Maidenhead & Windsor

Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough schoolchildren have once again scored top marks and maintained their well-above-average ranking in national tests for all age groups.

A report presented to Monday's reconvened children's services overview and scrutiny panel details pupils' successes in public examinations in 2007 – with scores above average and better than the previous year at each of key stages one to four.

Percentage scores are up to eight percent higher than the national average for:
· reading and writing in the early years
· English, maths and science at key stages two and three and
· GCSE passes at Key Stage 4.

The recently-introduced Contextual Value Added measure – which tracks pupils' progress from one key stage to another – shows good results among younger pupils, with key stage two pupils (aged up to 11) ranked 11th highest in the country. Although overall achievements are good, value added results for older pupils show less improvement between key stages three and four.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children's services, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the scores in the public examinations, which reflect the high level of achievement across the curriculum – and all our pupils and their teachers are to be congratulated on these results.

"We acknowledge that the value added results are better among younger pupils. We are addressing the situation at older level by working closely with our secondary schools to develop strong leadership and encouraging schools to work together to share good practice."

Ofsted inspections carried out during the year also feature in the report, with 15 schools given "good" or "better" ratings and a further nine judged to be at least satisfactory – with all 24 taking steps to improve since their last inspection.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead