Agenda Item No. 7

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee: 18^th September 2018

Report of the Director of Learning and Skills

Summary of School Inspection Reports for Summer Term 2018

Purpose of the Report

1. To update Members on the outcomes of school inspections for the summer term 2018.

Recommendation

That Members note the inspection judgements about the schools inspected during the summer term.

Reason for the Recommendation

In order that Members are aware of Estyn judgements about local schools.

Background

2. In September 2017 a new Estyn School Inspection Common Inspection Framework (CIF) was introduced across all schools in Wales.
3. An overview of the CIF is outlined in Appendix 1.

Relevant Issues and Options

4. Ysgol Sant Baruc and Cogan Primary School were inspected during the summer term 2018.
5. A summary of the inspection findings for each of the named schools is appended to this report (Appendix 2).
6. The purpose of inspections is to:

• Provide accountability to the users of the services and other stakeholders through public reporting on providers;
• Promote improvement in education and training; and
• Inform the development of national policy by Welsh Government.

7. School inspections are governed by the Education Act 2005 and related regulations.  Inspections must be conducted by teams of inspectors, led by a HMI, additional inspector or registered inspector, and must result in a written report.  Section 28 of the Education Act 2005, says that inspectors must report on:

• The educational standards achieved by the school;
• The quality of education provided by the school;
• How far education meets the needs of the range of pupils at the school;
• The quality of leadership in and management of the school, including whether the financial resources are managed efficiently;
• The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school; and
• The contribution of the school to the wellbeing of pupils.

8. During all core inspections, the inspection team will consider whether the school needs any follow-up activity.
9. When conducting school inspections, the main forms of evidence considered are:

• Briefings from Local Authorities;
• Documentary evidence, including data on pupils' performance and progress;
• Observation of teaching or training sessions and other activities;
• Samples of pupils' work;
• The views of pupils and stakeholders; and
• Discussion with staff, leaders and managers, governors and others.

10. The reporting inspector is responsible for producing a final inspection report that is clear to a lay audience and helpful to the school.  In most cases, the main body of the report is no longer than six pages.
11. Schools receive 15 working days' written notice of an inspection.
12. Judgements are made under five inspection areas:

1. standards
2. wellbeing and attitudes to learning
3. teaching and learning experiences
4. care, support and guidance
5. leadership and management

13. The judgements for each of the five key questions can be one of four options:

• Excellent - very strong, sustained performance and practice
• Good - strong features, although minor aspects may require improvement
• Adequate and needs improvement - strengths outweigh weaknesses, but important aspects require improvement
• Unsatisfactory and needs urgent improvement - Important weaknesses outweigh strengths.

14. There are three types of follow-up category:

• Estyn review
• Significant improvement
• Special measures

15. All follow-up work involves activity by Estyn inspectors.  The activity involves increasing levels of intervention in proportion to need.
16. During the summer term the overall judgements achieved by Vale of Glamorgan schools which were inspected were as follows:

17. No follow up work was identified in any of the above inspections.
18. Where Estyn identifies excellent practice during an inspection, schools are invited to prepare a written case study which will be published by Estyn and shared with other schools.  Excellent practice was identified in both Ysgol Sant Baruc and Cogan Primary School.
19. At the end of the summer term, the Local Authority had one school in Estyn review (St Richard Gwyn).  In November 2017, Estyn reviewed the progress of St Richard Gwyn RC High School and judged that progress had been made in respect of some of the key issues identified in the inspection, but many of the improvements were still at an early stage of development.  As a result, Estyn decided the school should remain in Estyn review and progress would be reviewed in October 2018 to be able to take into account another set of performance data.
20. Bryn Hafren was re-visited by Estyn in May 2018 and was judged to have made sufficient progress in relation to the recommendations overall and removed from the statutory category of significant improvement. 
21. There are no schools identified as requiring special measures.
22. Appendix 3 provides a summary of Estyn activity for the period April 2018 - July 2018 and a summary of schools in a follow up category.
23. Appendix 4 provides an overall summary of Estyn activity in the Vale of Glamorgan for the academic year 2017 - 2018.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

24. Follow-up activity for schools placed in a category will be resourced by the Central South Consortium.

Sustainability and Climate Change Implications

25. None.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

26. There are no legal implications arising from this report

Crime and Disorder Implications

27. There are no crime and disorder implications arising from this report.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

28. Welsh medium schools undergo school inspections by Estyn according to the same Common Inspection Framework, but through the medium of Welsh.

Corporate/Service Objectives

29. This report supports the Council's Wellbeing Outcome 3: An Aspirational and Culturally Vibrant Vale, Corporate Objective 5 'Raising overall standards of achievement'.
30. This report supports the objectives listed in the Service Plan for School Improvement and Inclusion 2016/2020.

Policy Framework and Budget

31. The recommendations of this report are within existing policy framework and budget.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

32. Not applicable.

Relevant Scrutiny Committee

33. Learning and Culture.

Background Papers

None.

Contact Officer

Morwen Hudson, Lead Officer for School Improvement / Senior Challenge Adviser

Officers Consulted

None

Responsible Officer:

Paula Ham, Director of Learning and Skills