Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Committee (FOI)

Request 677761165

I refer to the letter by the Education Minister to the Chair of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Committee, dated 17 July 2023.

1. Please provide a copy of the table on page 12 of this letter updated with figures for 2023 and 2024.

2. The response to question 16 stated: “We are currently refining our local value-added progress measures to ensure we have meaningful data. This is a priority as we are keen to reflect the importance of this data in highlighting the achievements of all pupils.”

Please state progress in pursuing this priority since July 2023.

Please give value added figures for the schools listed on P.12 of the letter for the most recent year for which they are available.

Response

1. Please find below the updated table as referenced in page 12 of the attached letter which now includes figures for 2023 and 2024*.  Please note that that between 2020 and 2022 results are not comparable with other years, due to the use of teacher and centre assessed grades, and modified examination practices across England and Jersey following the COVID pandemic:

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*Please note that since the first table was produced, we have improved our processes and completed a data quality exercise which identified some small changes in the resulting data included in this table.

Statistical disclosure controls have been applied to these datasets, where results are fewer than 5. The Department have determined that to provide the figures fewer than 5 would likely breach the privacy of individuals therefore disclosure control has been applied under Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) 2011 Law.  

2. 

Progress from 2023: 

Since giving the answer in 2023, England has changed the way that it uses value added data, and the accountability measures for its schools. In Jersey, we continue to develop our internal processes and have completed a data quality exercise since the last request. The School Improvement and Advisory Service (SIAS) has introduced additional in school internal data analysis tools. This is to support schools with the strategic analysis and review of performance allowing for specialist support for Key Stages 4 and 5.  

This data-driven approach facilitates the setting of aspirational targets, the monitoring of student progress, and the sharing of best practices among schools. Central internal data analysis supports evidence-informed decision-making. Moving forwards, SIAS will continue to work with all Government of Jersey schools to ensure consistency of data analysis focusing on improved student outcomes. 

Our small island system, which combines fee-paying, selective and non-selective schools with very small cohorts, is difficult to compare, with validity, to English outcomes. The total Island cohort in Jersey is 900; the English cohort in 2024 was approximately 670,000. In contrast to England, we offer the flexibility of IGSCEs, and multiple entries for analysis, providing our students with greater options for progression during their academic journey. 

​Please see below the Value Added figures: 

Please note our value-added methodology is based on the Department for Education’s (DfE) approach to calculating progress, which measures how much students improve during their time in secondary school. It compares their GCSE results with the expected outcomes based on their performance in Key Stage 2 (KS2) tests taken in Year 6.

Some students, such as new arrivals to the island, may not have KS2 scores. These students are excluded from the methodology, along with any students who have been disapplied.

A score of zero indicates that students, on average, made the expected amount of progress. A positive score means students performed better than expected, while a negative score means they performed worse. A score of 1 would suggest that the average student achieved one grade higher in each qualification compared to those with similar prior attainment.

It’s important to note that this data comes with several caveats. Jersey’s accountability measures differ from those in England. For example, we use the best entry rather than the first entry, and certain qualifications, such as IGCSEs, are accepted in Jersey but not in England. The methodology assumes Jersey has the same mix of characteristics as England, which may not be accurate. Therefore, our results cannot be directly compared with those from England. This tool is used locally to provide insights, alongside broader datasets, and most importantly, our in-depth understanding of school performance through the Jersey School Review Framework to track school improvement over time.

Comparing datasets across schools is often unhelpful because these measures don’t account for differences in characteristics. For instance, some schools have significantly more students in receipt of Jersey Premium, students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, or Multi-Lingual learners. Our system also includes some academic selection and a mix of fee-paying and non-fee-paying schools. 

Article applied 

Article 25 - Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law. ​