Who is calling the shots on post-16 education?

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A councillor has asked whether the Welsh Government’s education standards watchdog, Estyn, has advised Powys County Council on how post-16 education in the county should look in the future.

Later this autumn, the council is expected to kick off its “engagement” exercise on the controversial reorganisation of post-16 education, which could see high schools in Powys like Welshpool and Llanfyllin lose their sixth forms.

Education watchdog, Estyn, mentioned the need to address post-16 provision in a scathing report published in March, in which they said they had “significant concern” about the council’s education department.

In May, the Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet agreed to hold “engagement with key stakeholders” to find a way forward ahead of a decision on the issue next year.

The preferred way at the moment could see a sixth form college set up with one board of governors and management team across two sites in Brecon and Newtown.

Similarly, a sixth form college would be based across Welsh medium all-through schools at Ysgol Bro Hyddgen in Machynlleth, Bro Caereinion in Llanfair Caereinion and potentially Builth Wells. This would also be run separately.

The preferred option proposal has been met with hostility across Powys.

In the south east, Crickhowell High School – one of the top schools in Wales – has seen supporters launch a petition against the potential closure of its sixth form. So far, it has been signed by over 2,000 people.

In the north of the county, Ysgol Llanfyllin and Welshpool High School have jointly expressed concern with the preferred option.

Cllr Claire Hall (Liberal Democrat) who represents Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower has asked former council leader Cllr James Gibson-Watt who is tasked with handling this thorny issue, for clarity over what Estyn wants the council to do.

Cllr Hall said: “Specifically, has Estyn said that there is a need to reduce the number of English-medium school-based sixth form settings as I can't find any reference to this in any of the published Estyn reports.”

Under the questions asked at any time process, cabinet member for post-16 Learning and Skills development, Cllr Gibson-Watt (Liberal Democrat), has 10 days to answer the question.

One of the four recommendations from Estyn says the council needs to: “Work with partners to rapidly develop and implement a model for 16-19 education that is financially viable and sustainable, and meets the needs of all learners, and considers Welsh-medium and ALN provision.”

However, the report mentions post-16 reorganisation in just one paragraph.

Estyn said: “Local authority officers have worked with school leaders and wider stakeholders across the authority to develop options for post-16 learners.

“Over the past three years, the local authority has introduced the ‘Chweched Powys Sixth model’ to provide sixth form learning on 12 school sites.

“However, these arrangements have not led to improved learner outcomes, are not financially sustainable and do not support equal access to post-16 provision for all learners.

“As a result, progress in addressing post-16 transformation has been too slow.”

Estyn have been asked to comment.