During the autumn term 2024 and spring term 2025, further education institutions (FEIs) were visited by their Estyn link inspectors and an inspector with experience in working with learners who have additional learning needs (ALN). During each visit, inspectors met with key staff to discuss the ongoing implementation of colleges’ statutory responsibilities under the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018.
Nearly all colleges have well established structures and processes in place to meet the needs of learners with individual development plans (IDPs).
Nearly all colleges report that the time taken to fulfil their obligations has exceeded expectations and that pressure on workloads is compounded by the ongoing lack of a pan-Wales IDP electronic platform.
Collaborative working has increased, and most colleges are now working effectively with schools, local authorities and wider stakeholders to plan successful transitions into college for learners with ALN.
Most colleges report an increase in the number of learners who require support who have not formerly been identified as having ALN or who have chosen not to have an IDP.
This thematic report explores how artificial intelligence (AI), and generative AI (GenAI) in particular, is currently being implemented and its emerging impact in schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) across Wales. The evidence base includes visits to a broad range of schools, conversations with school leaders, teaching staff, and pupils, as well as an extensive survey of staff in schools and PRUs. The report aims to help schools and policymakers understand and address the opportunities and challenges of AI and to provide real-world examples of effective engagement.
The report concludes that a coherent national approach is necessary to ensure the security of data and maximise the potential of AI to support teaching and learning, inclusion and effective leadership in schools and PRUs in Wales, and to mitigate the challenges and risks. This includes clear national guidance and support frameworks alongside structured professional learning. These will be crucial in ensuring that AI enhances teaching and learning: sustainably, equitably, safely and ethically.
Overall, many schools are still in the early stages of exploring AI. In most cases, initial use is driven by individual staff members who have an interest in digital innovation and see the potential benefits of AI on their professional practice. However, a few schools have begun embedding AI strategically within their broader digital strategies and school improvement plans, demonstrating clearly how AI can effectively support teaching and learning and school leadership and management. At present, schools are largely exploring the potential and challenges of AI independently and with limited support and collaboration within and across Wales’ 22 local authorities.
Teachers across the sectors included in this review consistently reported substantial workload reductions resulting from AI use, notably in areas such as lesson planning, resource creation, differentiation of learning materials, and report writing. For example, teachers describe how AI-generated scaffolds, worksheets, and creative prompts enable them to focus more on the quality and personalisation of their teaching. In many cases, teachers note how AI allows them to produce better quality resources that are more closely linked to the needs and interests of pupils. Staff in special schools and PRUs particularly highlight the benefits of AI-generated communication stories and bespoke literacy pathways, which enhance engagement and inclusivity for pupils with complex additional learning needs. Crucially, where the use of AI is proving most beneficial, it is within the context of a clear understanding of effective pedagogy and child development. However, teachers also highlight concerns that an overreliance on AI could deskill less experienced teachers, for example in ensuring that lessons and activities are well-linked to the next steps in pupils’ learning. Digital innovations in education rarely succeed without a clear focus and reflection on the impact on pupils.
Pupils show interest in the creative opportunities provided by age-appropriate AI tools, especially in primary and special schools. Engagement is strongest when pupils participate in collaborative, creative projects such as digital storytelling, podcasting, and visual arts. At secondary level, pupils use AI effectively for independent learning, including summarising revision notes and generating personalised quiz questions. However, many secondary teachers expressed concerns about potential over-reliance on AI, stressing the need to guide pupils in critical, ethical use of these tools. Leaders stressed the necessity to adhere to malpractice guidance regarding the use of AI in assessments leading to qualifications.
A few schools have integrated AI into their assessment, feedback, and reporting policies. Where this occurs, it is often through individual experimentation rather than strategic planning. Teachers using AI in assessment contexts find it promising for formative feedback and summarising assessment data but consistently emphasise the necessity for professional scrutiny to ensure accuracy and fairness. Some schools have begun using AI to draft letters and pupil reports, substantially reducing administrative workloads, freeing up staff time for more strategic and pupil-focused activities.
Schools increasingly recognise AI’s potential to support equity and inclusion, especially for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional learning needs. However, there is also the risk of a digital divide, as pupils who can afford paid-for AI tools may gain advantages that others cannot. Despite the potential benefits of AI, schools also identify challenges including limited digital confidence among staff, uneven access to training, ethical concerns around AI bias, and safeguarding and data protection issues. Staff highlight the need for clear guidelines, structured professional learning, and a national approach to ethical AI use.
Strategic leadership in a minority of schools has driven successful AI implementation through comprehensive professional learning and clear policies. In a few cases, collaborative cluster-based professional learning has proven effective in developing staff confidence and a unified approach. In many schools, professional learning around the use of AI has been limited to the informal sharing of practice. While this is beneficial, it has not substantially improved staff confidence compared to strategically driven professional learning programmes.
AI is being used effectively in school administration to streamline routine tasks, such as drafting letters to parents, summarising reports and the creation of new school policies. A few schools have introduced robust procedures to ensure data protection and compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements. Overall, however, too many schools that have begun to explore the use of AI remain unclear of their statutory duties regarding the protection of personal data. In Wales, the Hwb platform and Digital Competence Framework (DCF) have underpinned efforts to embed digital learning and equity since 2012, with recent Welsh Government guidance and training materials further supporting schools, practitioners, and parents to address the opportunities and challenges of AI.
Case study videos
To further inform the report, during the spring term of 2024, inspectors visited a sample of 21 English and Welsh medium primary, secondary, special and all-age schools across Wales. We selected most of these schools because they had indicated in their survey response that they were engaging positively with AI. We chose a few schools because of other information, for example due to a recent inspection suggesting that staff were undertaking interesting work with AI. During the visits, we spoke with leaders, staff and pupils, looked at examples of pupils’ work and documentation, such as policies and teachers’ planning. Where possible, we identified examples of effective practice for inclusion in the report. The work of many of these providers is further exemplified in the following video case studies:
AI at Estyn
We are embracing the opportunities that AI offers to enhance the way we work and deliver our service,
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Executive Summary
The further education (FE) sector has seen notable improvements to Independent Living Skills (ILS) provision since we last reported on it in 2017, especially in personalising learning and improving collaboration. However, variability in provision, inconsistent assessment and tracking, and weaknesses in quality assurance systems persist. In addition, curriculum offers are not consistently aligned to statutory responsibilities under the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 risking non-compliance and inconsistent outcomes for learners. This report calls for re-configuration of the ILS curriculum into a more coherent, aspirational, and outcome-focused model that better supports learners in preparing for fulfilling adult lives.
As of September 2024, 12 further education institutions (FEIs) in Wales, including Adult Learning Wales, provide ILS programmes for learners with ALN, an increase of one provider since Estyn’s 2017 thematic review. St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College remains the only FE institution not offering ILS provision. Around 1,700 learners completed ILS programmes in 2023-2024, reflecting growing demand.
ILS programmes serve learners with a range of needs including moderate to severe and profound learning difficulties and disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions, and social or mental health needs. They also cater for learners who have disrupted educational experiences and minimal qualifications. While some learners join at age 16, others enter aged 19 from special schools.
Entry into ILS programmes is guided by college-level assessments, drawing on Individual Development Plans (IDP) and, occasionally, Education, Health and Care Plans for learners from England. Where provision is unsuitable, learners may be referred to independent specialist colleges.
Medr recognises the additional cost of supporting learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. ILS learners receive differentiated funding through course funding structures, and sometimes through additional learning support (ALS). Key information is tracked via the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR), which collects data on course completion and qualifications. There is no national collection of destination data for these learners.
The 2017 Estyn review identified a lack of robust assessment and tracking systems, overreliance on qualifications to measure progress, and inadequate focus on life skills, independence, and employability. This led to five key recommendations, prompting reforms including the adoption of the Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement (RARPA) framework, a reduction in inappropriate accredited learning, and a move to personalised, skills-based curricula. While many improvements have been made, inconsistencies in quality remain, especially in initial assessments and IDP integration.
Pathways 1 and 2 serve learners with the most complex needs. However, inconsistency in interpreting learner profiles leads to variation in which learners access these pathways. For example, learners with a similar profile may end up on pathway 1, 2 or even in independent specialist colleges, dependant on the local offer. Some providers lack clarity on programme duration and learners’ expected outcomes, risking perceptions of the college providing day service-like activities rather than purposeful learning and skills development.
Pathway 3 accommodates the largest share of learners and meets a wide range of learning needs. It often includes learners with behavioural or emotional challenges, many of whom have not been identified as having ALN or who do not identify as being an ILS learner. Colleges have developed a breadth of curriculum offers including vocational tasters, employability training and personalised development of social and communication skills. The delivery, planning and assessment of these pathway 3 programmes varies considerably and often includes accredited learning. In some providers this is similar provision to the Jobs Growth Wales+ 16-19 employability programme, and meets the needs of similar learners. It is important to note that not all FEIs deliver Jobs Growth Wales+.
Pathway 4 provides supported internships. While the delivery model for this pathway has demonstrated life-changing potential for some learners, delivery inconsistencies, funding constraints, and the differing expectations of learners, parents and/or carers, colleges, supported employment agencies and employers limit its impact.
Quality assurance practices across FEIs are evolving but remain inconsistent both within and across different institutions. Strong providers align self-evaluation with learner achievement of targets, use robust observation processes, and involve learners and stakeholders. However, many colleges identify progress monitoring, especially for non-accredited learning, as a key area needing improvement.
Current programme specifications overemphasise learners’ impairments rather than their learning needs and goals. The four ‘pillars of learning’ (health and well-being, community inclusion, independent living, and employability) are inconsistently defined, not well understood and sometimes misapplied. Many view the existing terminology, including the term ‘ILS’, as lacking aspiration and clarity.
FEIs are improving transition support from schools, aided by growing collaboration. However, issues persist, including misaligned curricula, lack of consistency in IDP content, and learners entering college without an IDP.
Welsh-medium provision remains underdeveloped. Only two colleges routinely deliver Welsh-medium provision, and a very few other providers report being able to provide this if it is requested but rarely do. As a result, too often learners whose first language is Welsh are only able to access ILS provision through the medium of English.
While professional learning opportunities have expanded, they are inconsistently aligned to the specific demands of ILS teaching and assessment. Many colleges lack tailored professional development plans for ILS staff, and the evaluation of how professional learning impacts on learner outcomes remains limited.
ALN reform has increased collaborative working across stakeholders, although the transition from the Special Educational Needs (SEN) system has created challenges. IDPs are often delayed, incomplete, or misaligned with post-16 needs. The administrative burden of developing, maintaining and sharing IDPs on colleges has increased substantially, and inconsistencies in IDP quality hamper effective curriculum planning for meaningful, individualised skill development.
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Executive summary
This report focuses on the provision for literacy, numeracy and digital skills for adults – a significant part of the offer in the adult learning in the community (ALC) sector. For many learners it is a ‘second chance’ to develop these foundational skills, or to improve their job prospects, support their children or build the confidence to participate fully in society.
The report draws on visits by inspectors in late 2024 and early 2025 to eight of the 13 adult learning in the community partnerships, and to Adult Learning Wales. We carried out an online survey for ALC tutors. We analysed data from the official data set, and data returned to us in a request to individual partnerships. We drew on evidence from our inspections and annual link visits of ALC partnerships.
Learners face numerous barriers that inhibit them from re-engaging with education. These appear to have increased over recent years. The biggest single barrier is learners’ confidence. Learners may feel reluctant to admit they need help or feel anxious about the thought of attending a formal learning setting. Other barriers include access to digital devices, financial constraints, mental health issues, undiagnosed or unsupported learning difficulties; or where English or Welsh is not their first language. Learners also report that difficulty in finding information about courses can be a barrier. Partnerships have improved their websites to allow learners to search for courses more effectively but, on the whole, partnerships’ websites are still complex to navigate or use language or formatting that may not be accessible to learners, or potential learners. We include a recommendation for partnerships to ensure that they have straightforward and accessible ways for potential learners to find out about their provision.
Partnerships have a good understanding of these barriers and have attempted to reduce many of the obstacles. However, partnerships have challenges in engaging learners, and restrictions and lack of clarity about how they spend their funding on engagement or family learning provision reduce their ability to recruit hard-to-reach learners. Providers also report significant challenges in funding their community venues. We include recommendations for Medr / the Welsh Government to develop clear and flexible guidance for providers about the range and type of provision they can fund through the community learning grant (particularly about engagement provision – for those needing first steps towards formal learning); and to improve the availability and consistency of family learning programmes.
We found that teaching was effective in most of our observations for this thematic review, consistent with our findings from inspections. Tutors personalise their approaches to meet the needs of individual learners, taking into account learners’ preferences and individual strengths and weaknesses. Most tutors give highly effective one-to-one support and use this to tailor their delivery and give feedback that helps learners know how to improve.
In the few examples where teaching was less effective, there were two general areas for improvement. The first is where tutors did not build effectively on the learner’s prior knowledge and experience and did not have a wide enough understanding of the range of methods that can be used to perform, for example mathematical operations. The second is where tutors were over-reliant on workbooks as their main resource for teaching. In these cases, tutors did not include enough variety in their teaching and learners became bored, demotivated or disengaged. We include recommendations for the Welsh Government, Medr, partnerships and tutors to improve the professional learning for tutors in the sector to support their subject-specific teaching skills.
Providers use a wide range of accredited and non-accredited courses to deliver adult literacy, numeracy and digital skills and we give examples of the range of courses offered. Published performance data indicates that around 84% of learners in all ALC provision successfully completed their courses and qualifications in 2022-2023. However, at both partnership level and system level, information collected about learners’ enrolment and retention on programmes is not used effectively enough to evaluate how learners progress through their courses and develop their skills over time. The current data collection and analysis model is of limited value in drawing insights about the patterns and effectiveness of provision. As a result, there are important gaps in understanding of the impact of provision on learners’ long-term outcomes. We recommend that a clearer focus is placed on how effectively provision supports learners to progress. We recommend that Medr helps develop methodologies to measure learners’ progression into, within and beyond literacy, numeracy and digital skills provision. We recommend that partnerships ensure that they plan pathways for learners and evaluate, using a wide range of information, how effectively learners move through them.
We have been critical of ALC partnerships in inspection reports where poor partnership working or planning has meant that progression routes for learners have not been clear, and learners have not been given enough good-quality information to help them think about their next steps. We include recommendations to improve partnership working to engage new learners and plan for clearer progression routes.
The UK Government’s Multiply initiative significantly influenced numeracy provision in partnerships across Wales from mid-2023 to March 2025. With a notably large funding allocation (£100m across Wales), partnerships were able to develop new collaborations with community groups, engage new learners whom they previously had not reached, and were creative in developing non-accredited, numeracy-focused courses. These demonstrated that there was a demand for this kind of provision. However, partnerships frequently expressed frustration at the ‘feast and famine’ nature of the Multiply funding and, having only recently set up provision with the Multiply funding, were in the process of transitioning away from it.
Digital learning plays an important role, both as a distinct area of provision and as an integrated teaching tool. Digital skills courses are often less intimidating for learners and serve as accessible entry points into literacy or numeracy education. Tutors also integrate digital tools into core literacy and numeracy lessons, which enhances learners’ engagement and the sessions’ relevance. The challenges include learners’ differing digital abilities, time constraints, and the need for reliable technology. Tutors commonly use tools like the Wales Essential Skills Toolkit (WEST) online assessment for literacy and numeracy, but these can pose difficulties for those with low digital confidence.
Most learners expressed a clear preference for in-person learning over online remote learning approaches, and we found that most partnerships had an appropriate balance of in-person to online remote learning, with typically about 5 – 15% of provision offered online.
Overall, we found very little provision was carried out through the medium of Welsh, and generally low demand from learners or potential learners. In naturally bilingual areas like Gwynedd and Ynys Môn, delivery was often bilingual, but assessments were usually in English. Learners tended to prioritise skill acquisition over the language of delivery, with many preferring to improve English literacy rather than Welsh. There was greater interest in learning numeracy through Welsh due to familiarity with mathematical terminology. Welsh-speaking learners taking digital skills courses, especially courses designed to support typically older learners in using their devices, expressed in general, a stronger demand for Welsh-medium delivery.
Successful Welsh-medium delivery often results from collaborations with community groups such as the Mentrau Iaith. Family learning programmes also supported engagement with Welsh-language provision, particularly through schemes funded by Multiply. We include a recommendation that partnerships identify opportunities to work in collaboration with existing local organisations to offer Welsh-medium or bilingual provision.
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Executive Summary
This thematic report focuses on how effectively schools are developing and embedding approaches to teaching within the Curriculum for Wales. Drawing on inspection evidence, visits to school settings (14 primary schools, 10 secondary schools and one all age school) and stakeholder feedback, it identifies key characteristics of successful practice and areas requiring further development. Evidence was collected only for the age range currently working within the Curriculum for Wales, which at the time of this report is up to Year 9 in secondary schools. The report highlights the pivotal role of teaching in realising the aims of the Curriculum for Wales and in securing improved outcomes for pupils. It emphasises the importance of placing pedagogy at the centre of educational improvement, calling on schools, local authorities and national partners to maintain a strong focus on high-quality teaching.
In many of the schools we visited, leaders have developed and communicated a clear, whole-school vision for teaching, closely aligned with their curriculum purposes. These schools have established shared frameworks for pedagogy and where these are implemented well, staff often display a consistent understanding of what effective teaching looks like. This supports teachers to apply these principles confidently, adapting them expertly across subjects and phases. However, a minority of schools have yet to develop or embed clear expectations for the quality of teaching. In these cases, classroom practice remains too variable, as teachers lack a secure understanding of what effective teaching looks like or understand its impact on pupils’ learning well enough.
Strong teaching is underpinned by purposeful curriculum planning. In the most effective schools, teachers ensure that learning is sequenced thoughtfully to ensure progression in knowledge, skills and understanding. They revisit key concepts, and design tasks that enable pupils to apply learning in purposeful, engaging contexts. These schools ensure that medium-term plans are developed collaboratively, across year groups or departments, with sufficient structure to guide learning and enough flexibility to respond to pupils’ needs. Where planning is less effective, pupils experience disjointed learning or have insufficient opportunities to develop and consolidate skills over time and across the curriculum.
In many schools, high quality teaching is characterised by clear intentions for learning, well-established routines, and a strong focus on formative assessment. Effective teachers explain learning intentions clearly, use questioning purposefully, and adapt teaching in response to pupils’ progress and misconceptions. The strongest schools adopt formative feedback strategies that encourage pupils to reflect on their learning and take meaningful next steps. In these schools, pupils are active participants in their learning and demonstrate increasing independence. This helps create a culture where both staff and pupils are clear about what success looks like and how to improve.
Many schools we visited, particularly in the primary sector, use authentic and relevant learning contexts and the local community to deepen engagement and make learning more meaningful. These approaches support pupils to see the relevance of their learning, promote critical thinking and strengthen their sense of identity and belonging. In the most effective practice, teaching fosters curiosity about Wales and the wider world, enabling pupils to make connections across areas of their learning in ways that support pupils’ development towards the four purposes.
However, in a few schools, staff assess pupils’ progress directly against the four purposes rather than focussing on the knowledge and skills that pupils need to develop over time. This leads to a superficial approach to assessment and the inappropriate use of the four purposes in individual lessons. As a result, valuable teaching time is taken up with activities that do not contribute meaningfully to pupils’ learning.
Where high-quality professional learning has the greatest impact, it is sustained, collaborative and focused directly on improving teaching. In the best schools, staff work together to explore evidence-informed practices, reflect on pedagogy, and refine approaches in the light of classroom experience. Leaders create protected time for professional learning and ensure it aligns with whole-school goals and individual development needs. Peer coaching, enquiry groups and structured support for subject or phase-specific pedagogy are used effectively to build capacity and share responsibility for improvement.
However, time and budgetary constraints often limit the provision and impact of professional learning in some schools. In these cases, staff report a lack of opportunity to focus on pedagogy, with training often dominated by compliance or statutory content. This presents particular challenges for staff who would benefit from ongoing, phase or subject-specific professional learning, which is not always consistently available as part of their regular professional development.
Across the system, schools are increasingly recognising the value of high-quality peer collaboration in driving improvement. Effective schools embed peer support, coaching, and enquiry as part of their professional culture. Staff use these methods to explore practice, trial strategies, and reflect on impact. These approaches not only support professional growth but also promote a collaborative professional culture and a shared responsibility for improving the quality of teaching across the school.
In the most effective schools we visited, leaders integrate teaching and learning priorities into their self-evaluation and improvement planning processes. Staff in these schools routinely gather a wide range of evidence to evaluate the quality of teaching and its impact on pupil progress. Professional dialogue is embedded across the school, and reflective conversations are used continually to identify strengths and refine practice. Importantly, self-evaluation in these schools is focused not only on the implementation of strategies, but also on their impact on learning.
Where self-evaluation is less effective, it tends to focus on superficial compliance with a set range of pedagogical techniques rather than an evaluation of the approaches that have the greatest impact on pupils’ learning. In these cases, teaching strategies are used inconsistently and often without careful consideration, while feedback on classroom practice tends to reinforce a narrow, formulaic approach to teaching.
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Executive summary
This report focuses on improvement areas identified in Estyn’s initial monitoring visit report (Estyn, 2023) and in the Welsh Government’s formative evaluation of Jobs Growth Wales+ (Welsh Government, 2024). We evaluated:
the referral processes and participants’ experiences during this phase
how well curriculum delivery meets the diverse needs of participants and prepares them for progressing into further learning or employment
To gather evidence for this report, we visited all five lead contractors, including 21 sub-contractor partners, across a total of 49 Jobs Growth Wales+ (JGW+) delivery centres across Wales. We observed sessions; spoke with participants; undertook desk research to review referral processes; analysed key performance information across the contract and met employers and other stakeholders.
Since the initial monitoring visits, the referral process has been strengthened considerably through effective collaboration between lead contractors, Working Wales and the Welsh Government. Revised referral documentation has enhanced the capture of necessary detail around participants’ individual needs and helped place participants more accurately on the best strand of support. The process for sharing information about participants with additional learning needs (ALN) however has become less efficient, as the Additional Learning Needs Code for Wales 2021 (Welsh Government, 2021) prevents Working Wales from sharing Individual Development Plans (IDPs) directly with contractors on referral into the programme.
The growing use of direct referrals has allowed providers to identify demand for the programme and to start participants more quickly. However, rising demand for places and participants remaining on programmes for longer have led to waiting lists in some regions, creating delays in participant start dates and increasing the risk of disengagement.
The majority of participants on the JGW+ programme were on the engagement strand, with many presenting significant barriers to progressing further such as mental health concerns and confidence issues. Providers offered strong well-being support, including sessions focused on anxiety management, healthy lifestyles, and personal development. Most providers employed support services such as resilience coaches and counsellors which participants valued and regularly accessed.
Providers generally encouraged participant progression through the programme strands and into employment or further education and training, with identified progression pathways and expected timelines. However, a few participants on the engagement strand were not making the progress they were capable of due to a reluctance to progress on to work placement opportunities, preferring to remain in-centre where they felt more secure around their friends, tutors and coaches.
On the advancement strand, the availability of sector-specific provision was too variable across different parts of Wales. In some areas, participants had a wide range of choice of provision in sectors such as construction, care and retail, however in other areas, programmes were focussed on general employability qualifications. As a result, not all young people can access provision that is tailored to their individual preference. In a few cases, there was a lack of distinction between delivery on engagement and advancement which left a few participants unclear about their progression opportunities. Many participants on the advancement strand quickly accessed work placement opportunities, however, a few had to wait for placements due to challenges providers faced with accessing sufficient work placement opportunities across vocational areas.
The employment strand continued to be underused with providers reporting overly bureaucratic funding requirements and being able to source alternative employment opportunities for those ready to progress into work. As a result, most providers prioritise their resource allocation into satisfying demand for other programme strands.
Most participants expressed positive experiences of the programme, appreciating the supportive learning environments and personalised attention from staff. They reported high levels of pastoral support and valued the range of enrichment activities providers offer which they say helps to build their confidence, social and team working skills.
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Executive summary
This thematic report examines the teaching and learning of international languages in primary, secondary and all-age schools in Wales. It evaluates the progress made in implementing international languages within the Curriculum for Wales. It considers the quality of teaching and its impact on learning, and how leaders influence provision for international languages in their schools. The review also considers how schools promote language learning, pupils’ attitudes toward international languages, and the challenges that persist in encouraging pupils to study international languages at The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and beyond.
The report highlights examples of how primary schools have successfully developed international languages in the curriculum. There are examples of good quality teaching and learning in the primary, secondary and all-age schools we visited. However, in general, curriculum design and the quality of teaching remains inconsistent. As a result, the experiences and opportunities available to pupils in international languages are too variable. Transition arrangements between the primary and secondary phases are often weak and uptake at GCSE and A Level is low. Taking these issues into account, the future of international language education in Wales remains challenging.
This report evaluates four key areas:
International languages in the primary phase: Since international languages became integrated into the Curriculum for Wales in the primary phase in September 2022, many of the primary and all-age schools we visited had made positive strides in embedding international language learning. Most of the schools focused appropriately on developing pupils’ listening and speaking skills and broadening pupils’ cultural understanding. However, overall, curriculum development remains inconsistent. A few schools struggled due to a lack of staff confidence, their perceptions of limited curriculum time and insufficient professional learning opportunities. In the most effective schools, language learning was embedded across the curriculum. In these schools, pupils were exposed to languages from an early age, fostering a multilingual ethos.
International languages in the secondary phase: While most secondary schools in our sample provided suitable opportunities for international language learning in Years 7-9, uptake at Key Stage 4 and post-16 remains low. Curriculum time constraints, the perception that languages are difficult and the pressures of the options process contributed to the decline. Where language provision was strong, teachers used authentic and creative resources, useful technology, and highly engaging teaching strategies to progress pupils’ knowledge and skills. However, in some cases, over-reliance on teacher support prevented pupils from developing as independent learners of languages. Schools with effective teaching and a rich curriculum had stronger pupil engagement, particularly at GCSE and GCE Advanced Levels (A levels).
Pupil attitudes and engagement: Many pupils in the schools we visited enjoyed learning international languages and recognised the benefits for travel, communication, and employment. However, as they progressed through school, their enthusiasm often declined due to a lack of perceived relevance of language learning and confidence in their ability to succeed. Some pupils believed that learning Welsh was sufficient, while others saw languages learning as challenging compared to other curriculum subjects. Parents and carers who responded to our survey generally valued language learning, but our survey identified a need for improved communication with parents and carers about its long-term benefits.
Leadership and support for international languages: It was clear from our evidence that strong leadership plays a crucial role in sustaining international language provision. In schools where leaders prioritised language learning, pupils had better access to high-quality teaching, clear progression routes, and enrichment opportunities. However, in many schools, senior leaders did not consider international languages as a strategic priority, often resulting in inconsistent or weaker provision. Collaboration between primary and secondary schools was often poor, affecting how well pupils made progress from the primary into the secondary phase. Those schools who engaged with school improvement services and external organisations told us that they valued their support, but access to professional learning and resources varied widely across Wales. Teacher recruitment for international languages remains a significant challenge, with declining numbers of student teachers entering the profession
The role of wider system support: While programmes, such as Global Futures, and support from local and regional school improvement services have influenced language provision positively, school leaders were concerned about long-term sustainability. Further education colleges offer limited international language pathways, and language provision within vocational programmes is too variable. Initial teacher education providers face recruitment difficulties, with low numbers of international language student teachers.
This report makes recommendations for schools, local authorities and school improvement services, and the Welsh Government. These recommendations focus primarily on improving teaching and learning, developing stronger curriculum arrangements at transition points to ensure progress and continuity in pupils’ learning, and supporting schools to maintain and improve provision for GCSE and A level international languages courses.
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Executive Summary
This thematic report focuses on the quality of teaching, learning, and leadership in mathematics in schools across Wales. It outlines effective practice and areas for improvement in teaching, curriculum, leadership, and assessment. Whilst the report identifies aspects of effective practice, it is important to note that, overall, successful mathematics teaching and leadership combines many of the aspects of effective practice identified in this report.
We visited a cross-section of secondary, primary and all-age schools in autumn 2024. In each school, we visited mathematics lessons, spoke with senior leaders, leaders and teachers of mathematics and pupils, and scrutinised a range of documentation. We also drew on evidence from school inspections undertaken over the last three years and the results of two school surveys developed for this report. We surveyed a sample of local authorities and school improvement partners and met with a smaller sample of these to discuss some of the aspects in greater detail. The findings in the report are based on a combination of inspection evidence since February 2022, and the evidence gained on the thematic visits.
Whilst we observed aspects of effective teaching and leadership of mathematics, overall, we found that the quality of teaching of mathematics was too variable and pupils’ standards in mathematics were too low. We believe the variability in the quality of teaching of mathematics is partly linked to a reduction in subject-specific support across Wales. Our findings revealed that there is too little focus on the importance of teachers’ subject knowledge and subject pedagogy and, as a result, too often teachers have a limited understanding of the best ways to support pupils’ learning.
The report emphasises the importance of effective teaching methods, high-quality questioning, a supportive learning environment, professional learning, and parental involvement in enhancing mathematics education. These elements collectively contribute to improving pupil engagement, understanding, and outcomes in mathematics.
Where teaching was most effective and pupils made good progress, teachers:
had high expectations of what pupils could achieve and challenged all pupils well
made effective use of a range of teaching and assessment techniques and used their findings from assessments to guide their teaching, adjusting the pace and level of challenge responsively
ensured that pupils understood what they were learning rather than just following instructions to get the correct answer
questioned pupils effectively to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts
skilfully exposed and addressed pupils’ misconceptions
ensured that pupils were constantly thinking and that the level of challenge was appropriate, stretching pupils without overwhelming them
helped pupils to make relevant connections to other areas of mathematics and, where appropriate, to everyday life
Where teaching was less effective and pupils did not make enough progress, teachers:
did not focus closely enough on what they wanted pupils to learn but instead planned tasks and activities that kept pupils busy
did not plan well enough to teach the understanding of mathematical concepts and identify and address misconceptions; they often taught procedural shortcuts rather than helping pupils understand mathematical concepts and make connections between topics
did not practice responsive teaching within mathematics classrooms, often due to a lack of confidence in their subject knowledge or pedagogy
did not question pupils well enough to encourage them to deepen their thinking or improve their understanding of aspects of mathematics
did not use questioning well enough to address pupils’ misconceptions, often because they did not have the subject knowledge to explore aspects around and within topics effectively
limited the opportunities for pupils to develop independent learning skills due to over-directed teaching, lack of challenge, or ineffective questioning
did not challenge pupils, particularly the most able and pupils at transition points well enough
We recognise the importance of designing a mathematics curriculum that is comprehensive and coherent. In schools that designed a successful mathematics curriculum they had a number of strong features, such as:
they were structured to build on pupils’ learning
appropriate time allocated for pupils to acquire mathematical knowledge, understanding, and skills
the provision of opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge in authentic contexts and develop their mathematical independence
high-quality teaching that involved a balance of explicit teaching and time for pupils to explore concepts, collaborate with others, and develop their mathematical independence
teachers collaborated in their topic planning and framed what effective progression looked like across the topic area, including identifying and addressing misconceptions; where pupils made the most progress, teachers anticipated what came later and taught the pupils accordingly
In general, there were common factors that limited the effectiveness of curriculum planning. These included:
a lack of understanding of Curriculum for Wales requirements and guidance; furthermore, teachers and leaders often did not know who to approach to clarify and support curriculum-related questions, and this added unhelpfully to teachers’ confusion and cognitive overload
an inconsistent understanding of the effective use of the mathematical proficiencies
a lack of clarity in national guidance to support teachers and leaders in understanding the minimum expectations of pupils’ understanding and progress in mathematics; often, this meant that teachers and leaders did not have high enough expectations of how pupils should progress in their mathematical understanding
limited support to improve the quality of mathematics teaching, which was focused enough on pedagogy or how teachers should use their subject knowledge effectively to help pupils learn
support and professional learning for teachers of mathematics that was too generic, not effective, or wide-ranging enough and many teachers were unaware of the professional learning opportunities available to them externally
too many teachers who relied heavily on bought-in schemes of work, using them without considering pupils’ needs well enough or without considering how to adapt and use a selection of resources to achieve the best learning outcomes
We make a number of recommendations to support the Welsh Government, local authorities and leaders and staff within schools to strengthen mathematics teaching across Wales.
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Executive Summary
This report is an updated version of our previous thematic report published in January 2024 focusing on attendance in secondary schools. These updated findings are based on inspection evidence and engagement with the schools who had cameos in the previous report, as well as an additional five schools that have seen improvements in attendance over the past twelve months. It also includes analysis of the recently published national attendance data. Updates to this report will be in blue text to make it easy for readers to identify changes.
In the best cases, schools have maintained a strong focus on improving pupils’ attendance and have identified attendance as an important whole-school priority. In the updated cameos, we have identified a few new approaches schools have implemented that have had a positive impact on improving attendance.
Schools continue to have concerns about the challenges for those pupils who live within the three-mile radius of school and therefore do not get access to free school transport. Most leaders we talked to said that this remains a very important barrier to improving attendance. They also noted that this often impacts disproportionately on those pupils who are eligible for free school meals. An additional challenge identified by school leaders is Year 11 exams. Given that examinations take place early in May, it is challenging for schools to maintain Year 11 pupils’ attendance, when pupils are keen to stay at home to revise. All of the schools we talked to indicated that they see a notable decline in Year 11 attendance during this period, especially where schools have worked hard during the year to improve the attendance of this year group in particular.
Whilst local authorities have continued to prioritise improving attendance, in a minority of instances, this work has not had a sufficient impact. The support and challenge for improving attendance remains too variable across Wales. A few school leaders also noted a challenge where some local authorities will not issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and this is restricting their ability to challenge families to improve pupils’ attendance.
When we published this report in January 2024, we identified that the data Welsh Government publishes around attendance does not provide sufficient detail for schools to make important comparisons, for example between groups of pupils and year groups. The absence of a more detailed analysis continues to limit schools’ ability to fully evaluate the impact of their work, make comparisons and to identify important weaknesses in performance.
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Executive Summary
This report explores approaches to promoting positive behaviour in secondary schools in Wales. It highlights the challenges that secondary schools face and includes spotlights of effective practice. The report draws on information from visits to 24 secondary and all-age schools, discussions with officers from 10 local authorities and findings from national surveys for headteachers, staff and pupils.
Positive behaviour underpins effective teaching and learning and supports academic progress. However, during inspection, school leaders and staff have reported a decline in the behaviour of a few of their pupils since the time of the pandemic. In addition, there has been a national increase in fixed-term and permanent exclusions. However, as there is currently no national system to collect data on incidences of poor behaviour in schools, understanding the full extent of the problem remains difficult.
The evidence we gathered for this thematic review suggests that there are many reasons why pupils may display challenging behaviour. These include family instability, socio-economic pressures, mental health problems and additional learning needs. Common behaviour issues identified by schools involve persistent low-level disruption, acts of defiance and, to a lesser extent, physical confrontations. External factors such as the influence of social media and community-related issues such as anti-social behaviour have led to more complicated behaviours seen in schools. Responses to our national surveys across staff and pupils [pages 33 to 58] revealed concerns about low level disruption in lessons, poor behaviour in corridors, mobile phone misuse, and increased anxiety among pupils. Leaders also highlighted difficulties in securing timely specialist support.
Schools that have difficultly managing pupils’ poor behaviour generally have inconsistent approaches or lack clear policies and processes. Budget constraints and insufficient external support may also be key factors. The most successful schools have high expectations of their pupils and staff. In these schools, leadership of well-being is strong and supported by effective behaviour policies. There is normally a consistency in behaviour management practice and regular professional learning for teachers. Effective schools may also implement trauma-informed approaches to support pupils’ emotional needs and carry out regular restorative practices. Engagement with parents and strong community partnerships are also key to sustaining a positive behaviour culture. These help foster a sense of belonging for pupils.
We surveyed pupils, staff, and headteachers. Findings from these surveys reveal differing perceptions of what constitutes poor behaviour and what support is needed. While most pupils describe behaviour in a positive manner, staff and headteachers express concerns about rising disruption and the limited support available. Pupils emphasise the need for mutual respect, calling for fair treatment and consistent approaches to discipline. Teachers highlight common issues such as defiance, verbal abuse, and corridor misbehaviour. Headteachers stress the need for clearer national policies, increased funding, and more specialist provisions. In the round, the survey responses highlight the importance of consistent policy enforcement, supportive relationships, and effective external support.
The report recommends that schools strengthen their behaviour management systems by involving all stakeholders, including feeder schools, parents and carers, governors and local authorities, in developing clear, consistent policy and processes. In addition, staff should receive specific training on managing disruptive behaviour, especially those of vulnerable learners. Local authority services should provide timely support, share relative information about pupils’ needs and experiences efficiently if pupils move within or beyond the local authority, and adopt a consistent approach to family engagement. The Welsh Government is urged to update national behaviour management guidelines and launch a national campaign on positive behaviour. Initial teacher education and induction programmes should also include a comprehensive behaviour management programme.
