Thematic Report Archives - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

This report evaluated how effectively maintained schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and local authorities promoted the education, well-being and aspirations of care-experienced learners aged 3 to 16. It considered the experiences of children who were looked after, adopted from care, living in kinship care, subject to special guardianship orders (SGO), or children who were previously looked after. Care-experienced learners can face particular challenges relating to educational stability, attendance, engagement, belonging and attainment, although their experiences and needs vary considerably. The review drew on visits to schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and local authorities; survey evidence; engagement with learners in schools, PRUs and through third sector organisations; stakeholder evidence; a review of relevant literature, policy and guidance; and inspection evidence.

Throughout the review, leaders and staff demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting care-experienced learners. Many knew individual learners well and worked hard to help them feel safe, included and supported. The strongest providers combined positive trusting relationships and high-quality pastoral support with ambitious expectations for learning, achievement and future opportunities. However, a central finding was that providers were generally more successful in describing the support they provided than in demonstrating which approaches improved learners’ educational progress, attainment and longer-term outcomes.

The review found that schools, PRUs and local authorities were generally better able to identify, monitor and support children who were currently looked after than other groups of care-experienced learners. Arrangements for adopted learners, learners in kinship or SGO arrangements and previously looked-after learners were less consistent. As a result, many providers could not evaluate the educational experiences or outcomes of these learners with the same confidence as those who were currently looked-after, limiting their ability to identify emerging needs, intervene early and evaluate the impact of support.

Strong leadership and clear accountability were important factors in improving learners’ educational experiences. The strongest schools and local authorities monitored progress, attainment and destinations alongside information about learners’ attendance, well-being and any exclusions from schools and PRUs. However, educational outcomes were not always given enough prominence in monitoring and corporate parenting arrangements. Learners’ attendance, behaviour and well-being were often monitored more consistently than their educational progress and achievement, limiting leaders’ understanding of whether support was improving outcomes over time.

Relationships and a sense of belonging were central to learners’ positive educational experiences. They consistently highlighted the importance of trusted adults who listened, understood their circumstances and provided consistent support. These relationships helped learners feel known, valued and included in their school community. They also gave learners the confidence to share their views, raise concerns and take part in decisions about their education and support. Strong relationships and regular communication with parents, carers and wider professionals also helped providers understand changing circumstances and coordinate support more effectively.

Learners were more likely to share concerns and take part in decision-making when they felt understood and confident that adults would listen and respond. While many providers sought learners’ views, these did not always influence the planning of their education and support. Learners also emphasised the importance of privacy, confidentiality and careful handling of personal information, which helped maintain trust and reduced the risk of learners feeling singled out because of their care experience.

Awareness of trauma-informed and attachment-aware practice had increased across schools, PRUs and local authorities. The strongest providers embedded these approaches in relationships, behaviour and everyday practice. However, providers were generally better at showing that staff had received training than demonstrating how these approaches had improved learners’ attendance, participation, progress and attainment.

Evidence from learner discussions, provider visits and wider research showed that a stable education helped reduce the impact of disruption in other areas of care‑experienced learners’ lives. Schools and PRUs often provided stability and continuity when other aspects of learners’ lives were changing. However, placement moves, school changes and changes in the professionals who supported learners sometimes disrupted learning, relationships and support. Joint working and information-sharing were not always sufficiently consistent, particularly when learners moved between settings, services or local authority areas. Local authorities had an important responsibility to protect continuity of Welsh-medium education when learners changed school or care placement. However, access to continued Welsh-medium education and support was not equitable across Wales.

Funding and accountability arrangements did not always support consistent provision for the wider care-experienced population. Local authorities varied in how they interpreted and used Pupil Development Grant for Children Looked After (PDG-CLA) funding, reciprocal arrangements did not always operate effectively, and national information about the experiences and outcomes of adopted learners and those in kinship or SGO arrangements remained limited.

Many providers worked hard to ensure that care-experienced learners felt included, respected and valued, without being defined by care experience. However, treating learners the same as their peers did not always address the additional barriers some faced. The strongest providers understood that treating learners fairly did not always mean treating them in the same way. They helped learners feel they belonged, maintained high expectations and ensured they had fair access to an ambitious curriculum, enrichment opportunities, qualifications and future education or employment pathways.

Overall, care-experienced learners were most likely to thrive where schools, PRUs and local authorities identified and understood their individual circumstances, maintained high expectations and coordinated support effectively. While the review identified many examples of strong practice, it also highlighted the need for a greater focus on educational progress, attainment and longer-term outcomes. This is essential to ensure that care-experienced learners are supported not only to engage in education, but also to make strong progress, achieve well and benefit from improved future opportunities.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Dau fyfyriwr yn edrych ar luniau ac yn eu trafod ar sgrin ryngweithiol fawr.

Executive Summary

This report considers attendance and participation among full-time learners aged 16 to 19 in further education (FE) colleges and school sixth forms across Wales. We define attendance as the learner’s presence in a timetabled session, either in person or online. We recognise that they may continue to participate in their learning in other ways. It considers patterns in attendance, the factors that influence low attendance and the effectiveness of approaches to improving attendance.

The report draws on evidence from virtual visits conducted online with colleges and schools across Wales, discussions with learners and staff, survey responses and analysis of available attendance data. The review found that there is currently no consistent national approach to measuring or reporting post-16 attendance. As a result, attendance figures are not fully comparable across providers and, in some cases, headline attendance data does not accurately reflect learners’ physical presence in lessons. These inconsistencies reduce the usefulness of attendance data for benchmarking, self-evaluation and improvement planning.

Over the last three years, providers’ data suggested that learners attended around 80% of timetabled lessons across post-16 provision. This is well below the attendance expectations set by providers and indicates that attendance remains a concern across both school sixth forms and further education colleges.

Attendance patterns varied more by course level, year group and type of provision than by subject area. Attendance was stronger in Year 12 and on higher-level courses, including A-levels and Level 3 vocational programmes, and weaker in Entry Level, Level 1 and compulsory provision such as resit provision for GCSE English and mathematics or Welsh Baccalaureate sessions. Learners were more likely to attend lessons they viewed as relevant to their future progression, while timetabling issues, including long gaps between lessons, also affected attendance for a minority of learners.

In many providers, leaders had begun to strengthen their use of attendance data by distinguishing more clearly between attendance and participation, analysing patterns and trends more closely and linking attendance information to wider learner progress and well-being data. However, a minority of providers do not analyse attendance data rigorously enough, particularly when considering groups of learners. This limits their ability to evaluate the impact of interventions and identify emerging patterns in poor attendance.

There were a range of factors contributing to lower attendance. These included reported increases in learner emotional well-being concerns, transport difficulties, financial pressures and part-time employment. Learners frequently described these challenges in practical terms, including unreliable or expensive transport, balancing employment alongside study and difficulties returning to regular attendance routines following periods of absence. These factors rarely occurred in isolation and providers generally recognised that improving attendance requires flexible and individualised support, often involving collaboration with families, external agencies and wider support services.

Evidence from learner discussions and provider visits suggested that attendance is closely linked to learners’ enjoyment of their courses. Where teaching is effective and stimulated learners’ engagement, they were more likely to attend regularly. Learners also valued providers where staff knew them well, responded quickly to concerns and provided flexible support where appropriate.

Most providers set suitable expectations around attendance. However, there was too much variation in how consistently these expectations were implemented, monitored and reinforced. In the strongest practice, leaders maintained high expectations through systematic monitoring, timely intervention and clear accountability arrangements.

Providers had begun to strengthen approaches to promoting attendance, including a supportive and individualised response to poor attendance. A notable strength across most providers was the emergence and development of specialist support roles such as pastoral, progress and learner coaches and the adoption of ‘team around the learner’ approaches. Where these arrangements were well established, they supported earlier identification of attendance concerns, more co‑ordinated intervention and stronger communication with learners and families.

Most providers recognised a strong relationship between attendance, participation and learner outcomes. Higher attendance was commonly associated with stronger attainment, retention and progression. While providers increasingly recognised that learners may continue to engage with learning remotely or through online platforms during periods of absence, this was seen as a temporary or exceptional arrangement linked to individual learner circumstances. Providers consistently emphasised that regular attendance provides more than academic benefit. It supports learners’ social development, access to specialist teaching, development of professional behaviours and readiness for employment or higher education.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

This thematic report examines how effectively Education Welfare Services (EWSs) support schools, PRUs, and parents and carers to address persistent absenteeism. The report draws on evidence from our inspections and discussions with the EWS and schools (9 local authorities, 21 primary schools, 18 secondary schools, and 6 all-age schools) and identifies key features of effective practice and areas for improvement.

Regular school attendance has a positive impact on learner outcomes, standards and progression, as well as on emotional and physical well-being. Conversely, extended absence may have long-term consequences for a young person’s mental health and future life chances (Welsh Government, 2023). This report highlights the valuable support provided by the EWS to schools and how this contributes positively to identifying pupils at risk of persistent absence and co-ordinating support for families. It emphasises that strong professional relationships between education welfare officers (EWOs), schools and partner agencies underpins effective practice in many areas. It also highlights areas where improvements could improve the effectiveness of the system.

Overview of findings

  • Although most EWSs provided valuable support to schools and families, variability in practice, limited service capacity and the inconsistent strategic use of evidence constrained their ability to secure system-wide improvements in attendance. To strengthen the effectiveness of the EWS, action is needed at both national and local authority levels as there is currently not a sustainable approach to attendance posts and welfare services, strengthening national data systems and guidance, and improving early intervention and preventative work.
  • Across the local authorities reviewed, the EWS provided valued support to schools, pupils and families and contributed positively to addressing barriers to attendance. In most local authorities, effective relationships between EWOs, schools and families supported constructive dialogue and early identification of concerns. Where officers were regularly present in schools and worked closely with pastoral teams, support was particularly effective, often improving attendance for individual pupils and strengthening family engagement. However, the overall impact of the EWS on reducing persistent absence remained too variable. Nearly all local authorities reported significant capacity pressures, which limit preventative work and early intervention
  • In most local authorities, communication between the EWS, schools and families was effective, particularly where officers were based in schools regularly enabling positive engagement with school staff and families. In these local authorities, well-established professional relationships and authority-wide campaigns helped promote consistent messages about the importance of attendance and supported relationship-based engagement with families. However, in a few local authorities, capacity pressures and differing approaches led to inconsistent communication. In addition, in a majority of local authorities, engaging families whose attitudes to attendance had become more entrenched since the pandemic remained challenging.
  • Collaboration with other services formed an important part of attendance support. In most authorities, the EWS maintained appropriate working relationships with social care, health services, educational psychology and youth services. This enabled a holistic understanding of the barriers affecting pupils and helped support co-ordinated responses. In a minority of authorities, well-established multi-agency arrangements supported co-ordinated responses for pupils with complex needs. These arrangements contributed positively to safeguarding and well-being. However, partnership work was not always sufficiently strategic and often relied too heavily on individual working relationships between EWOs and services. Capacity pressures within health and specialist services, alongside underdeveloped early intervention and preventative family support in a few areas, limited the timeliness and overall impact of multi-agency intervention on attendance outcomes.
  • Local authorities generally had secure systems for collecting and monitoring attendance data. In nearly all cases, authorities gathered regular attendance information and shared it with schools to identify pupils at risk of persistent absence. Many authorities also analysed attendance patterns for vulnerable groups. In many cases, leaders did not use attendance data strategically enough to evaluate the impact of interventions or identify longer-term trends. In addition, they do not share effective practice between schools well enough.
  • Funding arrangements had a considerable influence on the capacity and stability of local authority efforts to tackle persistent absenteeism. In many authorities, grant funding enabled leaders to increase staffing capacity and strengthen early intervention work with families. Additional roles, such as family engagement officers (FEOs) or attendance support officers, often improved communication with families and supported reintegration for pupils at risk of persistent absence. These roles are in addition to the statutory activity that local authorities are expected to carry out as a core function under the Local Authority Revenue Support Grant (RSG). However, across nearly all authorities, these additional roles are reliant on short-term or annually allocated grants. This created uncertainty, limited workforce stability, and restricted longer-term strategic planning. As a result, although examples of effective practice existed, the overall funding approach lacked the consistency, sustainability and strategic alignment required to secure lasting improvements in attendance.
  • Across the local authorities reviewed, compliance with statutory duties relating to school attendance was generally secure. Most EWSs had clear graduated response processes, well-defined escalation pathways and appropriate oversight arrangements that supported proportionate action when attendance concerns escalated. In many areas, statutory measures such as warning letters, fixed penalty notices (FPN) and legal proceedings were applied appropriately in collaboration with schools. However, the impact of statutory enforcement on improving attendance over time was variable and often limited, particularly where absence was linked to complex family circumstances, well-being concerns or entrenched disengagement. In a minority of local authorities, inconsistencies in how statutory processes were applied between schools or officers due to workforce capacity and approaches to addressing persistent absenteeism created challenges for equitable implementation.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive summary

We talked to pupils and staff and observed work in 30 schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) across Wales to look at the quality and impact of relationships and sexuality education (RSE). We found that, in the schools and PRUs visited, senior and middle leaders demonstrated a strong moral commitment to promoting pupils’ well-being and healthy relationships as part of their whole school approach to mental and emotional health. In most of these schools and PRUs, leaders placed well-being at the centre of their strategic vision. They articulated clear values rooted in respect, kindness, understanding and inclusion and reflected these consistently in policies, behaviour systems and day‑to‑day practice. In many cases, leaders positioned RSE within a broader whole-school approach to well-being, safeguarding and inclusion rather than treating it solely as a discrete subject. Inspectors noted that established pastoral systems and responsive safeguarding arrangements supported this work effectively. Leaders worked closely with health professionals, police liaison officers and third-sector organisations to respond to emerging concerns, including misogyny, online exploitation, harmful attitudes to gender norms and unhealthy peer relationships. These partnerships strengthened schools’ capacity to respond to contextual risks. As a result of this strong practice, across most providers, nearly all pupils that we spoke to reported that they felt safe in school, valued and able to seek help when needed.

Many leaders used a suitable range of evidence to inform planning. This included safeguarding records, national and local well-being data, and findings from pupil voice activities. Most schools and PRUs had established appropriate mechanisms to capture pupil voice. In the majority of cases, pupils contributed to identifying priority topics and shaping aspects of provision. In the best examples, leaders used this insight to influence curriculum content and wider cultural initiatives, such as festivals and celebrations to promote diversity. However, in a minority of providers visited, leaders gathered pupils’ views only periodically and did not consider this information well enough to be able to embed it in long-term planning.

Although many leaders mapped RSE across year groups, only a few considered secure and coherent progression from ages 3 to 11 or from 3 to 16. Mapping typically identified where topics appeared but did not evaluate the depth or the sequence of learning. Collaboration between primary and secondary schools was not evident in many cases and this led to limited cumulative progression. Overall, although leaders had established strong pastoral foundations and a strong ethos of inclusivity, quality assurance and evaluation was generally at an early stage. Even where there were strong examples of leaders adapting curriculum content in response to emerging issues, too often they evaluated provision by checking coverage of topics rather than measuring impact on pupils’ knowledge, attitudes, and decision-making. Only a few providers evaluated the impact on pupils’ personal and social development systematically over time.

Most schools prioritised professional learning appropriately and recognised that effective RSE required teachers and support staff who were confident to teach this aspect of the curriculum. Staff had accessed a broad range of training linked to safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, mental health, and curriculum planning. Although this professional learning strengthened the interpersonal foundations necessary for effective RSE it did not normally lead to an increase in staff confidence in teaching more sensitive aspects of RSE. In many providers, designated leaders had undertaken targeted training and shared their learning with colleagues. Leaders also made productive use of external partnerships. School nurses, other health professionals, police officers and third-sector organisations contributed specialist expertise and supported staff development. Schools valued the continued involvement of school police officers despite changes to national funding arrangements.

Inspectors identified professional learning as a clear and consistent area for improvement across providers. Professional learning for teachers often focused on general well-being themes rather than subject-specific pedagogy. In order to provide good quality learning experiences in a safe and secure way for pupils’ age and stage, careful attention to pedagogical methodology is needed. Staff across all schools and PRUs reported lower confidence in teaching sexuality education, addressing misogyny and harmful gender norms, supporting gender-diverse pupils and using accurate terminology. This resulted in variation in the quality and depth of delivery of these sensitive themes. It also led to insufficient coverage, especially in Phase 3 (from age 11) which was also reported by pupils themselves. In addition, time, funding and capacity presented ongoing challenges for schools and PRUs. Leaders frequently held multiple responsibilities and lacked protected time to develop RSE strategically. Financial pressures limited access to specialist providers. In a minority of schools, over-reliance on external contributors reduced sustainability, limited opportunities to build internal expertise and often provided pupils with one-off or unrepeatable learning experiences.

Overall, we observed that provision for RSE supported pupils’ general personal development effectively in most schools and PRUs visited. Leaders and teachers fostered an inclusive culture successfully, with many providers promoting equality and diversity clearly and consistently. This led to most pupils speaking positively about feeling respected. RSE was integrated well within the wider curriculum and pastoral framework. Broadly, pupils benefitted from learning that was age‑appropriate and aligned with their developmental stage. Nevertheless, leaders did not always plan systematically for the inclusion of RSE within the wider curriculum. Overall, there was little coverage of topics such as sex, gender and sexuality. This depended heavily on individual staff confidence, their understanding of how to address sensitive topics and their ability to use the correct terminology.

In many schools, leaders designed broad and balanced curricula that revisited key themes. Typically, younger pupils in Phase 1 (from age 3) learned about love, kindness, and friendship. Pupils in Phase 2 (from age 7) explored equality, digital safety and healthy relationships. Older pupils in Years 10 and 11 (Phase 3) discussed topics such as consent, gender identity and abusive relationships. Cross-curricular links reinforced learning effectively in many cases. For example, pupils enjoyed exploring moral and social themes through literary texts and examined prejudice and propaganda in subjects within the humanities. These approaches helped pupils connect relationship learning to wider social understanding.

In most sessions across the age range, teachers, including teaching assistants working with younger pupils, encouraged discussion and reflection. In the primary phase, daily emotional check-ins supported pupils to express feelings openly. In the secondary phase, many teachers facilitated thoughtful discussions on pertinent issues. However, variability in staff confidence affected the depth and consistency of conversations in a minority of cases. Where staff confidence was lower, teachers relied heavily on structured schemes purchased by the school or one-off enrichment events provided by specialists. This practice limited progression in learning. Inclusion and representation of different groups also varied across the phases.

A noteworthy strength was how most schools and PRUs embedded positive messages about healthy relationships beyond formal learning sessions. Assemblies, behaviour support systems and restorative approaches reinforced expectations consistently, particularly when linked to the providers’ values and vision. Staff at all levels modelled respectful and friendly relationships which impacted positively on pupils’ attitudes to school and their appreciation of how staff supported them. Many older pupils demonstrated considerable empathy and maturity in discussion with inspectors, which reflected the extent of their positive engagement in RSE.

In order to improve the quality and impact of RSE in the future, schools and PRUs would benefit from depending less on expanding provision and more on deepening the learning, particularly around sensitive topics. In order to do this, leaders would need to strengthen progression from phase to phase and embed age-appropriate inclusive themes systematically through the curriculum. Professional learning for subject-specific pedagogy would support building staff confidence in addressing complex issues and result in pupils accessing deeper learning in critical areas as they move towards adulthood.

Infographic titled “What we found” summarising six key findings about Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). It highlights that well-being and safeguarding are central to RSE, with positive relationships embedded across school life. Nearly all schools and pupil referral units foster a strong culture of care, respect, inclusion and understanding. In the strongest examples, pupil voice shapes provision and learners of all ages confidently discuss relationships and life experiences. A progressive curriculum supports the development of relationships and understanding, although provision remains inconsistent across many providers. Staff benefit from training that raises awareness, but limited specialist professional development affects their confidence to teach sensitive topics. The infographic also notes that inconsistent national and local authority support for developing RSE in schools and pupil referral units continues to hinder progress. Each finding is accompanied by a simple icon representing its theme.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

Timely completion rates – the proportion of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship framework within the expected programme duration are an important indicator of the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeship provision. Completing within expected timescales supports learner motivation, confidence, progression and career development, while also reflecting the effectiveness of programme planning, assessment arrangements, employer engagement and learner support.

The review found that timely completion rates improved gradually over the three-year period ending 2024/25. In 2024/25, 70% of apprentices completed within one month of their expected end date, compared with 64% in 2022/23. During the same period, the proportion of learners completing more than six months late reduced from 16% to 10%. Despite this improvement, timely completion rates remain well below pre-pandemic levels and around 20% learners still completed more than three months beyond their expected end date, demonstrating that late completion remained a considerable sector-wide issue.

Health, public services and care, and construction and the built environment were the most consistently underperforming sectors for timely completion. Across these sectors, providers faced a combination of structural and operational challenges, including qualification reform, staffing shortages, assessor turnover, delays associated with external assessment requirements and weak employer engagement and support.

The review identified substantial variation in timely completion rates between providers. Although providers delivering large volumes of health and social care and construction provision generally faced greater challenges, the scale of variation remained considerable across the sector. Provider approaches to planning, monitoring and supporting learner progress were an important factor in determining timely completion outcomes.

The strongest providers demonstrated a clear strategic focus on timely completion and embedded it securely within quality assurance and performance management arrangements. Effective providers used learner tracking systems proactively, intervened early where progress slowed and planned programmes carefully around learner capability and expected completion dates. Strong assessor relationships, effective employer engagement and clear learner targets also supported stronger outcomes.

However, the review also identified inconsistencies in the recognition of prior learning, the quality of target-setting and the effectiveness of employer engagement across the sector. In addition, current funding arrangements and programme duration rules sometimes limited flexibility within apprenticeship delivery, meaning that learners did not always progress or complete at the pace they were capable of.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

Adult social care apprenticeship provision is the largest sector of apprenticeship provision in Wales and continues to experience change resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of revised qualifications and increasing workforce pressures. Providers are adapting to changing learner demographics and increasing numbers of learners requiring additional language and learning support.

Across Levels 2 and 3, providers have generally responded positively to the introduction of revised Health and Social Care qualifications, including the core and practice model. In many cases, they have refined delivery models appropriately, strengthened learner induction processes and adapted staffing structures to support implementation. Over the last three years, learner outcomes have improved steadily across much of the sector, with attainment rates in many cases approaching pre-pandemic levels. However, a few providers continue to perform well below sector averages for framework attainment and timely completion.

Across nearly all providers, strong assessor–learner relationships were a notable strength. Learners benefited from regular contact, pastoral support and flexible approaches that adapted learning around shift patterns and workplace demands. In the strongest examples, assessors tailored delivery carefully to learners’ confidence levels, prior experience and personal circumstances. Providers increasingly strengthened arrangements to identify support needs and refer learners to specialist support services.

Employer engagement in supporting learning is one of the most considerable challenges affecting learner progress and timely completion. During our evidence gathering, too many employers failed to provide protected time for off-the-job training or engage actively in progress of learning, despite commitments within apprenticeship learning agreements.

Providers of higher level apprenticeships continued to face substantial challenges in delivering the new suite of frameworks at Levels 4 and 5. Although providers and employers recognised the long-term value of revised higher apprenticeship qualifications in strengthening leadership and management capability, learner outcomes remained too low overall. Providers also raised concerns regarding delays and inconsistencies within external assessment arrangements.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW), particularly in relation to learner’s literacy and numeracy skills development, remained a key barrier to learner progress and framework completion at all levels. Although providers increasingly adopted flexible and learner-centred approaches, the quality and effectiveness of the ongoing development of learners’ literacy and numeracy skills was underdeveloped.

Providers also reported that current funding and programme duration arrangements did not provide sufficient flexibility or reflect the increasing complexity of learner need. In response to these challenges, a few providers had reduced or withdrawn higher apprenticeship provision. This raises concerns about future leadership and management apprenticeship capacity within the sector.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Students in a science laboratory using microscopes at a workbench during a practical lesson. Several pupils are closely examining samples while others observe and prepare equipment, with laboratory apparatus visible in the background.

Executive summary

This thematic report examines the quality of teaching and learning in science in primary, secondary and all-age schools in Wales. It evaluates how well schools are developing pupils’ scientific knowledge, understanding and enquiry skills as part of the Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience (Area) within the Curriculum for Wales for the 7-16 age range. The report considers the effectiveness of curriculum design, teaching, assessment and leadership, and how well schools support progression in science across phases. It also explores pupils’ attitudes towards science and how well they apply their learning in authentic contexts.

The report highlights examples of effective practice in the primary and secondary phases, where schools have developed coherent curriculum plans, strengthened subject expertise and supported pupils to deepen their understanding of scientific concepts over time. However, across the schools visited, the quality of provision for science is inconsistent. In too many cases, weaknesses in curriculum design, teaching and assessment limit pupils’ progress, particularly in developing secure conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning. Arrangements to support progression between the primary and secondary phases are often underdeveloped, leading to repetition, gaps in learning and uneven challenge.

This report evaluates four key areas:

  • Science in the primary phase: A majority of primary schools are increasingly ambitious in their approach to science and provide pupils with engaging, practical learning experiences that foster curiosity and enjoyment. In the strongest practice, leaders have developed clear progression models that balance enquiry with the explicit teaching of scientific knowledge and provide meaningful real-world contexts, often through partnerships with industry and the community. However, in a minority of schools, science does not have a sufficiently high status within the curriculum. Over-reliance on thematic or enquiry-led approaches, without clear planning for conceptual progression, results in pupils completing activities without fully understanding the scientific ideas underpinning their work. Assessment and tracking of pupils’ scientific understanding are often underdeveloped, making it difficult for leaders to evaluate progress over time.
  • Science in the secondary phase: In most secondary schools, curriculum plans are structured around disciplinary approaches to biology, chemistry and physics, supporting appropriate coverage and examination preparation. Where teaching is strongest, teachers use secure subject knowledge, effective modelling and questioning to develop pupils’ conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning. However, in a minority of schools, weaknesses in planning mean that learning is not sequenced clearly enough to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills systematically over time, particularly in Year 7 to Year 9. Limited curriculum time, staffing challenges and inconsistent collaboration with primary schools contribute to variability in pupils’ experiences and progress.
  • Understanding progression in science: Across both phases, schools are at different stages in developing a shared understanding of progression in science. In the strongest examples, leaders use collaboration documents and shared expectations of progression to support continuity, revisit key concepts and address misconceptions systematically. However, in a majority of schools, progression is not planned securely enough. Teachers often address misconceptions reactively rather than anticipating them through curriculum design, and assessment does not consistently capture how pupils’ understanding deepens over time.
  • Leading and improving science: Effective leadership is a key factor in securing strong science provision. In schools where leaders prioritise science, protect curriculum time and invest in subject-specific professional learning, pupils benefit from more coherent curricula and stronger teaching. However, in many schools, the monitoring and evaluation of science focuses too heavily on provision rather than its impact on learning. Challenges in recruiting and retaining specialist science teachers, particularly in Welsh-medium settings, continue to affect provision.

Across the schools visited, the strongest teaching in science shares a number of common features. These features reflect the ways in which teachers support pupils to develop secure conceptual understanding and apply their learning over time. They are summarised below.

Infographic outlining six features of effective science teaching and learning. The sections are: **Subject knowledge** – teachers use strong subject knowledge to shape learning through accurate explanations, precise scientific vocabulary, carefully chosen examples and addressing misconceptions; **Sequenced progression** – learning builds cumulatively over time through a logical curriculum sequence, revisiting key concepts and increasing challenge; **Conceptual understanding** – pupils develop secure understanding of key scientific ideas by focusing on important concepts, making connections and using scientific language; **Purposeful teaching** – teaching helps pupils develop and apply understanding through secure knowledge, practical work and targeted intervention; **Responsive assessment** – assessment informs teaching by probing pupils’ thinking, identifying misconceptions and adapting teaching accordingly; and **Real-world application** – learning is extended through meaningful contexts, helping pupils apply scientific knowledge and recognise its relevance beyond the classroom. Each section is accompanied by a simple icon representing the theme.

This report makes recommendations for schools, local authorities and school improvement services, and the Welsh Government. These recommendations focus on strengthening curriculum planning for progression, improving the quality of teaching and assessment, developing leadership capacity in science, and addressing workforce and professional learning challenges to ensure that all pupils in Wales experience high-quality science education.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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A group of teachers sat around tables talking.

Executive summary

Local authorities play a vital role in helping schools plan, manage and use their financial resources. At a time of rising costs, demographic shifts and increasing pressures on school budgets, high-quality local authority support is essential for schools to remain financially stable and able to prioritise resources to meet pupils’ needs. This report considers how effectively local authorities support schools with budget management and strategic financial planning. The report draws on evidence from a national survey of local authorities, governing bodies and school leaders as well as documentary review and interviews with finance officers, education officers, headteachers, school business managers and governors.

Purpose of the review

This review aims to evaluate the nature and effectiveness of the support that local authorities provide to maintained schools in Wales. It examines the following aspects:

  • the clarity and timeliness of financial advice
  • the transparency of local authorities’ budget-setting processes
  • the quality of relevant training for headteachers, business managers and governors
  • how local authorities monitor risk, intervene in schools which face financial difficulty and support recovery
  • how well local authorities help schools use targeted grants such as the pupil development grant (PDG); and
  • how local authorities promote equity and long-term sustainability in their funding decisions. 

Overview of findings

Across Wales, local authorities showed strong commitment to supporting schools and maintaining constructive professional relationships with regards to budget management and strategic financial planning. Most schools valued the advice they received and had confidence in their link finance teams. However, the review found considerable variation between authorities, particularly in the depth of how they supported strategic planning, the clarity and timeliness of information, and the systems used to monitor risk and support improvement.

Three overarching messages emerged from the evidence.

1. Operational financial support is strong, but strategic support is inconsistent

Most local authorities provided secure operational guidance. Schools and governors were positive about day-to-day advice on budget monitoring, coding expenses and compliance. In most authorities, schools found officers were approachable and responsive, and templates for staffing forecasts and grant planning were widely used.

Overall, strategic support by local authorities varied considerably. Only a minority of authorities provided consistently strong support to help schools model the medium-term implications of their decisions, although many encouraged three-year planning in practice. In many authorities, support focused on balancing annual budgets rather than developing long-term plans. Limited capacity in local authorities, late grant funding announcements and fragmented cross-service working often restricted strategic oversight. Strong practice occurred where finance, human resources (HR) and school-improvement officers met jointly with schools and aligned financial decisions with educational priorities. 

2. Budget-setting processes were generally open and transparent, but the quality, clarity and timeliness of information were uneven

Budget-setting arrangements were usually structured and procedurally transparent. Most authorities issued planning timelines, offered meetings with finance officers and engaged schools through budget forums or consultation groups. Schools valued these opportunities and described communication as constructive.

The information schools received, however, was not always clear or timely, despite most authorities issuing guidance within required deadlines. Many schools struggled to confidently understand how delegated budgets were calculated, particularly where formulae had not been reviewed for many years or where documentation was highly technical. Late funding announcements from Welsh Government to local authorities remained a major barrier. Only around half of governors surveyed felt they received information early enough to make confident staffing or curriculum decisions. In authorities with small finance teams, capacity issues sometimes reduced consistency and limited the depth of collaborative planning. 

3. Systems for monitoring financial risk and supporting schools in difficulty were well-intentioned but varied in quality

Most authorities monitored budgets regularly and maintained supportive relationships with schools. Many used dashboards, RAG-rating systems or multi-agency meetings to track emerging risks. Schools generally found finance teams helpful when deficits emerged.

Support for long-term planning was strongest where authorities provided multi-year projections and helped schools understand demographic trends and implications of staffing costs. However, early identification of risk was not consistent. A minority of authorities used integrated financial, HR and school-improvement data to diagnose pressures. In many areas, deficit recovery focused on immediate savings rather than long-term sustainability. Approaches to targeted grants such as the pupil development grant (PDG) were mostly compliance-driven, with limited evaluation of impact. Very few local authorities demonstrated a more strategic approach to the use of targeted grants, for example by consolidating them into wider programmes to clearly link their use to priorities and analyse outcomes. 

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

What we did

This thematic report examines the arrangements for and quality of tuition services for pupils who are educated other than at school (EOTAS) across Wales.

If you’re new to EOTAS or tuition services, see FAQs on page 52.

We considered how well local authorities meet their statutory duties. We also looked at how effectively tuition services support pupils’ learning, well-being and progression. The report also shares effective practice, where identified.

Our evidence came from surveys and discussions with local authorities and visits to 14 tuition providers, including local authority services, schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and commissioned providers. During visits, we spoke with leaders, tutors, pupils and parents or carers. We observed learning, reviewed pupils’ work and examined documentation such as individual development plans (IDPs), curriculum planning and transition arrangements. In total, we spoke with over 60 pupils.

What we found

Strategic leadership and oversight

Local authorities have a statutory role in ensuring that pupils who cannot attend school continue to receive suitable education. In the strongest authorities, leaders have a clear strategic vision for tuition services. They view tuition as a purposeful and, where appropriate, time-limited intervention that supports pupils to sustain or re-engage with learning and prepare for future pathways.

However, strategic leadership and governance are inconsistent across Wales. In too many authorities, arrangements lack clarity and coherence. This results in fragmented provision and uneven expectations for providers. Oversight of commissioned services is often particularly underdeveloped, particularly where provision is delivered online or in the community.

We found that national expectations for tuition provision within EOTAS were not sufficiently clear, particularly in relation to curriculum breadth and balance, which contributed to variability in learners’ experiences across Wales. Differences in local interpretation had led to inconsistencies in the range and depth of learning available to young people educated outside mainstream settings. We also found confusion regarding expectations for the number of hours of tuition to be provided, resulting in inconsistent practice across local authorities. As a result, entitlement was not applied consistently, and approaches to planning, delivery and quality assurance varied.

Quality of provision and curriculum

There is too much variation in the quality of tuition services. A minority of providers deliver high-quality teaching within a carefully planned curriculum. In these settings, learning is engaging and matched well to pupils’ needs. Pupils often make strong progress in confidence, well-being and academic learning.

In contrast, many pupils experience a narrow curriculum. They receive only a limited number of hours each week. Provision is frequently restricted to English and mathematics, with limited access to other areas of learning and experience (AoLE) or vocational pathways. As a result, pupils’ opportunities to gain qualifications and progress to positive destinations is limited.

The delivery of the Curriculum for Wales is inconsistent. While a few providers have adapted their curricula thoughtfully, others have yet to embed the principles, purposes and progression framework effectively.

We found that expectations for more able pupils were too low in several tuition services. In a minority of cases, teaching materials lacked sufficient challenge and did not consistently support higher-level thinking or progression. As a result, more able learners did not always receive work that matched their capabilities, limiting opportunities to extend their knowledge, skills and understanding.

Additional learning needs (ALN) and well-being

The needs of pupils accessing tuition services are becoming increasingly complex. Many pupils experience a combination of mental health difficulties, neurodevelopmental needs, trauma and/or a pattern of disrupted schooling.

In the strongest practice, providers use assessment information and IDPs effectively. They adopt trauma-informed approaches and work closely with other agencies to support pupils’ well-being. However, ALN arrangements remain variable. In some cases, identification of needs is delayed, and provision does not consistently reflect statutory expectations.

Tuition services are often expected to address needs beyond their original remit, for example in meeting complex ALN. This places pressure on staff capacity and resources and can affect the quality and sustainability of provision.

While local authorities in Wales have a legal duty to secure suitable education for pupils receiving Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS) up to the age of 16, there is no expectation that tuition services continue beyond that point. As a result, it is extremely rare for tuition provision to be maintained after 16 to support young people with ALN to achieve qualifications.

In practice, this creates a significant inequity within the system. Many pupils in special schools routinely remain in education until the age of 19, benefiting from structured post-16 programmes, specialist teaching, continued therapeutic input and supported pathways to accredited qualifications. However, young people with ALN who are unable to attend school and who rely on tuition services, do not experience the same continuity of entitlement. Those supported through EOTAS tuition frequently see their provision reduced substantially or ended abruptly at 16, limiting their access to qualifications and ongoing specialist support at a critical stage in their education.

Pupil voice and engagement

Where practice is strongest, pupils have meaningful opportunities to influence their learning. They help shape timetables, learning activities and future plans. This increases engagement and motivation.

In many services, however, pupil voice is limited. Pupils in online or community-based provision often report having little influence over what or how they learn. Opportunities to gather and act on pupils’ views are inconsistent. Where practice is strongest, pupils have meaningful opportunities to influence their learning. They help shape timetables, learning activities and future plans. This increases engagement, motivation and a stronger sense of ownership over their education

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Executive Summary

Overall, the findings in this report reflect a further education sector that is actively engaging with both the opportunities and challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence. Colleges recognise that AI is increasingly influencing how learners learn, how staff work, and how organisations operate. While practice remains at an early and uneven stage, and confidence varies across curriculum areas and roles, there is clear momentum towards using AI to support teaching, learning, learner well-being, and organisational efficiency. At the same time, colleges are becoming more aware of the ethical, safety and safeguarding considerations associated with AI, although these are not yet embedded consistently in the learner experience.

Staff and learners were increasingly using AI to support learning, planning, feedback and organisational efficiency. Learners commonly used AI to summarise information, support understanding and structure written work, particularly when working independently. Many learners, including those with additional learning needs, described how AI helped them to build confidence and manage the demands of their courses. Teacher use of AI was developing, with early adopters using tools to support lesson planning, differentiation, resource creation, and formative feedback. However, practice was uneven across curriculum areas.

A strong and recurring issue across colleges was a lack of clarity for learners about acceptable AI use, particularly in relation to assessed work. Learners reported receiving mixed messages from teachers, often reinforced by fear-based narratives around AI detection tools. In many cases, guidance was delivered primarily at induction and not routinely revisited, contributing to anxiety and, for some learners, avoidance of AI even where it could support learning. This uncertainty was compounded by inconsistent guidance from awarding bodies, leading to cautious approaches to summative assessment and emerging recognition in a few colleges that longer-term assessment redesign may be necessary.

Leadership and strategic approaches to AI varied. In stronger examples, senior leaders positioned AI as a strategic enabler aligned with teaching, learning, inclusion, and organisational efficiency, supported by governance structures and professional learning. Elsewhere, implementation was more fragmented and driven by individual enthusiasm. AI was increasingly used to support business support and administrative functions, improving efficiency and access to services. Leaders were also becoming more aware of emerging challenges relating to cost, access and sustainability, with early discussions of whether more collaborative or sector-wide approaches could support consistency and equity.

Ethical, safety and safeguarding considerations were increasingly recognised but less consistently embedded in the learner experience. Learners showed emerging ethical awareness, including concerns about over-reliance, bias and originality, but opportunities to develop critical AI literacy in a systematic way were limited.

The findings indicated that while the FE sector is at an early and uneven stage of adopting AI, there was clear momentum. The greatest impact was evident where AI use was guided by clear purpose, consistent messaging and ongoing dialogue with learners, underpinned by leadership, ethical clarity, and collaboration across the sector.