Attainment gap between looked after and non-looked after children narrows slightly

Attainment gap widens significantly as children grow older

For the third year an annual statistical release has been published showing reported outcomes for looked after children with comparative figures for non-looked after children. The figures include educational attainment, special educational needs (SEN), exclusions from school, health, development of children aged under 5, education and employment after year 11, offending and substance misuse.

This SFR also includes information on the two impact indicators for looked after children:

The attainment gap between looked after children and non-looked after children achieving level 4 in both English and mathematics at Key Stage 2
The attainment gap between looked after children and non-looked after children achieving 'The Basics' - grade A* to C in GCSE English and mathematics at Key Stage 4.

The main change from last year's release concerns the definition of looked after children used for the national attainment measures. Last year, the pupil premium cohort (children looked after continuously for six months) was used. This year, only children looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March have been included. The definition of 12 months has been used so the support that a looked after child has received from a local authority has had time to have an impact on educational results.

The calculation of the percentage of children achieving a particular Key Stage has also changed to take into account only those for whom matched national pupil database (NPD) data is available, rather than all those looked after children in the relevant age group.

Of the children looked after continuously for 12 months during the year ending 31 March 2012:

At Key Stage 1, 67 per cent achieved the expected level in reading, 57 per cent achieved the expected level in writing and 71 per cent achieved the expected level in mathematics compared with 64 per cent, 56 per cent and 68 per cent in 2011 for each subject respectively. The comparative percentages for non-looked after children were 87%, 83% and 91%.
At Key Stage 2, 50 per cent achieved the expected level in English and mathematics in 2012 (not comparable to previous years). For non-looked after children the comparative percentage was 79%.
At Key Stage 4, the percentage of children looked after achieving The Basics - A*-C in GCSE English and mathematics continued to increase from 14 per cent in 2011 to 15 per cent in 2012. The percentage achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent including English and mathematics has also increased from 14 per cent in 2011 to 15 per cent in 2012. The comparative percentages for non-looked after children was 58% in each category.
6.9 per cent of those aged between 10 and 17 years had been convicted or subject to a final warning or reprimand during the year.
4.1 per cent were identified as having a substance misuse problem during the year.

The release can be read here.

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