Select Committee on Public Accounts Minutes of Evidence


Supplementary memorandum submitted by the National Audit Office

  1.  At the deliberative session held on 14 June on the Chairman's draft Report Improving poorly performing schools in England, the Committee raised some queries about the performance of faith schools. I agreed to provide further analysis, which is provided by this memorandum and covers:

    —  pupil attainment;

    —  pupil attendance;

    —  Ofsted inspection results;

    —  applications for places;

    —  admissions arrangements; and

    —  the Department for Education and Skills' position on faith schools.

A.  PUPIL ATTAINMENT

i)   Absolute attainment

  2.  Perhaps the most important measure of school performance comes from the levels of attainment of its pupils. The Department publishes attainment data, and the simplest datasets are for the absolute attainment of pupils: the National Curriculum test results (for primary school pupils at the end of Key Stage 2) and GCSEs.

  3.  We examined the religious character of the highest performing schools, in absolute terms, in 2005. Figure 1 shows that faith-based primary schools accounted for two-thirds of the top 229 schools, although faith schools represent only around 36% of all primary schools. Faith-based secondary schools accounted for nearly half of the top 100 schools, which is again much higher than the 18% of all secondary schools that are faith-based.

Figure 1

HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS (ABSOLUTE TERMS), 2005


Faith schools Non faith schoolsTotal


Highest performing primary schools66% 34%100%

All primary schools
36% 64%100%

Highest performing secondary schools
45%55%100%

All secondary schools
18% 82%100%




  Source: NAO analysis of DfES data

  Notes:

  1.  The highest performing primary schools are the 229 schools that had the maximum possible score of 300 in the National Curriculum tests.

  2.  The highest performing secondary schools excludes selective schools, and are the 100 schools with the highest percentages of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grade GCSEs or equivalent.

ii)   Value added performance

  4.  We next examined performance in terms of the value that schools added to the attainment of pupils on average in 2005—ie pupils' attainment as they leave the school compared with their attainment four years (primary schools) or five years (secondary schools) earlier. The value added measure is generally considered to be a more robust measure of a school's performance than absolute attainment, because it measures the progress made by pupils.

  5.  Figure 2 shows that faith-based primary schools accounted for nearly half of the top 100 schools, which is higher than the 36% of all primary schools that are faith schools. Faith-based secondary schools accounted for around one-third of the top 100 schools, which is much higher than the 18% of all schools that are faith schools. As with absolute attainment, faith schools are more likely to be among the top schools. However, the value added performance of faith schools is not as strong as for absolute attainment.

Figure 2

HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS (VALUE ADDED), 2005


Faith schools Non faith schoolsTotal


Highest performing primary schools45% 55%100%

All primary schools
36% 64%100%

Highest performing secondary schools
34%66%100%

All secondary schools
18% 82%100%




  Source:  NAO analysis of DfES data

  Notes:

  1.  The highest performing primary schools are the 100 schools with the highest "value added" measures, comparing the performance of Year 6 pupils in the National Curriculum tests with the middle performance of other pupils nationally who had similar attainment four years earlier.

  2.  The highest performing secondary schools are the 100 (non-selective) schools with the highest "value added" measures, comparing the performance of Year 11 pupils in GCSEs and equivalents with the middle performance of other pupils nationally who had similar attainment five years earlier.

iii)   Value added performance, adjusted for external factors

  6.  The NAO's 2003 report Making a difference: Performance of maintained secondary schools in England included an analysis of school performance at Key Stage 3 (for 13-year olds) and GCSE, adjusted for pupils' prior attainment and external factors such as the percentage of pupils on free school meals. [7]This is a more sophisticated analysis of school performance, which the Department will be rolling out across all schools in 2006. Our analysis[8] showed that:

    —  at Key Stage 3, faith schools are associated with very slightly higher results than non faith schools; and

    —  at GCSE, there is no statistically significant difference between faith schools and non faith schools after taking account of prior attainment and external factors that influence attainment.

  7.  The NAO report commented that other research suggested that many faith schools, and the communities from which they draw their pupils, have a clear ethos and values that might lead to better than average performance overall. [9]Research also suggests that many high performing schools have developed their own distinct identity. They have a positive, definable and recognisable ethos that permeates the entire school, and is evident in good pupil-teacher relations, shared vision, cooperative working and common goals. [10]

B.  PUPIL ATTENDANCE

  8.  The NAO has reported on attendance in schools (Improving school attendance in England, (HC 212, Session 2004-05). The report included a statistical analysis of the variations in absence rates between different types of schools, after adjusting for all other measurable factors that were associated with absence (such as the incidence of free school meals).

  9.  Given that the great majority of voluntary aided and voluntary controlled primary schools are also faith schools, the analysis showed that faith-based primary schools are associated with slightly lower levels of total absence compared with other schools. Regarding secondary schools, the great majority of voluntary aided and the majority of voluntary controlled schools are faith schools. Faith-based secondary schools that are voluntary aided are associated with lower absence (nearly 1.5 days per pupil on average), but there is no relationship for voluntary controlled schools. The detailed statistics are shown in Annex 1.

  10.  In response to a request from Richard Bacon MP, we prepared a supplementary memorandum that compared faith schools' total absence rates with those of other schools, without adjustment for any other factors that are known to affect absence rates. The memorandum was published with the Committee's 18th Report of 2005-06. The comparison showed that, for secondary schools, a much higher proportion of faith schools than non faith schools performed better than average (Figure 3). The results of this analysis are broadly consistent with the more sophisticated analysis explained above (paragraphs 8 and 9).

Figure 3

PUPIL ATTENDANCE ANALYSIS (SECONDARY SCHOOLS), 2002-03


Attendance levelFaith schools Non faith schools


Better than average63% 39%
Average16%20%
Worse than average21% 41%
Total100%100%




  Source:  NAO; data unadjusted for factors known to affect absence rates.

  11.  In conclusion, faith schools tend to have better pupil attendance, particularly at secondary level. Their performance is likely to be related to ethos, parental support for the school and to the types of children who are pupils, although a number of other contextual factors are likely to be at play.

C.  OFSTED INSPECTION RESULTS

  12.  The NAO's 2006 report (Improving poorly performing schools in England, HC 679, Session 2005-06) included a statistical analysis of the relationship between 8 key factors and whether a school was in an Ofsted category (Special Measures or Serious Weaknesses). We found that there was no statistically significant relationship between whether a school was a faith school and whether it was in a category.

  13.  We have now carried out an additional analysis of whether a relationship existed in London schools only between the religious character of a school and whether it was in an Ofsted category in July 2005. Again, we found that there was no statistically significant relationship. Although 3.3% of faith schools compared with 2.6% of non faith schools were in a category, this difference is not statistically significant.

  14.  Our survey of schools that had recovered from being in an Ofsted category found that of the 36 faith schools that responded, 21 (58%) considered that they were helped to improve by the guidance or support provided by a church or faith organisation.

  15.  We have carried out some additional research on primary and secondary schools that were assessed by Ofsted in the 2004-05 school year as "outstanding" overall. Our analysis shows that the proportion of outstanding primary schools that are faith-based is similar to the proportion of faith-based primary schools across all primary schools (Figure 4). Of the outstanding secondary schools, a higher than average percentage are faith-based.

Figure 4

OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS, 2005


Faith schools Non faith schoolsTotal


Outstanding primary schools37% 63%100%

All primary schools
36% 64%100%

Outstanding secondary schools
25% 75%100%

All secondary schools
18% 82%100%




  Source:  NAO analysis of list of 348 outstanding schools published by Ofsted, 2005.

  16.  In conclusion, there is no clear evidence that being a faith-school makes it easier to avoid poor performance. However, Ofsted inspection results indicate that faith-based secondary schools are more likely than non faith schools to be very effective overall.

D.  APPLICATIONS FOR PLACES

  17.  Public awareness of the performance of schools, through published materials and word of mouth, is likely to result in schools perceived to be good schools being more popular among parents applying for places for their children and thus over-subscribed. Other factors exist that can cause a school to be over-subscribed: in particular where there are insufficient school places in the area, where a school markets itself well, and where other local schools are known to be in difficulty.

  18.  The Department does not collect national data on applications for individual schools. However, we expect that most, if not all, local authorities hold such data. Some of them publish it. We have analysed the published data for a sample of seven local authorities, covering 423 schools (Figure 5). Our sample indicates that faith-based primary schools are no more likely to be over-subscribed than non faith schools, while faith-based secondary schools are more likely to be over-subscribed than non faith schools.

Figure 5

OVER-SUBSCRIPTION OF SCHOOLS, 2005


Faith schools over-subscribed Non faith schools over-subscribed

Number Percentage of total
faith schools
NumberPercentage of total non
faith schools


Primary4636% 6539%
Secondary2162% 4649%




  Source:  NAO analysis of applications data for 423 schools in seven local authorities, 2005.

  19.  In conclusion, at secondary level faith schools are more likely to be very popular than non faith schools, and there is little difference at primary level. This provides an indication that more parents prefer that their secondary school aged children be educated at a faith school. However, this is based on a small number of authorities and caution should be exercised because they may not be representative and other factors could be at play, such as there being fewer places at faith-based secondary schools than faith-based primary schools in England. It would require more time and work to prepare a robust analysis across the country.

E.  ADMISSIONS

  20.  Some commentators of faith schools consider that they are able to improve their performance through exercising a degree of selection over the pupils that they take in. Where a school is voluntary aided (or foundation, academy or city technology college), the school's governing body acts as its admissions authority. 5[11] Where a school is voluntary controlled or community, the local authority acts as the admissions authority. The commentators claim that some schools that are their own admissions authorities select pupils who are likely to be more able or to receive more parental support. Although some non faith schools control their own admissions, much higher proportions of faith schools are able to do so. Figure 6 gives our estimates of the percentages of schools that control their own admissions. It shows that most faith schools control their admissions, particularly in the secondary sector.

Figure 6

SCHOOLS THAT ARE ADMISSIONS AUTHORITIES


Percentage of schools that are admissions authorities
Faith schools Non faith schools


Primary60%3%
Secondary88%19%



  Source:  NAO analysis of DfES data, 2003.

  21.  We examined how many of the top secondary schools are admissions authorities, compared with the 88% of faith-based secondary schools overall:

    —  of the 45 faith schools in the top 100 schools for absolute GCSE performance, 44 (98%) controlled their own admissions;

    —  of the 34 faith schools in the top 100 schools for value added, 32 (94%) controlled their own admissions; and

    —  of the 18 faith-based secondary schools assessed as outstanding by Ofsted in 2004-05, all 18 (100%) controlled their own admissions.

  22.  Therefore, top performing faith schools are more likely to be their own admissions authority than other faith schools. Although the numbers of schools included in these analyses are not high, the analysis indicates that being an admissions authority could contribute to the good academic performance of faith schools.

  23.  The Sutton Trust[12] found that faith schools accounted for 42% of the top 200 comprehensives on the basis of the percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade (a similar percentage to our analysis of the top 100). The Sutton Trust examined whether the pupil intake of the top secondary schools, faith and non faith, reflected the characteristics of their local neighbourhood (Figure 7). It found that, on average, the faith schools were located in more deprived neighbourhoods (based on the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals) than non faith schools. However, on average, the pupils at the faith schools and non faith schools came from similar backgrounds, because the faith-based secondary schools were less reflective of their neighbourhoods than non faith schools.

Figure 7

TOP SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND THEIR NEIGHBOURHOODS


Religious character of schoolAverage percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

In their
neighbourhood
In schoolGap between school and
neighbourhood


Faith15.2%5.9% 9.3%
Non faith8.6%5.3% 3.3%




  Notes:

  1.  The Sutton Trust defined a school's "neighbourhood" as the postcode sector in which the school is situated. It is not necessarily the same as the school's catchment area, which may be larger, and a school may not be situated in the middle of its postcode sector.

  2.  The average percentage eligibility for free school meals at secondary schools is 17.9%.

  24.  In conclusion, many faith schools have scope to exercise a degree of selection of their pupils. We do not know the extent to which this occurs in practice.

F.  THE DEPARTMENT'S POSITION ON FAITH SCHOOLS

  25.  The Committee's 19th Report of 2003-04 concluded that the Department should identify and promote the strengths of faith schools across the school sector. (The conclusion and an extract of the response is at Annex 2). The Treasury Minute responded that the Government supported more faith schools as part of its policy to increase diversity and raise standards. It stated that the case of faith schools did not rest on superior performance, although many faith schools did perform well which may reflect the following factors:

    —  strong values and unique ethos;

    —  they draw from communities that value education; and

    —  parents that seek out faith schools may provide their children with more support.

  26.  The 2005 Schools White Paper reiterated the need for a diversity of providers, including faith-based groups.

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS

  27.  Faith schools are a very important part of the maintained schools sector in England, particularly well regarded for having strong ethos and values. High proportions of faith schools are among the best performing schools in the country according to measures of pupil attainment and Ofsted's assessments. Faith-based secondary schools in particular are impressive performers, and they are often over-subscribed. At the other end of the scale, faith-based schools are just as likely non faith schools to get into difficulty.

  28.  There are indications that some faith-based secondary schools may owe their good performance at least in part to their intake. The top schools do not fully reflect their neighbourhoods, indicating that their ability to control their admissions could be a factor in their good performance. The Department will be publishing "contextually value added" performance information for all schools on the 2006 exam and test results. Analysis of this information would further inform the debate about whether faith schools owe their good performance to factors other than the overall effectiveness of the school.

Annex 1

EFFECT OF SCHOOL TYPE ON ABSENCE IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Effect on absence (days per pupil per year)

Primary schools Secondary schools

School type
Total absence Unauthorised
absence
Total absence Unauthorised
absence


Foundation-0.30 -0.65-0.40
Voluntary aided-0.35 -1.41-0.77
Voluntary controlled-0.15 +0.10
Faith (Christian)-0.16


  Notes:

  1.  Figures are shown in comparison to all other schools.

  2.  No entry in this table means that the factor has no statistically significant relationship with absence.

  Source:   Improving school attendance in England, C&AG's Report (HC 212, Session 2004-05), paras 2.20-2.21 and Appendix 2 (Figure 11).

  3.  Where faith (Christian) schools are voluntary aided, voluntary controlled or foundation, the two effects should be added.

Annex 2

EXTRACT FROM THE TREASURY MINUTE ON THE 19TH REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, SESSION 2003-04

  PAC conclusion (vi):  Adjusted performance measures also show that specialist schools, faith schools, beacon schools and single sex schools do better than average. The strengths of these schools, such as a strong set of values and ethos, should be identified by the Department and promoted across the school sector.

  21.  The Department accepts this recommendation|

  25.  |The Government supports more faith schools in the maintained sector as part of its policy on increasing diversity and raising standards. While the case for faith schools has never rested on superior performance, many faith schools do perform well and the Department has identified some of the factors that may be relevant in explaining why this is so:

    —  they tend to have strong values and a unique ethos;

    —  many draw from communities that particularly value education—Jewish, Muslim and Sikh schools for example; and

    —  parents who seek out faith schools may provide their children with a high level of support.

  26.  Social background may also be a consideration. On average faith schools have fewer pupils with free school meals than other schools.

  27.  The Department is actively encouraging faith schools to work in partnership with others in the local family of schools and to share values, ethos and best practice. It is also planning to introduce parental involvement networks to promote and change the culture around parental involvement in their children's education|

  29.  |The Department has introduced new "competition" arrangements for providing additional secondary schools in order to encourage a range of school providers, including faith groups, to put forward proposals and increase the diversity of provision. The Secretary of State will decide such proposals and contribution to raising standards will be key consideration.



7   1 The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is an indicator of socio-economic deprivation. Back

8   2 C&AG's Report, Making a difference: Performance of maintained secondary schools in England (HC 1332, Session 2002-03), Figure 9, p 20. Back

9   3 The impact of specialist and faith schools, National Foundation for Educational Research, 2002. Back

10   4 High performing specialist schools: What makes the difference, National Foundation for Educational Research, 2002. Back

11   5 Admissions authorities have responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils. All admissions authorities must have regard to the statutory guidance within the School Admissions Code of Practice and the School Admission Appeals Code of Practice. The admissions code of practice provides guidance on acceptable oversubscription criteria. Back

12   6 The Sutton Trust is a charity, established in 1997 with the aim of challenging educational inequality. The evidence used in this memorandum comes from The social composition of top comprehensive schools, 2006. Back


 
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