Issue - meetings

To receive an update on the support provided by the regional school effectiveness and improvement service, GWE and its impact on schools.

That the Committee note the Annual Report 2022-2023 and the positive impact of the regional service in supporting Flintshire schools, maintaining the focus on effective and successful schools.

The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) introduced the report which provided a detailed overview of the work of the Regional School Improvement Service with Flintshire schools during the academic year 2022 -2023.

The report identified that there was a strong relationship between Flintshire County Council and the Regional School Effectiveness Service (GwE). There were robust procedures in place for setting a direction and holding the regional service to

account. The specific roles of the Local Authority and the regional school improvement service in school improvement were explicit and clear to all stakeholders and they were effectively held to account by local scrutiny procedures.

            The Chief Officer invited Mr. Phil McTague, Mr. Bryn Jones and Mr. David Edwards from GwE to further present the report.

            Mr. Phil McTague (Secondary Core Lead) in presenting the report, explained that the service had moved forward from the pandemic to redesigning the Curriculum. He provided details of the four key areas, in relation to secondary schools, as follows:-

Key Area 1 – Improving Leadership

Key Area 2 – Improving Teaching and Learning

Key Area 3 – Curriculum and Provision

Key Area 4 – Learner Progress and Standards

            Mr. McTague drew Members attention to Appendix 1 of the report which provided a concise summary of the four key areas for secondary schools. He commented that improving leadership in schools was essential to the growth of any school and outlined changes in headship and challenges being faced by secondary schools across Flintshire. Information was provided on the headship profile, and it was confirmed that regular meetings were held to improve the quality of leadership with robust self- evaluation systems which were internal, service led, Local Authority informed but were now nationally profiled through the School Improvement Framework.

An overview of data planning in secondary schools was provided with the majority of schools having clear self-evaluation processes in place especially with training provided on improvement planning. Information on the targeted support plans in place for performance management in secondary schools was provided. An outline of the lessons which had been observed in schools and sixth form was provided together with an overview of the areas for the development required for the coming year.

Mr. McTague referred to the Curriculum and explained that all senior leaders in secondary schools were working hard in consolidating the vision for the design of the Curriculum, recognising strengths and working with stakeholders. All Flintshire schools were involved in alliances with other schools and an outline of the benefits was given and would become a part of the improvement framework moving forward. There were areas to address such as to continue to work on the transition and consistent approaches from years 5 to 8, to continue to hold meetings with the alliances that had been established so good practice could be shared and that GwE and Flintshire continued to work alongside schools to development assessment approaches and processes to track pupils in line with Curriculum changes.

Referring to Learner progress and standards it was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25