Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee note the work undertaken by the School Performance Monitoring Group and the transition from national categorisation of schools to the new school improvement framework; and

(b)       That the Committee confirm the following Members who would be available to represent the Committee at meetings of the School Performance Monitoring Group:-

•        Councillors: Bill Crease, Andrew Parkhurst, Carolyn Preece and Arnold Woolley

In presenting the report the Senior Manager for School Improvement outlined the work of the School Performance Monitoring Group (SPMG) which included the support provided and challenges faced by schools which were underperforming.  She provided information on the constant changes within schools regarding school improvement whether locally or nationally with every school on their own improvement journey to better focus on the outcomes of their young people.  All schools had support plans and mechanisms to assist with the delivery of their improvement priorities.  Sometimes a more focused support was required, and she reported on the Regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service for North Wales (GwE) meetings which looked at the progress of individual schools and she outlined how schools would be approached.  If a school required that extra support, then this would be escalated and then to the Quality Board for the Local Authority and GwE and a decision could then be made to escalate to the School Performance Monitoring Group (SPMG).  This was a positive productive process which enabled rapid improvement.  We would not want any school to fall under this process but with the challenges that schools faced it was inevitable that this would happen.  During the pandemic this was paused, and the postponement of Estyn visits delayed some schools from coming out of SPMG.  The key points were the next steps agreed to help schools improve and she explained the different framework for accountability. 

Councillor Dave Mackie spoke as a previous panel member and explained with the support of the Chief Officer he had continued to learn.  He said this process worked and created the right environment and right outcomes for schools to get back on track.

Councillor Carolyn Preece agreed said that she had attended many inspections where schools had been put into special measures.  It was very clear when she re-visited the school with Estyn that it did work.  She referred to the second recommendation and asked if her name could be put forward.

Mrs Wendy White referred to the faith schools within Flintshire and commended the Senior Manager and Chief Officer (Education & Youth) for the support provided and said Flintshire had the most positive way of working with the Catholic Diocese.

The Chief Officer confirmed that this was a well-established successful process which provided support and challenge to schools delivering that intervention prior to an Estyn Inspection.  She referred to the Estyn inspection in 2011 which recommended that members sit on this panel to gain a better understanding of the situation in schools with officers appreciating the prospective of Members on that Panel.   Members who were school governors had experience of their own school but having that objective view to enable to ask questions of schools and to challenge officers to ensure the right support was provided.  Because of the regular meetings the progress of the support plans could be monitored and the impact on improvements could be highlighted.  She suggested any member who was interested in being on the panel should email herself, the Senior Manager for School Improvement or the Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator.  A workshop would then be arranged with those members to provide extra detail.

The first recommendation, as outlined within the report, was moved by Councillor Paul Cunningham and seconded by Councillor Bill Crease.

The second recommendation, as outlined within the report, was moved by Councillor Andrew Parkhurst and seconded by Councillor Paul Cunningham

RESOLVED:

(a)      That the Committee note the work undertaken by the School Performance Monitoring Group and the transition from national categorisation of schools to the new school improvement framework; and

(b)      That the Committee confirm the following Members who would be available to represent the Committee at meetings of the School Performance Monitoring Group:-

•        Councillors: Bill Crease, Andrew Parkhurst, Carolyn Preece and Arnold Woolley