Agenda item

To submit the report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People.

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People on the outcome of the public engagement on the future of post-16 education provision on Anglesey was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language presented the report explaining that the review and potential restructuring of post-16 education provision on Anglesey was identified as a key consideration within the Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Strategic Outline Programme and its  Modernising Learning Communities and Developing the Welsh Language Strategy. The Council undertook a public engagement exercise on the future of post-16 education provision from 20 January to 7 March 2025, details of which are included in the report. Rather than holding a formal consultation  at this stage – given the absence of a specific proposal, the Council opted for engagement to involve more stakeholders and to have a broader conversation in order to understand different perspectives and opinions. The feedback collected will be used to guide the Council’s next steps and decision-making regarding post-16 education provision.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts highlighted the positive nature of the process which produced a total of 779 responses. Notably,  30% of the responses came from learners and young persons aged 16 to 21 with a preference expressed for retaining the post-16 provision  with each of the existing providers.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People confirmed that the Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Strategic Outline Programme and its Modernising Learning Communities and Developing the Welsh Language Strategy acknowledge the need to review the current post-16 education provision model to ensure the system is sustainable, efficient  and responsive to learners’ experiences. The report also highlights  current challenges within the post-16 education sector including class sizes, demographic changes and financial viability. As part of the engagement exercise a range of options were presented and stakeholders were also invited to propose alternative solutions. A majority of respondents agreed that a review of post-16 education provision is necessary, with 79% expressing a preference for provision to remain with each of the existing providers. For both general respondents, and for young people, the key priorities for the future of post-16 provision are local availability, quality of teaching and the availability locally of a variety of  subject choices. Considering the feedback from the public engagement, the recommended approach is to further develop a closer working relationship between the existing providers  and for officers  to prepare a strategic plan to support this direction. The plan will also seek to address or mitigate the challenges currently facing post-16 education provision on Anglesey and strengthen post-16 learner entitlement and experience. This vision forms  part of the broader ambition of ensuring education provision of the highest quality possible on the Island for current and future generations.

Councillor Sonia Williams, Vice-Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee provided an update from the committee’s 21 May 2025 meeting where the Engagement Report on Post 16 Education Provision had been reviewed. The committee had noted that the post-16 education provision engagement process and work integrated multiple strands of the Council Plan. While members noted that the engagement exercise had been comprehensive, they sought assurance that the exercise had effectively reached a  diverse range of young people and they enquired about the age range, abilities and interests of respondents to ensure a broad perspective. Members also enquired about the risks and challenges of not implementing the proposal and discussed its implications for the Welsh language. Having scrutinised  the report and received satisfactory assurances on these matters the committee had resolved to recommend that the Executive approve further developing a closer working relationship between the existing providers and authorise officers to prepare a strategic plan to support this intention which will also seek to address and /or mitigate the challenges currently facing the post-16 education provision on Anglesey.

The Executive acknowledged the report as a positive step and welcomed the broad  response to the engagement exercise, recognising it as testament to the Learning Service’s efforts particularly in conducting face to face engagement sessions with secondary schools and Grwp Llandrillo Menai to gather feedback from both current and future  post-16 learners.

However, assurance was sought that the engagement exercise extended beyond the Coleg Menai Llangefni and Bangor campuses mentioned in the report, given that Anglesey  learners may be located across other sites within Grwp Llandrillo Menai. In response, the Director of Education, Skills and Young People confirmed  that the service has requested the college to ensure that learners from Anglesey had access to the questionnaire, and that the engagement exercise was centrally promoted. The Executive suggested that this be clarified in the report. Additionally, the Executive emphasised that the engagement report represents only the first step in reviewing  post-16 education provision and that as the process evolves, a wider range of perspectives will be sought. Most importantly, ongoing engagement and feedback from both current post-16 learners and from those who have completed their post 16 education – whether in school or college, is a priority. The Director of Education, Skills and Young People noted that subject to approval, those expectations for regular engagement could be incorporated into the strategic plan to help guide the programme going forwards.

The Executive further acknowledged the importance of providing the best possible post-16 educational opportunities incorporating  both academic and vocational elements ensuring  that learners can choose subjects that really interest them without unnecessary limitations at a pivotal moment in their lives when they are shaping their future paths. To successfully implement the proposal, the support and commitment of headteachers, leadership teams and the governing bodies of existing providers is essential. The Director of Education, Skills and Young People affirmed that the service maintains a good  working relationship with the schools and the college and that he was confident in the ability to collaborate successfully on this initial step.

It was resolved to approve the following as the most appropriate way forward in light of the feedback from the public engagement –

• To further develop a closer working relationship between the existing providers and,

• To authorise Officers to prepare a strategic plan for further developing a closer working relationship between the existing post -16 providers which will attempt to address or mitigate the challenges currently facing post-16 education provision on Anglesey and strengthen post-16 learner entitlement and experience.