National GCSE stats show small improvements

GCSE attainment and the proportion of pupils entering the English Baccalaureate both increased in 2018, new national data shows.

This morning the Department for Education published provisional statistics on GCSE results for the 2017-18 academic year.

According to the figures, Attainment 8 – a measure of average achievement of pupils in up to eight qualifications – increased in 2018 by 0.1 points to 44.3 for all schools, and increased for state-funded schools by 0.4 points to 46.4 compared to 2017.

The proportion of pupils entering the EBacc increased by 0.3 percentage points since 2017. In 2018, 38.4% of pupils in state-funded schools entered the EBacc.

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Herts for Learning's Early Reading Project Pilot doubles pupil's progress

A new pilot project, delivered collaboratively by the Herts for Learning (HfL) English and Early Years team, has doubled the progress of struggling readers within a sound Early Years ethos.

The Early Reading project pilot, which started in the autumn term of 2017, involved 53 pupils from nine schools in Hertfordshire.

The aim of the pilot project was to improve outcomes in reading at the end of the Reception year, effectively closing gaps in children’s early reading skills and knowledge.

The data from these nine schools (53 children) show:

• participating schools’ ‘Good Level of Development’ (GLD) scores improving by on average 2.9 ppts compared to overall County change of +0.5. The year-on-year change for those who did not participate in the ERP pilot was negative (-0.2)
• 78% of participating schools saw an increase in ELG reading between 2017 and 2018
• participating schools’ ‘Early Learning Goal’ (ELG) data for reading improving by on average 4.6 ppts compared to overall County change of -1.0. The largest increase seen was +13.3 ppts, in a school with a high proportion of disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils

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Hertfordshire pupils’ winning films released for World Mental Health Day

Two films raising awareness of young people’s mental health have been released after a countywide competition among schools in Hertfordshire.

The films, designed by young people for young people, have been launched by Herts County Council to coincide with today’s World Mental Health Day, and as part of the county’s #JustTalk campaign.

Pupils from across Herts were invited to submit a film storyboard for the campaign, which encourages young people to talk about what’s on their mind without fear of judgement or embarrassment. The winning storyboards were chosen out of 185 entries and were professionally produced as films.

The winners were Alex Strazza, a 13-year-old pupil at Verulam School in St Alban and Louis Webb, who is in Year 8 at Richard Hale School in Hertford.

Read more via Herts Advertiser