Education in Powys has been slammed by Estyn inspectors as “poor” and “underdeveloped”

Wales’ education and training inspectorate inspected the council’s education services in February and published their findings today (Thursday, March 27).

Inspectors said that the council causes significant concern. 

Estyn ‘s evaluation of the Lib Dem/Labour run Powys County Council’s Education Department has said  “the education service improvement plan does not provide a clear strategic direction for education across the authority”,  going on to say “leadership of school improvement at all levels has been too variable”.   

This latest Estyn report is on the back of a series of damning Estyn reports on a number of primary and secondary schools across Powys.   

The Pupil Referral Units require “significant improvement”.   

Previously good performing primary schools have dropped to either special measures or needing significant improvement.  

The Estyn report says “too often school improvement teams focus too heavily on evaluating school improvement paperwork rather than work with school leaders to bring about improvement”.   

The damning criticisms go on to say “Frequent leadership changes in Powys have weakened the strategic direction of ALN services” adding “weak long-term planning hinders the ability to provide effective high quality ALN services across the County”.

The report contained several recommendations to secure necessary improvements including ensuring that the local authority addresses urgently important school site security issues, strengthens the quality and impact of leadership, including political leadership, at all levels, strengthens the quality of support and challenge to schools to improve outcomes for all learners, including those with ALN and works 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 learners, and considers Welsh-medium and ALN provision.

In its report, Estyn acknowledged the council’s recent work to strengthen relationships and trust with schools, which has involved engaging with school leaders to consider the barriers preventing them from securing rapid improvements in the quality of the provision for their pupils.

The broad aims and intentions of the council’s ten-year Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys are clear and integrated with the council’s other strategies including the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP), the inspectorate found. They acknowledged that the WESP has had a positive impact on increasing opportunities for children and young people to access their education through the medium of Welsh.

The inspectorate also found that the council’s early years team have a good oversight and understanding of the non-maintained settings and provide helpful, tailored support, which has had a positive impact on improving the provision and leadership in settings and is valued by staff.

Estyn stated that the council knows the financial position of its schools well and that finance officers provide timely and clear information to education leaders about the financial position of all schools.

The report and recommendations, which the council has accepted, will form the basis of an action plan to address the key areas requiring improvement.  Estyn will review the council’s progress through a series of monitoring visits.

Senior leaders at Powys County Council have pledged to strengthen education services and improve outcomes for the county’s learners following a disappointing Estyn inspection.

Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Leader of Powys County Council, said: “I would like to thank the inspectors for their work. We accept their findings and we will act to deliver the change needed to strengthen our education services.

“The report will form the basis of an action plan that we will develop to address the recommendations. We are committed to delivering exceptional education services that support our schools so that they can give our young people the best foundation for their future.

“Despite the need for improvement, Estyn has recognised a number of positive areas such as our work to strengthen relationships and trust with our schools and our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan.

“We will work with Estyn, our schools, and governing bodies to ensure that our action plan focuses on the areas that need improvement. This will ensure that our education services are strengthened and will be better placed to support our schools in delivering excellent education across the county.

“By working with our schools and their governing bodies, I’m confident that we will deliver the necessary improvements and to ensure that we provide the education and opportunities the children and families of Powys deserve and expect.”

To read both reports visit www.estyn.gov.wales

James Evans MS for Brecon & Radnorshire said; “The blame for these failures, along with the growing school budget deficits, lies firmly with the Lib Dem/Labour run Administration.  

“The Governors, Heads and Teaching Staff are not getting the support and strategic direction needed from the Lib Dem/Labour run Cabinet at Powys County Council.  

“Estyn cite lack of strategic direction and weak long-term planning”.  Site safety is a mess and their ‘greener, fairer Powys’ does not include Education! Cllr Pete Roberts and the Leader Cllr James Gibson-Watt should accept responsibilities for the failures in Education across Powys and resign immediately.

“The Lib Dem/Labour run Council are failing the children of Powys and allowing our School standards to decline and budget deficits to rise, failing to tackle the growing problem of bullying or addressing the increasing needs for ALN provision.  

“Make no mistake, these failures come from the top down and the Portfolio Holder Cllr Roberts, the whole Lib Dem/Labour run Cabinet must accept collective responsibilities for these appalling failures.  

“Jane Dodds MS and David Chadwick MP should get their Councillors in order but no doubt, David will hold yet another public meeting about his own colleagues failings!”

 “Failures were recognised in a meeting on March 25 when Councillors agreed to escalate the risk to the council wide strategic risk register to ensure the whole cabinet and senior staff have oversight of how the risk is managed. 

“Cllr David Thomas said at that meeting “If standards in school leadership and teaching and learning decline in Powys schools, and learners underperform compared to learners in similar schools in Wales, then educational outcomes in Powys will be below local and national expected standards, leading to reduced opportunities for our learners, decreased parent/carer and stakeholder satisfaction, and potential reputational damage.”