Stage tests, since the age of seven. In both subjects this is an improvement of three percentage points on the 2010 performance and well above the national average.

It means that the progress made by Greenwich primary pupils is now:

• the 2nd highest in the country for maths
• the 6th best in the country for English.

Improvements in child safety arrangements

The results published by the Government appeared in the same week that Greenwich councillors heard further evidence of high quality services for young people, and improvement in school performance.

Ofsted's annual assessment of children's services in Greenwich was presented to the Council's Cabinet on Tuesday, 13 December 2011. The assessment showed that Greenwich has improved its performance and has good arrangements for making sure children are safe and stay safe.

• Inspectors found that the large majority of services, settings and institutions are now good or better overall and good at helping children to stay safe. The very large majority enable children and young people to enjoy learning and achieve well.
• There have been improvements in aspects of universal provision over the last year. The large majority of children’s homes used by the local authority are judged good or outstanding and none is inadequate.

Above-average number of 'good' schools

Later in the week (Thursday, 15 December), a report to the Council’s Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel confirmed that the number of schools in Greenwich rated by Ofsted as 'good' schools is above the national average.

The report outlined a range of improvements achieved by schools across the borough, with achievement levels rising across all age ranges.

• Nursery and primary schools in the borough got a good bill of health, with Greenwich pupils achieving at or above the national average at the early years foundation stage (five year olds) and at Key Stages 1 and 2 (ages 7 and 11).
• Performance at secondary school is improving steadily and results for GCSE A* to C grades are above the national average for both maths and English.
• At A level, A*-C grades are below the national level but the rate of A* to E passes is in line with national results.

Greenwich schools were praised for keeping track of pupil progress and for improving and widening the curriculum to help it appeal to more students. Areas for improvement include the consistency of good teaching and the greater use of assessments to challenge pupils and help them make quicker progress.

Improvement in ratings

Where Ofsted inspections have taken place, schools in the borough have improved their ratings - with more schools moving from 'satisfactory' to 'good' and from 'good' to 'outstanding'.

• Since April this year 20 schools have been inspected, with six getting an 'outstanding' rating from Ofsted.
• Nine schools were judged to be 'good' and five were 'satisfactory'.
• All of the borough’s nursery schools inspected by Ofsted were judged to be 'outstanding'.

Cllr Jackie Smith, Greenwich Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said, "These latest figures are a reflection of continued commitment by our schools to improving the outcomes for children. They offer further evidence that our school improvement strategies are having an impact on the level of achievement by Greenwich's schools.

"Ofsted's report into the Council’s services for safeguarding children shows that we are doing well in our vital role of making sure children are safe and stay safe.

"However, we are not complacent and we know there is still much to be done to improve the consistency of good provision to ensure that every child and young person is safe, and that every young person attends a good school."