A level results are higher than last year for York students

Exams

 Children’s Services leaders in York today  are congratulating A level students across the city on achieving an excellent set of results that builds on last year, and that will maintain York’s position above the national average.

Provisional results for York school sixth forms and York College show that the very high standards of previous years have been improved upon with increased numbers of students gaining three A levels, and initial results for the city indicate that attainment is likely to be well above national levels.

York school sixth forms – All Saints RC, Archbishop Holgate’s CE, Fulford, Huntington and Joseph Rowntree – and York College are reporting strong results with many ‘best ever’ performances. Early results for the schools show that across the board there has been an overall increase on last year’s results for both A* to B grades, and A* to E grades, bucking the national trend which reports a small fall.

In York school sixth forms:

o   The proportion of young people achieving three or more A levels has increased by three percentage points, as has the proportion achieving three or more at grades A*, A or B

o   The average grade achieved per A level entry has also gone up.

These provisional results suggest that York’s students continue to perform well above the national average.
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Musical organisations and schools invited to bid for funds from York Music Hub

girl-guitar-vector-drawing-girls-singing-street-31430820

York Music Hub is launching its Commissioning Plan and inviting musical organisations in York to apply for funding of up to £2,000 each, and clusters of schools up to £4,000 each, to help support its vision for musical provision in the city.

The commissioning plan seeks to allocate up to £40,000 during the academic year 2015/2016 and commission musical services which help develop sustainable, high quality and diverse musical experiences for local children and young people.

Funding bids should also support the National Plan for Music Education and may reflect the needs and issues identified in research undertaken by York Music Hub in 2012 and York St.John University in 2014.

A wide variety of musical bids are expected which may, for example, develop a range of singing opportunities (particularly for boys), give opportunities for children to become involved in performing and specialist events, commission music specialists or develop opportunities for using music technology.  (more…)

GCSE English and Maths


english and maths FEIf you  need your English and Maths for a higher education course or to improve your job prospects, look no further.

To offer you the best chance of attending an assessment with us, we run sessions all across York on different days and different times of the day.

To cofirm a slot on one of our assessments or to ask any questions, email york.learning@york.gov.uk or call 01904 554277.

Clickhere   to find a time and date to suit you

Millthorpe Academy school plan – other schools may be affected

It looks like another 3 schools in York may opt for “Academy” status. Millthorpe secondary school and two of its feeder primaries, Scarcroft and Knavesmire in South Bank, want to “join forces”.

They are currently consulting on their plans on whether to apply for Multi-Academy Trust status.

The decision has potentially big implications for a wide area with many pupils from Dringhouses Primary school feeding into Millthorpe. There are also issues for the Poppleton Road area as well as Bishopthorpe and Copmanthorpe. Local primary schools there are not apparently being invited to participate in the “closer working arrangements”  offered to the Scarcroft and Knavesmire schools.

Nearby secondary schools such as York High could also feel some effect if Millthorpe seeks to “cherry pick” gifted pupils from outside its traditional catchment area.

Millthorpe school catchment area clikc to enlarge

Millthorpe school catchment area clikc to enlarge

The three schools involved would be able to operate free of interference (or support) from the York Council. What practical effect this might have is open to debate. The Council, these days, has little involvement with the day to day running of schools. Staff and governors are firmly in control of most decisions. Revenue funding comes direct to the school from central government while capital, for improvements, is also ring fenced.
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York gears up for Walk to School Week

City of York Council is gearing up for Walk to School Week, which takes place between 18 – 22 May.

Nineteen primary schools across the city are taking part in this year’s campaign to encourage even more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

walking bus 2

Christine Packer, School Travel Advisor at City of York Council, said: “Walk to School week is a great chance for pupils who might not be currently walking, scooting or cycling to try changing the way in which they travel to school. This is a popular campaign in York which brings many benefits including improving the environment and health – children who walk to school are proven to be more alert in lessons. This also helps towards the 60-minutes of recommended daily exercise. ”

Jonathan Green, Head Teacher from Archbishop of York Junior school in Bishopthorpe, said: “We always encourage our pupils to walk and cycle to school, particularly during walk to school week because of the benefits to the children. Research shows those who cycle or walk to school can demonstrate a measurable increase in concentration that lasts for up to four hours. Plus, children feel healthier, they are sharper, more ready to learn and are more likely to arrive at school in a more positive frame of mind.”

Children aged five to 16 need to do at least 60  minutes of physical activity that gets their heart beating faster than usual and they need to do it everyday to help them keep fit and healthy.

Regular activity is also important for adults and it is recommended that adults make sure they’re active for just 30 minutes each day, or 150 minutes a week. Just walking their children to school and back each day will meet this target for adults.

The scheme is also targeted at families who normally take the car, and encourages them to consider walking, scooting or cycling to school instead.

Residents can find out more about changing the way they travel in York at: www.itravelyork.info/

Nominations for York Adult Learner Awards close soon

York’s Community Learning Partnership is reminding residents that there’s still time to put names forward for the annual Adult Learner Awards 2015.

The closing date is Monday 27 April and shortlisted candidates, together with those who have nominated them, will be invited to a prestigious evening ceremony on Thursday 18 June.

The Awards are an annual and uplifting celebration of the achievements of learners in the city. In previous years they have been presented to individuals and groups from the widest of learning settings, including learning for pleasure or work, learning through informal and self organised groups and those undertaking including formal and academic study.
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Announcement of primary school place allocations in York as overcrowding grows

  • 92% of York children have been allocated their first preference primary school for September 2015.
  • 100% of York children have been allocated their first preference junior school for September 2015.
  • 8% of York children were allocated their 1st, 2nd or 3rd preference primary school. Need help or advice? – email education@york.gov.uk

Larger class sizes in York

The Council has also released details of overcrowding at some schools following a Freedom of Information request

In 2014 there were 8 infant classes with a size of over 30

These were at Poppleton Ousebank, Wheldrake, Elvington, St Lawrences, Bishopthorpe and Ralph Butterfield (3)

By 2015 this figure had increased to 12.

The schools affected are

  • Our Lady Queen of Martyrs,
  • Whedrake (2),
  • St Aelreds,
  • Elvington,
  • Bishopthorpe (5) and
  • Ralph Butterfield (2)

LibDems announce education manifesto

click to access

click to access

 

York schools’ attendance is among UK’s highest

Attendance at City of York Council’s schools for 2013-2014 continues to be amongst the very best nationally, according to figures released by the Department for Education (DfE), with York returning the UK’s lowest number of persistent absentees for primary schools.

Truency

Data published on Friday 26 March for the first five half terms of 2013-14, shows that York is the UK’s joint second best-performing local authority for primary school attendance at 96.7%. City of York Council primary schools also had the joint lowest numbers nationally for persistent absentees at 1.3%.

This excellent performance was also reflected in secondary schools with attendance at 95.4%, placing York in the 20 top-performing local authorities out of 150 councils. The percentage of pupils in secondary schools regarded as persistent absentees was City of York Council’s lowest since records began with only 4.6% counting as persistent absentees.

Currently any pupil who is absent for 15% or more of their sessions is regarded as a persistent absentee, however from September 2015 this will change so that pupils with absence of 10% or more will count as a persistent absentee.

Pupils who miss between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of school tend to have lower attainment levels than average, with only 35 per cent achieving five A* to C GCSEs, including English and maths.

Jon Stonehouse, Director of Children’s Services, Education and Skills at City of York Council, said: “The work of teaching staff, police and council partners in the health sector as well as parental commitment all contribute to this excellent outcome which helps ensure that children overcome any barriers to attendance and have access to a good education. I would encourage any parent concerned about issues that they feel may lead to their child missing lessons to contact their school straight away.”

Public services in York getting worse this year – official

Little attention has been given to a report to tomorrows Cabinet meeting which shows a marked decline in the quality of some public services in York

Graffiti taking longer to remove

Graffiti taking longer to remove

It is taking the Council between 2 and 3 days to clean graffiti now – almost double the time taken two years ago

The number of York residents on the housing waiting list has increase from 1344 to 1439 over recent months It is still low compared to historical levels (because many applicants were struck off the list last year by the Council)

Only 62% of tenants are satisfied now with the Council as a landlord. To a degree this reflects the lack of investment in the Council estates across the City (a LibDem regeneration plan was voted down last week by the Labour/Green coalition)

Customer satisfaction with the quality of streets and public places has slipped below 50% as has satisfaction with green spaces.

Only 48% think that the Council is tackling anti social behaviour well.

Fewer residents (12%) are now “volunteering”

The number of people aged over 65 admitted to residential and nursing care homes had risen to 767 (per 100k population) by the end of last year. Numbers are increasing again this year.

By December 27 residents were victims of delayed discharges from hospital. Of these 15 were down to York Council care failings.

Waste going to landfill increasing

Waste going to landfill increasing

The Council is failing its waste management targets. Consequently taxpayers will foot an increased £3.7million landfill tax bill.

Stage carriage bus use in the City is stable.  The Council refuses to publish monthly figures indicating the number of buses running on time (was 84% last year according to DoT figures)

Woodthorpe school report on “pupil premium” success to be discussed next week

Disabled access arrangements also being scrutinised

A report from Woodthorpe primary school, indicating how they have used the LibDem inspired pupil premium funding initiative, forms part of the background papers for a meeting next week.

The school received a supplementary payment of over £130,000 last year which was used to raise the achievement levels of children from poorer backgrounds.

The Woodthorpe review  forms part of a wider report which looks at how the “attainment gap” can be closed across the whole of the City.

A special committee had been told  that, by the age of 19, the gap in attainment between disadvantaged young people (as defined by them being in receipt of Free School Meals at age 15) and their peers in York were among the widest anywhere in the country

Disabled access

The meeting will also receive a report on how access arrangements for people with disabilities can be improved particularly at leisure venues.