EDUCATION standards in Nottingham have been slammed in Ofsted's annual report.
Primary, secondary and further education in the city is not of a good enough standard, according to the watchdog's 2012-13 report.
While the publication of the 2013 Sats results today suggests Nottingham is performing well, Ofsted claims otherwise.
It said in primary schools: "Nottingham pupils have begun to fall behind."
The report went on to label the outcomes of GCSE exams for students as "very low".
Education chiefs in the city have regularly claimed large areas of deprivation make it difficult to drag GCSE results up towards the national average.
But the report questions this, saying: "The poor performance is not replicated in the region's other cities, which face similar contexts and challenges. Improving performance in Nottingham is one of the region's greatest and most urgent challenges."
The strongest criticism was reserved for the further education sector and city colleges. The report said: "The decline continues with Nottingham's colleges, where outcomes are particularly poor for the 16 to 18 age group, including apprentices."
City council education chief Councillor David Mellen is confident improvements are being made in schools, pointing to good Sats results this year and the way the authority is tackling struggling secondary schools.
The Post revealed yesterday that the council was setting up the Nottingham Challenge Board, made up of education specialists and city leaders, to oversee improvements.
Mr Mellen said: "We hope to make sure all schools are rated 'good' by Ofsted in two years."
He admitted to being concerned about the standard of the city's colleges, adding: "I'm regularly in contact with them. We have two very large colleges [New College Nottingham and Central College Nottingham] and we want to make sure that our further education provision is of a high standard."
Central College principal Mal Cowgill said: "We have seen a significant increase in the number of successful students, with outcomes in 2012-13 in line with the national benchmark."
New College Nottingham principal Dawn Whitemore said: "It is clear that Nottingham faces a huge challenge in improving educational attainment and ncn is working hard to offer our students an outstanding experience."
IN Notts, 77 per cent of 11 year olds reached the level expected of them in reading, writing and maths.
This left the county two points ahead of the national average.
While 11 Notts primary schools gained full marks, dozens more saw 80 per cent or more pupils gain the results they should have.
Among them was Parkdale Primary in Carlton, which returned figures of 84 per cent.
Head teacher Peter Hillier was delighted. He said: "This means we were above the national average for both key stage one and two [tests for seven and 11 year olds] in all subjects in 2013.
"We are thrilled. It is a real reflection of the incredibly hard work that has been done at this school.
"We have ensured that all children who have been flagged up as needing assistance have received the help they need and made very good progress towards their targets."
Mr Hillier said the Sats tests proved a vital yardstick for schools. He added: "They are an indicator of how well we are doing and making sure we are on track.
"Performing well as we have done allows us to have confidence that our staff are doing their job well and that our children are leaving us well prepared for the next stage of their education."
Bramcote Hills Primary had 80 per cent of children at the level needed.
Head teacher Andrew Pearson agreed that the tests were important and that the outcomes were "high stakes" for schools.
He said: "Schools and parents need to know how well their children are doing. The national tests system helps to give an indication of how individuals and their schools are getting on."
He added that the tests should take more account of the levels of individual children.
While most schools have been celebrating their performance in Sats exams, some people, particularly members of teaching unions, have questioned the validity of them.
Ivan Wels, joint division secretary for the National Union of Teachers in Notts, said: "It is very pleasing to see that local schoolchildren are performing well. Congratulations to them.
"However, the tests are unfair on them. Primary education shouldn't be about testing children in this way. It should be more about preparing children for life.
"Schools shouldn't be judged according to their results."
THE cost of admission to the city's sports and leisure facilities is set to rise next year.
Charges at swimming pools, sports facilities and some services at libraries, such as hiring DVDs, will increase to help Nottingham City Council generate £250,000 from leisure facilities in 2014.
It is also expected that the increase will generate a further £30,000 in income by the end of 2015.
The decision was made by Nottingham City Council and published on their website.
The increases will apply to things like gyms, swimming pools, and the hire of football pitches, as well as individuals and groups who book swimming pools and sport courts.
Some library costs, including room reservations and computer use, will also increase.
The price increases range from 10p to £5, depending on the type of service or booking.
Councillor David Trimble, the portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said the increases were reasonable.
He said: "The changes to fees and charges for Sports, Culture and Parks services, which will come into effect from January 1, 2014, have been agreed following careful consideration of the rising costs experienced by services, and local competitor pricing.
"The increases in prices are modest and will enable the council to continue to provide quality and affordable services to all groups in the community."
The price of hiring facilities is set to increase with the cost of hiring a pool set to climb by £5 per hour.
One of the groups that will be affected is Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, which has helped train some of the best swimmers in the county, including Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington.
Sue Davis, administrator for the club, said a price increase could make it difficult for smaller clubs and certain individuals to access facilities.
She said: "As a club, although we're competitive we try to be a club for all. We try to keep our fees as low as possible. It could put it out of some people's reach.
Housewife Becky Humber, 34, of Bilborough, takes her children to sports and leisure clubs across Nottingham and thinks families will feel the pinch.
She said: "The prices are reasonable but they probably won't be doable if they went up any more.
"I've got five kids so to take them to activities is enough as it is. It will be a real struggle for me."
Public swimming
Adults up from £3.80 to £3.95
Juniors up from £2.20 to £2.50
Family swim up from £9 to £9.50
Gyms/fitness rooms:
Access up from £5.50 to £5.75
Facility hire:
Sports halls - various price structures - £2 increase per hour applied (eg £42 up to £44 for a four court hall)
Football pitch hire -up from £49 to £50
Swimming pools - various increases, including £5 increase per hour (eg £55.00 to £60.00 for standard pool)
Libraries:
Reservations - up from 10p to 50p
DVD hire up from 50p to £2.00 for single DVDS and £3 for boxsets
Computer use is free for one hour per week but then subsequent charge increased from £1 to £1.20 and £4 per hour for visitors.
Full prices shown. Citycard discounts will still apply.
NEARLY three-quarters of children leaving Nottingham primary schools this year did so having reached expected levels.
The majority of schools in the city performed well in Sats exams, with some seeing 90 per cent or more of pupils achieving the right standard.
Some schools, however, were left with much room for improvement.
The Department for Education today reveals how 11 year olds across the country got on in their summer tests.
In Nottingham, 73 per cent reached level four in reading, writing and maths combined, the benchmark standard.
This was two per cent below the national average of 75 per cent.
Councillor David Mellen, portfolio holder for children's services at the city council, said the results suggest a bright future for education.
However, it comes at a time when seven city secondary schools are set to be slammed by Ofsted for poor standards.
Mr Mellen said children performing well at primary school was encouraging.
He said: "If we have children doing well in primary school we believe this should be reflected in how well they do at secondary school.
"We are pleased to see that, once again, we are narrowing the gap on the national average."
Changes in the goalposts for standards in Sats make exact comparison with previous years difficult to make.
Previously, the combined mark of overall English and maths was the benchmark. From this year, both the reading and writing elements of English were taken into consideration separately.
Nottingham has consistently lagged behind national levels, but has been closing the gap. In 2012, it was four per cent behind the national average.
In individual subjects this year, Nottingham was slightly behind national levels in all.
Some schools were celebrating outstanding results, particularly St Patrick's Catholic Primary, in Wilford, where every child reached level four in reading, writing and maths.
Six other schools saw more than 90 per cent of children reach this level.
These were St Teresa's Catholic Primary, Aspley (98 per cent); Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary, Clifton (97); Haydn Primary, Sherwood (97); Hempshill Hall Primary, Bulwell (90); Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary, Bulwell (90); and Warren Primary, Top Valley (90).
Sats are seen as important indicators for the levels children reach, as well as a way of judging the performance of schools.
Greenfields Community School in The Meadows saw 83 per cent of children reach the right levels.
Head teacher Terry Smith has put the school's success down to everyone involved.
He said: "It is all down to the hard work and dedication of staff and children, with the support of parents. It is very important we give children the best start possible to life."
Blue Bell Hill Primary, in St Ann's, saw 77 per cent of children reach the right level.
Head teacher Jo Bradley said good results are down to "schools in the city working hard to achieve the best for pupils", but has raised concerns about the pressure the exams put on young children.
MORE than two thirds of Nottingham residents are afraid of Friday the 13th, it is claimed.
According to a survey of 2,500 people by hotel chain Travelodge, 72 per cent were scared of today's infamous date.
The phobia of the number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia, which 62 per cent of people in Nottingham admitted to fearing.
A third of people asked said they would avoid travelling, reschedule meetings, put off large purchases or take risks today. Two thirds of people were found to believe in lucky numbers – and Travelodge found a growing number of people requested rooms with their lucky number.
Customers avoid staying in room 13 if they have an important date the next day such as a job interview or wedding.
The second least requested room is room 101 – made famous in George Orwell's novel 1984 as being full of your worst nightmares.
Swimming: Rebecca Adlington will start a mentoring role with British Swimming in January, head coach Bill Furniss has revealed.
Just one medal, courtesy of Fran Halsall, at the World Championships in Barcelona underlined Furniss's belief that the swimmers need to compete more often unrested against quality opposition.
Furniss guided Adlington to four Olympic medals and has spoken previously about harnessing her "mental toughness", and he has now confirmed she will start working with junior swimmers in an advisory capacity.
"Rebecca will be working as a mentor. She has already done a session with the coaches," he said.
"It will be with a selected group of juniors.
"She has experience and importantly she gets it. We want to use that expertise."
POLICE have warned Christmas shoppers to avoid ten "aggressive beggars" who are operating in the city centre.
Officers say one of the beggars has boasted of making up to £700 a week – and eight of them are not homeless.
Some of the beggars are illegally posing as Big Issue sellers.
Officers also say a second man who has been targeting the city centre earns enough cash each day to throw away food handed to him and catch a cab out of town to sleep in a hotel.
When he was arrested he was said to have had five pasties on him and £52 in cash.
Police issued the warning after frequently having to deal with what they describe as a "hard core of ten aggressive beggars."
Officers have been regularly speaking to them and moving them on – although some have been arrested for begging and even fraud.
Police Sergeant Huw Jones said: "One of the men boasts frequently about how much money he makes on a daily basis.
"This usually adds up to a total of between £600 to £700 per week.
"We believe this man is not an official Big Issue magazine vendor but he 'sells' the magazine in the city centre and then begs off the back of the sale."
He said the other man was often seen wandering the streets carrying a sleeping bag – something he does only for effect.
Sgt Jones added: "His appearance is unkempt and dishevelled but this is an image that he portrays to gain public sympathy.
"This man is often approached by the unsuspecting public who give him money or they buy him food, which he does not eat.
"He has been seen throwing the food away and discarding any drinks bought for him.
"When he was arrested last week he had five pasties in his possession. He also had £52 cash."
The Big Issue magazine is sold by the homeless so they can build an income of their own.
Its vendors typically wear tabards and badges and abide by a strict code – although when starting out some people may not have a tabard as they have to earn enough to buy one first.
Holly O'Connor, Notts manager for the magazine, said: "Recently we have seen more and more rogue sellers in the city centre.
"They normally attempt to sell a rolled-up old copy of the magazine.
"Once someone has paid they might say, 'Oh, this is my last one, can I keep it?' – genuine vendors don't do this." False sellers can hit the incomes of genuine vendors, she added.
Chief Inspector Shaun Ostle, of Notts Police, added that in recent weeks three people have been charged with fraud for false representation offences in connection with the alleged false selling of Big Issue.
Jason Marriott, manager of Framework's street outreach team, which works directly with rough sleepers, said: "Not everyone who begs sleeps rough and not everybody who sleeps rough begs – in fact the majority do not.
"People who beg, even if they are not sleeping rough, do so mainly as a result of significant personal and social issues."
He added that he would encourage people not to give to beggars as there is no way of knowing how their money would end up being spent.
Instead he asked people to call the Framework rough sleepers hotline free on 0800 066 5356 and tell them where a beggar is.
"In doing so they may tell us of someone who is not actually sleeping rough, but equally they may help us to save the life of somebody who is," he said.
