Badger Hill primary school wins money for buildings

Liberal Democrat Schools Minister David Laws MP has today announced government money to rebuild Badger Hill school in York.

The money will come from the Priority Schools Building Programme, a £2bn government scheme spearheaded by the Liberal Democrats to rebuild those schools across the country suffering most from wear and tear. A full list of benefiting schools can be found by clicking here

Schools included in the programme are now able to start developing detailed plans, and are expected to be completed in the next few years.

Liberal Democrat Schools Minister David Laws MP said:

“I am delighted to be able to announce money that will allow Badger Hill to make badly needed improvements to their building.

“School buildings that aren’t up to scratch unfairly hold our children and young people back. Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential, and improving Badger Hill will make sure that many more children in York receive a good education.”

Local Liberal Democrats say,

“Last week the Conservatives set out plans to cut school budgets if they are in power by themselves after the election. We am proud that Liberal Democrats are continuing to make the case and win more investment for local schools.

Elsewhere in the city, work on new primary schools for Carr Infants in Acomb and Lord Deramore’s in Heslington are both due to begin later this year. Already set to be expanded in the City are St Barnabas and fellow PFI- primary, St Oswald’s CE in Fulford, where there has been increased demand for pupil places.

Only a few weeks ago figures were released which revealed that York faced a major shortfall in school place availability over the next few years.

The Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) was established in 2011 to address the needs of those schools in the worst condition across the country.
The list of 261 successful schools for the first phase of the programme was announced in May 2012. Significant work on those projects is already underway. As of 26 January 2015, 15 school buildings are already open, a further 72 have contracts signed and the remaining projects are well into in the development or planning stages.
In May 2014 the Coalition Government announced a further £2 billion for the second phase of the programme. A list of the schools to benefit from the second phase of the PSBP has been published today, here
The government has also today announced £4bn of school maintenance funding to be shared by local authorities across England.
This week David Cameron set out Conservative plans to cut school budgets by up to 10% in real terms, if his party wins an overall majority in this year’s general election. Liberal Democrats have protected schools spending in this parliament, and are committed to protecting schools, early years and 16-19 education budgets in real terms in the next parliament.

York letting disadvantaged pupils down?

A new Centre for City’s study has put York bottom of a league table when measuring the exam results achieved by disadvantaged pupils.

Although the number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs including Maths and English in 2013/14 was good, the results for those from disadvantaged backgrounds was worse then elsewhere in the country.

The gap in York at primary school age (KS2) is 23 percentage points.

This widens to a 40 percentage point difference between disadvantaged pupils and their peers at GCSE level: just 29 per cent of disadvantaged pupils in York achieve five or more good GSCEs, while 69 per cent of their peers do.

The government’s flagship “pupil premium” funding was intended to address this issue.

Someone at the York Council needs to start explaining why some secondary schools seem to be letting down those pupils from a disadvantaged background.

Council Leaders have been quick to jump on any good news from this organisation.

When a downturn in performance become apparent, silence isn’t an adequate explanation.

Schools inspectorate publishes list of “failing” York schools

York schools reports published “on line”

Ofsted have made their inspection reports – and statistical tables for all schools – available “on line”.

The statistical sheet for York High can be viewed by clicking here.

Other York secondary schools can be accessed by clicking here

You can access Primary schools on the Ofsted web site here or, for west York schools, click the links below

Most York schools are performing well.

One exception was Canon Lee (which has already been subject to widespread media comment)

Five Primary schools were criticised in their last Ofsted reports

Nine York Primary schools were rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted.

GCSE results

Meanwhile Key Stage 4 School Performance Tables published today show that many York schools achieved excellent results and are well above national averages.

The percentage of pupils gaining five or more A*–C grades at GCSE (or equivalent), including English and Maths, is 62 per cent. This is 6 percentage points above the national average and places York in the top spot in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The results place York in the top 14 per cent of Local Authorities in England.

York is also in the top 10 per cent of Local Authorities in England for pupils achieving the ‘English Baccalaureate’, and in the top third for pupils achieving ‘at least expected rates’ of progress from the end of Key Stage 2.
(more…)

Schools face overcrowding challenge in York

Return of the mobile classroom?

The majority of primary schools are overcrowded according to new figures released by the York Council.

Although some new building works are planned, the position would be exacerbated if Labour’s “Big City” Local Plan gets the go ahead.

Developers are required to pay for additional school places, when providing more homes, permanent provision often lags some years behind new homes being occupied.

Some primary school sites – such as Our Lady’s on Windsor Garth – have been sold for redevelopment, adding to local pressures.

The position at York’s primary schools means that pressure on Secondary school places – only one of which is currently beyond capacity – will build over the next 5 years.

By 2019 an additional 635 secondary school desks will be required.

For many years Oaklands school (the predecessor of York High) operated with several mobile classrooms. Apart from the classrooms being remote from the main building, extra pupils placed pressure on communal facilities such as assembly halls.

Lack of spaces may further reduce the choice available to parents when they decide which school to send their children to.

New adult learning classes announced in York

Chop Chop! It’s time to sign up

Chop chop! Fast and Easy Oriental Cookery is just one of the many new and exciting courses and workshops residents can enjoy as part of the spring programme of Adult Learning opportunities from City of York Council.

This year busy residents can take time out on the largest selection yet of one-off creative workshops which offer a convenient alternative to full courses. These teach skills in a single intensive session and allow the participant to take their project home at the end. Easter workshops in fused glass decorations and felt chicks are both new to the programme and are covered in just a few hours. Residents can also enjoy learning at their own pace, with flexible learning offered in beginners’ and advanced computer courses.

The council’s York Learning team has introduced some fantastic new courses to its new programme which pick up on latest trends, from designing and knitting Fair Isle patterns, introducing i-pad and Android technology, beginners’ Ballet Fit and planting creative herb pots. The programme, Learning 4 Everyone, has also catered for the high demand of traditionally popular interests too, boasting over 29 Pilates courses and 12 different painting and drawing courses.

(more…)

Key exam results success for York children

Liberal Democrat Councillors have welcomed government figures released today (11 December) which show that York pupils are continuing to perform above the national average in their Key Stage 2 tests, ranking the city’s results second only to those of the East Riding in Yorkshire and Humber.

The Department for Education (DfE) published the final results for the June 2014 Key Stage 2 tests for 11 year olds. For York, these results show that:

Results at Level 4+ (the expected level of achievement for 11 year olds) : 79% of pupils achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths (in line with the national average).

Results at Level 5+ (the higher level): 25% of pupils achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and maths (1 percentage point above the national average).
(more…)

89 per cent of York secondary schools ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’

89 per cent of York secondary schools and 87 per cent of the city’s primary schools are classed as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, according to the latest Ofsted inspections.

The figures will be presented to City of York Council’s Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee later this week (19 November) together with other schools’ data for 2014. (more…)

£103,330 boost for children in York

Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that nurseries, childminders and other early years providers in York are set for a £103,330 cash boost to help three and four-year-olds from disadvantaged families.

Lib Dems say the extra investment could help close York’s ‘attainment gap’ – the difference in education performance between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers.
(more…)

Absence in York schools amongst lowest in the country

Figures released by Department for Education (DfE) show that levels of attendance in City of York schools continue to be amongst the very best nationally.

The DfE figures revealed that only 3.2 per cent of pupils in York were regarded as persistent absentees [absent for 15 or more per cent of their lessons], a reduction from 5 per cent for the same period in 2012-13.
(more…)

5,819 York children to benefit from LibDem project

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that in total 5,819 children in York will benefit from the introduction of universal Free School Meals when term begins next week.

All reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils will now get their meals paid for under the scheme, which was first announced by the Liberal Democrats in 2013.

Although some children previously qualified for school meals, some do not take them due to the stigma, and others who don’t qualify struggle to afford them.

Research and pilot schemes in places such as Durham and Wolverhampton show that introducing universal free school meals leads to positive improvements in health, attainment and social cohesion, as well as helping families with the cost of living.

(more…)

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