Here - Lowther Primary School

Academic Results 2011-2012
We strive for very high academic performance coupled with an enthusiasm for school and for learning. Results at
EYFS, KS1 and KS2 should once more reflect children’s positive attitude to learning.
EFYS data — The Foundation Stage
The learning in the Foundation Stage has continued to be active, exciting and busy. The children in the Nursery
have made good progress throughout the year. Their progress has been tracked using the borough tracking
spread sheet which we have adapted to show progress within each age band by introducing categories of emerging,
consolidating and secure. This has shown that some are working within the 40– 60 months age band but
most children are working within the expected developmental level (30-50 months) having started the year within
a range of developmental stages. At this stage children’s age plays a particularly large part in their attainment.
Most of the reception children are working within the Early Learning Goals in all curriculum areas and some children
are working above the expected levels in most areas of the curriculum. Many of the children have made considerable
progress after starting at a developmental stage below their chronological age. Considering nearly half
of the current reception children are summer born this is a very good achievement. Profile results in all areas were
comparable with the national average and in some areas higher.
In reception we have accessed training in phonics teaching through the SLL project and as a result all feel confident
that our phonics teaching is robust and the children are working at the expected level of the Primary National
Strategy scheme ‘Letters and Sounds’. End of year data in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile shows that
97% of the children are working within the Early Learning goals for Linking Sounds and Letters and 90% achieving
6+ points. This should impact upon reading and writing levels in KS1 in the future.
National Average Lowther 2010 Lowther 2011
DA 6+ pts 91% 89% 85%
DA 8+pts 49% 49% 52%
LSL 6+pts 79% 80.9% 90%
LSL 8+pts 34% 42.5% 43%
W 6+ pts 67% 57.4% 62%
W8+ pts 24% 19% 20%
This indicates that the phonics teaching is now having more of an effect on both the writing and Linking Sounds
and Letters achievements. However, the large number of summer born boys within both classes also affects the
writing achievements and this links with the development of fine motor control within this year group.
Focuses for next year: Physical development linked to fine motor control – effective pencil grip. To investigate
further: gender and age differences in writing through gap analysis of results.
However, next year the EYFS curriculum is changing and a ‘best fit’ model leading to ‘working towards, expected
and exceeding’ will replace the points score system.
The recent external moderation of the early years foundation stage profile in the reception classes validated our
judgements, noting that the evidence is robust and praised the wide range of methods used to collect information
- teacher knowledge, written notes, photos, videos, children’s work, parents information and information from
other adults. They noted that the ‘teachers and teaching assistants know the children well in both classes and
are able to tell the stories behind their judgments both with confidence and accuracy’. The foundation stage environment
was commended by the moderators as one which would support the children’s learning.
Indeed earlier in the year Tina Bruce described it as ‘a breath of fresh air!’ – praise indeed.