Agenda item

This report provides the Committee with a briefing on the Consortium’s progress in addressing the recommendations of its Estyn Inspection Report published earlier this year.

(a)   Hannah Woodhouse, Managing Director, will present the report and be available to answer questions;

(b)  Questions from Committee Members

The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member, Education), Nick Batchelar (Director of Education and Lifelong Learning) and Jackie Turner (Assistant Director of Education and Lifelong learning) and Hannah Woodhouse, Managing Director Central South Education Consortium to the meeting.

Members were advised that this report enabled the Committee to receive a briefing on the Central South Education Consortium’s Estyn Inspection report, published in May 2016, together with the progress being made in responding the inspection’s recommendations and a briefing on the Consortium’s plans for the future and to further develop a self-improving system for schools across the Consortium’s area.

Members were advised that an Annual Performance report would be brought to Committee in February.

A survey of Head Teachers and Governors had been undertaken; the response rates were 50% for Head Teachers and 30% for Governors.

Members were advised that there were some very positive areas in the strategy and vision and that very positive feedback had been received in relation to the Challenge Advisors and consistency of improvements as well as positive comments regarding the scope and scale of school support; there were 4 recommendations for further work which were outlined in the report.

The Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members:

• Members were concerned that the Challenge Advisors expectations of knowledge and training of Governors was higher than the reality; Members were advised that there is a broad training programme across Wales, and some training across the region, it may be that this is not meeting the needs and that bespoke training may be required, the Challenge Advisors should be identifying this need.  Members further added that the electronic/online training was of poor quality and not a feasible option and were advised that this would be looked at.

• Members discussed the dilemma of having to identify failing schools, and whether too many identified would reflect on the work of challenge advisors.  Members were reassured that it was not a performance measure to reduce the number of red/amber schools; schools can themselves identify additional needs/change of need, which in turn changes the category.  The measure was in fact Free School Meal Children’s performance in challenge advisors’ schools.

• Members noted the comments from Professor Reynolds that had been released and asked if the consortia agreed with them.  Members were advised that Professor Reynolds held strong views on quality, especially in relation to initial teacher training.  It was noted that work with universities was important with an improved schools based element as there did need to be a strong focus on high quality teaching in schools.

• Members asked whether the 4 consortia share success/problems and if so how it is tracked and measured.  Members were advised that they do and that they meet monthly and each consortia leads on an element of joint work such as challenge advisor training, post 16 performance and Welsh BAC.  It was added that the 4 consortia are very different in their governance and arrangements as each local authority have different requirements.  It was added that best practice is shared as there was a commitment to delivering a self-improving system which was a key approach in the region.

• Members noted the importance of having strong links with HR to keep up with the pace of change and identifying reducing performance.  Officers stated that Head Teachers have the right tools at their disposal and are empowered to use them; it was also important that consistent and robust advice is given.

• Members asked whether a worse report was expected after the next inspection as this report shows improvement yet the PISA report did not.  Members were advised that the PISA report was based on all Wales data and regional information cannot be extracted from it; all schools would have had their results.  In the region Cardiff had the fastest improvement, there was more to do on performance but processes needed to be embed; a major change in strategy now would not help.  Members added that there had been no improvement since 2006 and that the report is not time reflective.

AGREED – That the Chairperson on behalf of the Committee writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.