Issue - meetings

The Joint Committee received a report on the categorisation of schools within the ERW region detailing training for Challenge Advisors, moderation and quality assurance processes and the outcomes of the national process of categorisation of schools undertaken during the autumn term.

The Managing Director advised that whereas the central team traditionally became involved at the end of the qualitative assurance process, the six education directors within ERW had agreed the involvement could commence at an earlier stage. The Draft categorisation process had been undertaken in July 2017 and completed at the end of December, 2017. She advised that whilst ERW was working with the other three education consortia within Wales on achieving consistency with moderation, it was likely changes would be introduced in the future on categorisation and self -evaluation and discussions in that regard were being undertaken nationally. However, firm proposals with regard thereto were awaited. 

Mr Vincent confirmed the Welsh Government was working with Estyn on the development of a national self-evaluation framework and the introduction of a new range of performance indicators, a draft of which was proposed to be produced by September 2018 with interim performance measures being introduced during 2019. He confirmed that he would be prepared to present a report to a future meeting of the Joint Committee on feedback received on those proposals.

Reference was made to the initial purpose of categorisation being to identify levels of assistance needed by schools to secure improvements and not as a tool to identify bad schools. It was therefore important the message was conveyed to parents that schools categorised as red or amber were not failing schools, but required additional support to secure continued improvement.

References were made to the categorisation process and to those schools identified within the region as requiring support. A view was expressed that a report be presented to the Joint Committee detailing the intervention process and levels of intervention available to both ERW and the Education Authorities.

AGREED: