Response to national Ofsted report

Councillor Brigid Jones, cabinet member for children and family services, said: “Education in Birmingham has been getting steadily better over recent years.

“It is a real credit to Birmingham that our schools are doing well compared to the national average, particularly the increase in the percentage of good and outstanding schools.

“Our children receive an education in line with the best in Britain and we will continue to strive to make that excellence better and broader across the city.â€

Over the past 5 years (based on the position at 31st August each year from 2010) the percentage of Birmingham’s Good or Outstanding schools has steadily risen,  year by year, with an overall increase of 15 percentage points (Primary 18; Secondary 10). This compares with 12 percentage points at national level (Primary 13; Secondary 7).

Based on inspections of 434 secondary, primary and special schools, and nurseries, as of 31st August (excluding two new Free schools not yet inspected), 76% are judged to be Good or Outstanding (Primary 74%; Secondary 71%).
 
More importantly, if we exclude 28 academy converters which have not yet had an inspection since conversion, the Good or Outstanding figure is 80% (Primary 79%; Secondary 73%) which compares to a national figure of 81%.

We are comparable to the rest of the region and our statistical neighbours.

The number of outstanding schools has remained relatively stable but there has been a steady increase in good schools.

Looking at data to 31 August 2014, including all schools regardless of status, using pre-conversion judgements where there are no more recent inspection judgements, based on good/outstanding and looking at all school phases our rate of improvement is better than at national level, we have halved the gap with national level since 2010, and we have outperformed our statistical neighbours in every year since 2010.

If we focus on secondary only:

2010-2014 we outperform West Midlands every year except 2011 where we have the same outcome
We outperform statistical neighbours every year
We outperform at national level 2012, 2013 and 2014

Comparing current inspections to previous inspections, 38 per cent had a better outcome, with only 15 per cent having a worse outcome. Including those that remain outstanding we have 48 per cent either achieving or remaining at the best possible outcome.

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