Performance of West Sussex Schools - March 2019
The proportion of schools that are graded good or better remains in the third quartile. The change how some inspections were scheduled since January 2018 has seen a significant increase in the number of inspections. The new School Effectiveness Strategy has enhanced the robustness of preparing school leadership to withstand external scrutiny. This includes strengthening those schools that are only just good. The increase in performance at KS2 will also strengthen the case for Good.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased slightly to 83.7%. This figure is slightly higher than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.  For March, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 83.3%; Secondary Schools = 82.1%; Special Schools = 100%
For any comparative purposes, from the Ofsted Annual Report released in December 2018, the overall effectiveness of state-funded schools at their most recent inspection, 31 August 2018, nationally was 86%.
Performance of West Sussex Schools - February 2019
The proportion of schools that are graded good or better remains in the third quartile. The change how some inspections were scheduled since January 2018 has seen a significant increase in how many inspections the number of inspections. The new School Effectiveness Strategy has enhanced the robustness of preparing school leadership to withstand external scrutiny. This includes strengthening those schools that are only just good. The increase in performance at KS2 will also strengthen the case for good.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased slightly to 84.8%. This figure is slightly higher than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.  For February, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 84.6%; Secondary Schools = 82.1%; Special Schools = 100%
For any comparative purposes, from the Ofsted Annual Report released in December 2018, the overall effectiveness of state-funded schools at their most recent inspection, 31 August 2018, nationally was 86%.
Performance of West Sussex Schools - January 2018
The proportion of schools that are graded good or better remains in the third quartile. The change how some inspections were scheduled since January 2018 has seen a significant increase in how many inspections the number of inspections. The new School Effectivess Strategy has enhanced the robustness of preparing school leadership to withstand external scrutiny. This includes strengthening those schools that are only just good. The increase in performance at KS2 will also strengthen the case for good.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased slightly to 84.7%. This figure is slightly higher than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.  For January, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 84.5%; Secondary Schools = 84.2%; Special Schools = 90.9%
Performance of West Sussex Schools – December 2018
The proportion of schools that are graded good or better remains in the third quartile. The change how some inspections were scheduled since January 2018 has seen a significant increase in how many inspections. The new School Effectiveness Strategy has enhanced the robustness of preparing school leadership to withstand external scrutiny. This includes strengthening those schools that are only just good. The increase in performance at KS2 will also strengthen the case for good.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased to 84.3%. This figure is slightly higher than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.  For December, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 84.3%; Secondary Schools = 84.2%; Special Schools = 90.9%
For any comparative purposes, from the Ofsted Annual Report released in December 2018, the overall effectiveness of state-funded schools at their most recent inspection, 31 August 2018, nationally was 86%.
Performance of West Sussex Schools – November 2018
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased to 84.3%. This figure is slightly higher than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.
For November, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 84.3%
Secondary Schools = 84.2%
Special Schools = 90.9%
Performance of West Sussex Schools – October 2018
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased to 83.6%. This figure is slightly lower than the figures shown in the 2017/18 academic year.
For October, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 83.2%
Secondary Schools = 84.2%
Special Schools = 90.9%
September 2018 performance
The proportion of good or better schools and pupils in good or better schools continues to rise, however, in the last quarter recent gains have not been sustained. Early indications are that improvement will start again in the next quarter.
The proportion of good or better secondary schools and similarly for primary schools has not altered during this quarter.
However, there are slightly more pupils attending good or better secondary or primary schools in West Sussex.
We have seen a significant rise in how many schools are inspected over the year. The long-term trend remains upwards for how many pupils and schools are good or better, though this varies between months.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased to 83.4%. This figure is higher than the figures shown in the 2016/17 academic year.
For Sept, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 82.5%
Secondary Schools = 86.5%
Special Schools = 90.9%
July 2018 performance
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased to 82.7%. This figure is higher than the figures shown in the 2016/17 academic year.
For July, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 82.1%
Secondary Schools = 83.8%
Special Schools = 90.9%
June 2018 performance
Since June 2017 about 4,000 more children and young people are in at least a good school in West Sussex.
We have seen a significant rise in how many schools are inspected over the year. The trend remains upwards for how many pupils and schools are good or better, though this varies between months.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased to 83.1%. This figure is higher than the figures shown in the 2016/17 academic year.
For June, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 82.6%
Secondary Schools = 83.8%
Special Schools = 90.9%
May 2018 performance
Performance is measured monthly based on the published outcomes of Ofsted inspections of West Sussex schools including academies and free schools. Our ambition is to be in the top 25% of counties nationally.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased to 83.4%. This figure is higher than the figures shown in the 2016/17 academic year.
For May, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 82.5%
Secondary Schools = 86.5%
Special Schools = 90.9%
April 2018 performance
Variation from month to month is dependent on which schools are inspected; large secondary schools have a bigger impact on the overall figure than a small primary school due to pupil numbers. There can also be variations in the length of time taken for reports to be published after an inspection.
The West Sussex Strategy for School Improvement, introduced in April 2016, has contributed to increasing the proportion of pupils taught in West Sussex schools that are judged as good or outstanding.
The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has remained at 83.3%. For April, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:
Primary Schools = 82.9%
Secondary Schools = 83.8%
Special Schools = 90.9%

March 2018 performance

The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has decreased slightly to 83.3%.  For March, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:

Primary School pupils = 82.8%

Secondary School pupils = 83.8%

Special School pupils = 90.9%

January 2018 performance

The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has increased to 84.1%. This figure has increased to the levels last shown is October 2017 and is 2-3 %higher than the figures shown in the 2016/17 academic year.  For January, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:

  • Primary School pupils = 83.8%
  • Secondary School pupils = 83.8
  • Special School pupils = 90.9%

December 2017 performance

The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has remained steady this month at around 84%. For December, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:

  • Primary Schools = 83.3%
  • Secondary Schools = 83.8%
  • Special Schools = 91.9% (one school is no longer outstanding/good).

November 2017 performance

The total for West Sussex schools that are judged good or outstanding has remained steady this month at around 84%. For November, the percentage for each school phase is as follows:

  • Primary Schools = 84.0%
  • Secondary Schools = 83.3%
  • Special Schools = 100%

Background

Understanding Ofsted reports

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) is a government department that inspects and regulates educational institutions. All schools are inspected as part of a cycle of inspection with inadequate and RI (Requires Improvement) schools being inspected within two years and good schools every three years. Outstanding schools are not routinely inspected.

After the inspection, Ofsted publishes a public report that contains information on the school’s performance. Inspectors make key judgements on the following areas:

  • overall effectiveness
  • effectiveness of leadership and management
  • quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • personal development, behaviour and welfare
  • outcomes for pupils.

Judgements are made using a four-point scale:

  • grade 1 - Outstanding
  • grade 2 - Good
  • grade 3 - Requires Improvement
  • grade 4 - Inadequate

In judging overall effectiveness, inspectors will take account of the four key judgements. Inspectors should first make the key judgements on:

  • the quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • personal development, behaviour and welfare
  • outcomes for pupils

The Local Authority is committed to ensuring that all pupils in the county attend a school judged to be at least good or outstanding. The Directorate of Education and Skills works in partnership with all schools and stakeholders to ensure this is achieved. It continues to target under performing schools by providing challenge and support to secure rapid and sustainable improvements and raise standards.