LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Making Data Useful Training for Heads of Department Monday 28 September 2009 Raising Achievement Partnership Programme

OFSTED Little Heath School ‘Progress is good because leaders carefully analyse data to identify underachieving groups and develop personalised programmes of support for them.’ ‘The intervention team considers academic achievement as well as students’ attitude to learning. This enables bespoke programmes to be devised for students, which include literacy and numeracy support, mentoring by senior leaders or participation in programmes aimed at reducing disaffection.’

Is data important? On its own it has no value whatsoever Schools can and do accumulate mountains of data that does nothing but clog up computer systems and filing cabinets It isn’t data that matters

It’s us that matter!!! GCSE RESULTS DAY AUGUST 2009

How did data help them? Provided baselines – and guides to academic potential Informed teaching & learning Enabled effective monitoring of progress Enabled meaningful Target Setting Enabled Strategic intervention Led to the celebration of success

Middle Leaders HODs and HOYs have vital roles as ‘leaders of learning’ Knowing and understanding data is crucial if you want to ensure that the students in your care are not underachieving For example, understanding their potential

KS2 Finegrade scores These are based on the marks in the KS2 tests; They express results as decimals e.g Using the SSAT’s Jesson Calculator you can swiftly see what academic potential each student has; At 16 CVA is calculated from these fine grade point scores to each student’s ‘best 8’ GCSE point score.

Potential Y8Y9Y10Y11 09/10 Y11 08/09 Y11 07/08 Low E - G Below C - E Average mainly C Above A - C High A* - B KS2-4 CVA?975.8 Effectively schools only gain high CVA if they achieve results in line with each student’s academic potential. Teachers and HODs need to know the potential of the students that they teach.

KS2 to GCSE Be careful that no-one uses KS2 finegrade scores to set a cap on a student’s potential Students with LOW and BELOW AVERAGE KS2 scores can achieve 5+A* - C

These students all gained at least 5 higher passes from modest KS2 results IN 2009! NameKS2 Point Score Academic Potential from KS2 5A*-C inc E&M A*-C David18.32LowN5 Kirstin22.38LowN7 Lauren23.16BelowY10 Bryony23.44BelowN8 Lizzie23.82BelowY11 Nicole24.26BelowN6 Daniel24.62BelowN9 Ashleigh24.68BelowN8 Samuel24.70BelowN9 Naomi24.74BelowY8 Khayrul24.74BelowY9 Rosie25.02BelowN9 Amelia25.04BelowN11 Bethanie25.16BelowN10 Vanessa25.48BelowY11

Daniel – ‘Below’ 3Bs and 6Cs (CAT 87) Vanessa – ‘Below’ 5Bs and 6Cs (CAT 95) Vanessa – ‘Below’ 6Cs (CAT 87) Lizzie – ‘Below’ 1A*, 3As, 7Bs and 1C (CAT 93) David – ‘Low’ 5Cs (CAT 83)

A HAPPY ACCIDENT? Accidents can happen but, as Gary Player once said, the ‘more I practice the luckier I get’ Leaders in school need to take responsibility for the progress of the students in their year group or department –Tracking –Monitoring –Intervention

Middle Leadership in Action Case Study Natalie HigginsonHead of Year 9 Leads on SEAL Science teacher

Grey Pupils Nat Higginson (HOY 9) identifies those pupils who, “miss the radar,” on every category - who are not picked up by any intervention, praise or otherwise. She categorises these ‘grey pupils’ into 3 groups. Pupils who received a good average attitude to learning score for the year group. Pupils who received a satisfactory average attitude to learning score for the year group. Potential underachievers, de-motivated borderline pupils.

High Contextual Value Added This is unlikely to happen unless Heads of Department are relentless in their determination to monitor student progress Heads of Year can be effective ‘leaders of learning’ too but they need Heads of Department who are willing and able to drill down to ‘class’ level

KS2 to GCSE Tracking students’ progress from KS2 entry data is simple using FINEGRADE definitions of academic potential

Class KS2 Fine Grade PotentialA*ABCDEFGTotal 10A/1High3216 Above2338 Average11114 Low112 10A/1 Total D/1High2114 Above224 Average Low11 10D/1 Total Easy to check, for example during Year 10 after each recording ‘window’

Technology can help Visualising the National Challenge SISRA

10.3 Teacher Predictions

2009 GCSE Results 27/09/09

Y11 08/09 5 A* - C 5A* - C (En / Ma) Low1300 Below212*0 Average2382** Above1185 High14129 Performance at GCSE 2009 from KS2 potential *Amelia Beacham and Katie Wood ** Lucy Farr and Hannah Turley

SISRA For free demonstration visit: Or phone Jphi3661 white

Two Sets’ GCSE Results 2009 The wider and lighter bands show targets – the narrower bands show results

Assertive Mentoring 1.We use data from end of Y10 to identify our ‘Key Marginal’ students 2.Tracking is planned to help transform students’ attainment levels. 3.Each month in Y11 teachers predict GCSE grades for students based on their current standard of attainment and attitude to learning. 4.This ensures that students (and their mentors) know exactly where they are and it enables the students to put it right. 5.Mentors interview students within one school week of the monthly data recording, so all data is live and incontrovertible.

OCTOBER mentoring Teacher Attitude to Learning Target Grade (FFTD) Teacher Current Prediction Course- work Grade Issues / Concerns English2CDD Somewhat 'flighty' in class. Occasionally brilliant and very capable. She is quick witted and imaginative but too often distracted/distracting and at the centre of a personal drama or a mobile going off suddenly. November mentoring Teacher Attitude to Learning Target Grade (FFTD) Current Teacher Prediction Course -work Grade Issues / Concerns English4CCC Nicole has transformed herself since the last recording window and is now working with effort, enthusiasm and consistency. Her written work is improving all the time and her general attitude is completely different. A really valuable member of the class. Well done Nicole. She is currently redrafting her 'Our Day Out' coursework - Final Grades: C C (Overall) 6Cs

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