Venue: Committee Room 3A, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Michelle Roberts, Scrutiny Officer
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Disclosure of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. Minutes: None |
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Minutes: Helen Morgan Rees, Head of Achievement and Partnership
Service was invited to attend the panel and provide a report and discuss the
following issues: Annual Update on
Education Improvement Service ·
The Education Improvement Service now sits
within the Achievement and Partnership Service to help deliver regional
strategies for school improvement that takes account of local priorities. ·
School improvement officers have clear
priorities for supporting and challenging schools to improve and seek out
qualitative feedback from teachers and school leaders in order to meet needs
and improve the service. ·
During the academic year 2017-2018, engagement
with the Education through Regional Working (ERW) central team had reach a
hiatus. The planned service review and
reform of ERW has not taken place and as a result the collaboration and service
delivery has fragmented in comparison to previous years. ·
The capacity of the School Improvement Service
has improved during the latter part of 2017/18.
There are three units within the education improvement service: Primary
Phase, Secondary Phase and Curriculum Phase. All units aim to work with ERW to
deliver a regional service on behalf of Swansea council and each Head of Unit
takes responsibility for working in alliance with the ERW central team, where
possible. However, communication and
clarity have decline during this reporting period. ·
The new professional standards for teaching and
leadership came into force in September 2018.
These are ambitious and link closely with curriculum reform. Performance management within schools is
aligned with the new leadership standards.
The current and future work of the Education Improvement Service is
underpinned by these standards, curriculum reform and the Education
Directorates five top priorities for the coming year o
Improve teaching and learning with particular
focus on reducing inequalities for the most vulnerable o
Improve leadership and school governance o
Work in partnership to develop a sustainable
education system o
Embed the new additional learning needs,
wellbeing and behaviour strategies o
Ensure all learning opportunities take place in
safe environments ·
Progress during the year has been strong with an
overall RAYG rating based on team evaluation.
Work across units is evaluated. ·
Local performance is considered to be Yellow as
far as the RAYG evaluation although the details given were a high level
overview and there is a range of statuses within the detailed data. The Panel would be interested to see this if
possible. ·
The school improvement service locally provides
good support to a range of schools ·
The panel asked about use of the Welsh language
in English speaking schools. They heard
that there is now higher expectations for all pupils to be able to hold a
conversation in Welsh and have equity of opportunity for that. It is important that pupils get the
opportunity to enjoy the language. ·
Councillors where pleased to hear about the new
aspect in the new curriculum around Health and Wellbeing feeling that that has
been missing formally from the curriculum until now. ·
The panel mentioned the recent press about
Digital Competence in Wales and heard that it was a relatively positive picture
across schools in Swansea. There are
areas for improvement including getting consistency across the authority and ensuring
with have the right technologies and kit. ·
Councillors asked about self-evaluation and
heard that it is part of operational plans and is reported to Senior Management
Team on a regular basis. There are clear milestones in planning and work is
challenged by other officers and senior leaders. ·
The panel also heard about the support for
Governors and that this is well received. Education through Regional Working Business
Plan and priorities locally and regionally ·
Off the
five regional priorities for ERW three are currently Amber with two Yellow. ·
The
School Improvement function is divided between local and regional officers and
this can create duplication. ·
The
Panel heard about the review and reform programme and how it has created
uncertainty and disengagement at a local level. ·
The
Panel were pleased to hear that a plan to move ERW forward and resolve issues
will be discussed at the next ERW Joint Committee in February. ·
The Panel questioned whether ERW diluted
valuable resources from going to the front line, with an extra layer of
bureaucracy. The idea of a 360 degree
view of ERW was raised where stakeholders could give full feedback from all
angles. It was also felt that the voice
of the child must be included in any reviewing of education related activity. Pupil Development Grant spend and provision
of homework clubs ·
Pupil
development grant spend is monitored by challenge advisors. The main areas of expenditure for the
financial year 2016/2017 was outlined to the panel. ·
The
panel heard that the use of the pupil development grant is most effective where
schools have following the Welsh Government’s Practitioner Guidance and
research evidence to support the provision for pupils for pupils eligible for
free school meals. ·
The
panel asked if we monitor when outcomes have not be successful. They heard that some schools may not be
following the guidance or using the toolkit.
The Education Improvement Service have been working with schools around
this and signposting them to advice on how best to spend the grant. ·
The
grant spend across the authority is also monitored and unpicked to see what has
been most effective etc. We must
identify and build on strengths. Working
with parents has been identified as particularly beneficial. A lot of school have spent on Tracking using
MyConcern, which is a common toolkit which helps identify and issues of concern
early. ·
The
panel felt that the PDG was a lifeline for some schools and would have concerns
if it was discontinued any time in the near future. ·
Homework
clubs and looked at by Poverty and Prevention Team, Helen report what they
said: o
The
quality of homework clubs are monitored and inspected via CSSIW (that is those
that run for more than 2 hours a day). o
If they
are run for less than 2 hours they are not monitored formally. o
It was
reported from Pupil Voices sessions that they are valued by pupils, who
appreciate a safe and quiet place to study that has access to the ICT equipment
they might need. |
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Minutes: The panel agreed to add Wales Audit Office Youth Services Review to the work programme. |
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Minutes: This item was noted. |
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Letter to Convener |