Agenda item

To submit a report by the Chair of the Schools Progress Review Scrutiny Panel and the Senior Standards & Inclusions Manager.

Submitted – a progress report by the Chair of the Scrutiny Schools Progress Review Panel and the Standards & Inclusions Senior Manager.

The Chair said that representatives from the Committee have recently been shadowing GwE activities within Ysgol y Borth, Menai Bridge; attended a Conference at Venue Cymru, Llandudno for Head Teachers across North Wales with Shirley Clarke educational specialist addressing the Conference and a training session by GwE as regards to Wales Curriculum was also attended.  The Chair noted that Members will be reporting back to this Committee as regards to the activities arranged by GwE in due course. 

The Standards & Inclusions Senior Manager reported that the report summaries the work of the School Progress Review Scrutiny Panel from 7^th November, 2018 to 2^nd April, 2019.  The Panel has met with Schools Head Teachers and Chair of Governors as well as discussed arrangements to shadow GwE at various activities.

The Panel met as follows:-

·           22 November, 2018 – Ysgol Gynradd Corn Hir and Ysgol Gynradd Heblas;

·           13 December, 2018 – Ysgol Uwchradd David Hughes and monitoring Learning Service Action Plan;

·           24 January, 2019 – Ysgol Gynradd Bodedern

·           15 February, 2019 – Ysgol Gynradd Llanfairpwll and Ysgol Gynradd Santes Fair;

·           22 March, 2019 – Consideration of shadowing GwE arrangements and self-evaluation.

The Officer said that the School Progress Review Scrutiny Panel has attained better understanding of the process of the joint working between the Education Authority and GwE which has strengthens accountability within Anglesey’s schools.  It was noted that Anglesey does not have a school within the red and most of the schools are within the yellow category of Welsh Government new performance tables. 

The Committee considered the report and raised the following matters:-

·           It was considered that every Member of the Council should be afforded the opportunity to attain information as regards to the new education curriculum and the facilities afforded by GwE.  The Chief Executive reported that arrangements have been made for GwE representatives to attend Members Briefing Sessions in the near future as regards to the education curriculum.  The Scrutiny Manager said that three additional briefing sessions have been programmed to receive a presentation by GwE as regards to the new education curriculum and also to address the new special education needs act;

·           Reference was made as regards to cuts within financial resources within schools in general and possible strain on schools to attain educational standards.  Questions raised as to whether the School Progress Review Scrutiny Panel has discuss this issue.  The Standards & Inclusions Senior Manager responded that schools will be challenged as regards to financial resources within schools in the future.  She noted that schools will need find more effective ways to afford the best education for pupils within their schools. 

The Portfolio Holder for Education, Youth, Libraries & Culture thanked the School Progress Review Scrutiny Panel for their work and said that the work of the Panel has assisted the improvements within the schools on Anglesey and the joint working with GwE to raise standards.

It was RESOLVED :-

·           To agree that the Panel is providing robust challenge on individual school’s performance;

·           To note that the Panel is focusing on developing shadowing arrangements with GwE to enable Members to attend various schools monitoring, support and training events;

·           To note that the Panel will continue to monitor the implementation of the Learning Services Monitoring Plan;

·           That the Panel is not aware of any key message that is currently in need of escalation to the Executive.

ACTION : As noted above.