What is the Minister doing to ensure schools in mid Wales achieve good Estyn results?
The Welsh Government published School Improvement guidance in June 2022 which set out our vision for school improvement in Wales. The overarching purpose of school improvement is to help schools give learners the best possible learning experiences and outcomes, whatever their background or circumstance, in order to achieve high standards and aspirations for all.
The School Improvement guidance sets out the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in assisting the improvement of schools. Schools themselves, led by their governing bodies, have primary responsibility for delivering a high quality education for their learners. Local authorities have a duty ‘to promote high standards’ in their maintained schools, and therefore have an important role in monitoring schools and supporting them to improve. All schools in mid Wales will have access to professional learning from their local authority to build the skills and capacity of their workforce. They will also be assigned an improvement adviser, who should ensure that appropriate support is identified and provided to schools.
Independent, impartial inspections by Estyn fulfil an important accountability function within the education system. Positive inspection outcomes are not an end in themselves; in most cases inspection reports should be a reflection of the good work that schools are already doing to support their learners, but they also helpfully highlight areas where schools need to improve.