Local school education back under the microscope

School inspectors from Estyn are set to return to Powys next month to cast their eye over council proposals on how to improve education in the county.

During a meeting of the council’s Governance and Audit Committee, Chief Executive, Emma Palmer, revealed that the council will be meeting Estyn on Wednesday, July 2.

At the time councillors and lay members were discussing items on the council’s strategic risk register, and Newtown's Cllr Pete Lewington (Conservative) pointed out that there is a risk on the list that is about the need to maintain school buildings.

He said: “There is no mention of the recent Estyn inspection or indeed the fact that we have set up an Accelerated Improvement Board to try and address and mitigate that risk in the actions and controls.”

Ms Palmer said: “It’s too early to make changes to the risk register around education. We have our improvement conference with Estyn on July 2.

“We have presented the draft integrated business plan which goes beyond responding to the four recommendations made in the Estyn report.”

Ms Palmer explained that the council now had a structure in place to improve the education department and that meetings had already taken place and “actions” were being completed.

Ms Palmer said: “It’s about whether they have an impact and it’s too soon for that, so the level of risk still stands.”

She explained that if Estyn “sign off” the improvement plans the risk register would be “updated” afterwards.

In March, Estyn published a damning report into the state of education at the council and said that “significant concerns” had been found.

The report highlighted that there have been several “poor” inspection reports for secondary and all-age schools in the county and that there are leadership weaknesses at all levels.

The recommendations from Estyn are:

1- Strengthen the quality and impact of leadership, including political leadership, at all levels

2- Strengthen the quality of support and challenge to schools to improve outcomes for all learners, including those with ALN.

3- 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.

4 – Ensure that the local authority addresses urgently important school site security issues.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service