DCS shares the outcomes of the children leaving the Primary phase of their education. All Defence Children Service (DCS) Schools overseas have achieved results that are above the National averages in all subjects in their Year 6 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) for the academic year 2023/2024.
Children and staff in each school have much to celebrate with the combined results shared below:
- Reading – 83.2% of children achieved at or above the expected national standard.
- Writing – 78.9% of children achieved at or above the expected national standard.
- Maths – 83.8% of children achieved at or above the expected national standard.
- Combined (Reading, Writing, and Maths) – 71% of children achieved at or above the expected national standard.
- Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (GP&S) – 81.5% of children achieved at or above the expected national standard.
You can see from the table below that DCS Children are doing exceptionally well across all areas of standard assessment:
Whilst this is good news for any cohort of children, DCS are exceptionally proud of this year group who were affected by Covid-19 school closures, an environment of lockdowns, teaching bubbles, home schooling and post pandemic issues during informative years of their primary education. Depending on where the child was stationed, some children were subject to Covid-19 related issues for three academic years. Given the additional recent cost-of-living crisis effecting families, these results are exceptional.
Whilst everyone at Defence Children Services Schools & Settings recognises each and every child’s personal resilience, hard work and enthusiasm; we also know that each child has demonstrated the equally valuable qualities of poise, self-reliance, confidence and determination which is notable in every Service child. DCS children are not afraid of making mistakes and happily take charge of their learning; they excel regardless of the location / country they are in or the number of schools they have attended in their short educational journey.
The results belong to our Year 6 Cohort, but we must also mention our team of exceptional staff, who have worked tirelessly since your Year 6 children started school to ensure teaching and learning is of the highest quality in each DCS School location. Our Year 6 results are the combination of strong educators, excellent leaders, and a caring community; all who want nothing more than the very best for each child. DCS Leadership fully appreciate the efforts of every adult in the child’s school journey from Foundation Stage until the end of Year 6. We know that this group of children are set for the continued academic journey ahead of them; they are definitely Secondary Ready!
Our Year 6 pupils have now closed the chapter on their Primary Education and are entering Year 7. For some children this will mean a move of country, a move to boarding and most definitely a whole new friendship group. Wherever they go and whatever their next chapter will look like, our children move into secondary education with fantastic memories of primary school and more importantly, the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the next stage of their learning and beyond.
Our Year 6 children are not alone in achieving above the national averages for their age.
Good Level of Development (GLD)
Good Level of Development refers to a summative assessment judgement which is made for each child at the end of the Reception year (known as Foundation Stage 2). A ‘good level of development’ or GLD is defined as reaching the expected level in the prime areas of learning (along with specific aspects of mathematics and literacy). It is crucial to all educators, that this informative stage of learning is carefully monitored and tracked to ensure that children receive the very best possible start to education to stand them in good stead for the years to come. Leaders at DCS are as equally pleased to see this amazing outcome at the end of Foundation Stage of learning as we are about our Year 6 pupils leaving primary schools.
Phonics Screening
Our Year 1 pupils (5 and 6 year olds) completed Phonics Screening in June 2024 and also met or achieved the expected standard.
At DCS, we know that each Service Child has had the very ‘Best Beginning’ to education that will be the starting point to a brilliant educational journey and future career, whatever that may be.
