An internal multi-academy trust report reveals how it considered improving Progress 8 scores by dropping foreign languages and moving towards all pupils being entered into a BTEC in which they could complete coursework under “skilled supervision” to earn higher grades than at GCSE.

GORSE Academies Trust staff also considered the impact of removing low-performing  “anchor students” from a school rolls,  the use of the European Computer Driving Licence and limiting the number of pupils sitting modern foreign languages or removing MFL from the curriculum altogether.

The Leeds multi-academy trust runs five secondaries, four primaries, a sixth form and an alternative provision free school, the Stephen Longfellow Academy. The document, which Tes has published today, shows how the academy chain took part in a modelling exercise exploring different strategies to maximise its Progress 8 scores in 2016.

It says that staff were told to come at the problem of boosting results “without any preconceived ideas or ethical considerations”.

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The document adds: “We simply want to test curriculum models to see which tend to generate the highest P8 scores for the academy.” Ethical considerations were to be considered at a later stage by the trust’s board.

BTECs an ‘easer option’?

GORSE Academies Trust chief executive Sir John Townsley has said that the paper seen by Tes was a “theoretical discussion” and that none of the “unacceptable” practices that were considered was actually implemented.

The report shows staff considered a number of options for improving progress scores.

These included:

• The removal of “anchor students” by taking them off the roll of schools and moving them to the trust’s new alternative provision. 
• Use of the European Computer Driving Licence - despite the report acknowledging that there were concerns about the qualification’s credibility.
• Moving from GCSE art, business and PE to equivalent BTECs.
• Moving modern foreign languages students on to another EBacc option.
• Removing modern foreign languages or identifying the right number of MFL students to minimise the damage it could do to Progress 8 scores.
   

The document recommends that vulnerable pupils be placed in a new alternative provision free school, and also puts forward a model for a curriculum that would result in all students sitting a BTEC and only 30 per cent being entered in modern foreign languages.

It also says that a reliance on languages could jeopardise Progress 8 scores.

The document says: “This investigation tied into our musings regarding the required size of a MFL cohort in order to minimise damage to P8. We were mindful of trying to retain the EBacc percentage as a headline result.”

The report says its forecasts were based on the predictions that pupils would achieve better grades by sitting BTECs.

In a section of the report entitled ‘How Easy are BTECs?’, it adds: “The coursework-based nature means that students can, under skilled  supervision, achieve grades higher than they may get at GCSE.

“The applied nature of the  syllabus could also be an advantage, giving a more interesting feel to the course for many students.”

It says that merits and distinctions can be achieved at BTEC by students who would be achieving C to F grades at GCSE.

The report concludes: “Whilst the word ‘easy’ is disingenuous, the point can be made that [BTECs] facilitate a higher level of performance.”

One of the curriculum models it recommends is for all students to sit a BTEC.

It adds: “We may expect students such as HAL ( high-ability) students to do exceptionally well with such courses because of their skill set.

“Traditionally, we would never have entered these students for such courses because of the restrictions of a specific academic pathway.”

GORSE Academies Trust statements in full:

• Sir John said: “The GORSE Academies Trust is beyond reproach regarding the integrity and rectitude of its work in communities across the Leeds city region, particularly those who face lives characterised by privation. At no point since the formation of our trust have we faced anything other than direct opposition from the Leeds local authority, which is itself characterised by political division, incompetence and dissembling.
  
  “It is correct to say that the paper, which dates from the point at which the new Progress 8 measure was being introduced, and which has been sent through to the Tes, was a theoretical discussion paper which sought to examine a range of acceptable and totally unacceptable practices which were at that time taking place across the country.
  
  “We fully accept that as a part of that theoretical exercise we looked at how such practices could impact upon our own work as a trust. At no point did we implement any unacceptable practices arising either from this theoretical discussion paper or in our work thereafter.
  
  “The GORSE Academies Trust has never operated in a manner which places the institution ahead of the child. Consequently, we are very distressed about the nature of this article and exceptionally confident that our work with children and young adults will always stand up to the most intensive scrutiny possible. We fully embrace, for example, the work of Ofsted led by Her Majesty’s chief inspector in overtly challenging practices around gaming and off-rolling.
  
  “The local authority has sought to undermine the work of our trust and our alternative provision, the Stephen Longfellow Academy, at every turn. It is a school now in its third year of operation and we are very proud of it. We look forward to it being inspected this year, as all free schools are before the end of their third year, and being able to display in the clearest terms possible the absolute integrity of its work and the manner in which it is transforming the lives of young people from right across the Leeds city region who would otherwise have been in danger of significantly underachieving on many fronts.
  
  “Our work at the Stephen Longfellow Academy fulfils the clear and approved objectives of our original free school application. This includes the transfer of pupils on to the roll of the Stephen Longfellow Academy during key stage 4. Our work in this area has been tightly and robustly monitored by the Department for Education.
  
  “The excellent performance of our schools in 2019 is based upon the hard work, integrity and commitment of our students, our professionals and our families who give us such exceptional support. Our curriculum structures are robust, challenging and inclusive and we are fully confident that they would stand up to scrutiny at the highest level.”
• Sir John said: “It is correct to say that pupils from a wide range of schools, including schools not within The GORSE Academies Trust, were put onto the roll of The Stephen Longfellow Academy in January of 2018 and January 2019. We wholeheartedly refute the suggestion that this constitutes off-rolling and have done this in full partnership with the DfE and ESFA. The movement of pupils onto the roll of The Stephen Longfellow Academy is set out in our funding agreement as a part of our original application. 
  
  “Pupils are moved onto the roll of The Stephen Longfellow Academy because it is felt by those connected to the educational provision of the child that it is in their best interests. We have compelling evidence that pupils with us at The Stephen Longfellow Academy have done exceptionally well as a result of their time with us; much better than they would otherwise have done. This does not constitute off-rolling.”