Thematic Report Archives - Page 5 of 16 - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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This thematic survey is expected to support the Welsh Government by achieving the following objectives:

  • To focus on the challenges and successes of the all-age model
  • To provide a state of the nation report on all-age schools 

The all-age schools sector is a growing sector, with more than double the number of schools open in 2020 compared with 2017. This report is focused on three broad areas: 

  • The rationale for establishing an all-age school
  • Setting up all-age schools

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

Secondary schools should:

  • R1    Recognise that peer-on-peer sexual harassment is highly prevalent in the lives of young pupils and adopt a whole-school preventative and proactive approach to dealing with it. This importantly includes providing pupils with assurance that school staff will take every incidence of peer-on-peer sexual harassment seriously and work in partnership with parents and external agencies. 
  • R2    Provide sufficient, cumulative and beneficial learning opportunities for pupils across the whole age range about healthy relationships, sex and sexuality education. This includes providing a safe, enabling and supportive environment for open and honest discussions.
  • R3    Improve the way they record, categorise and analyse incidences of harassment and bullying. Records should include details about the nature and type of incidences, the impact on the victim and appropriate actions in response to both perpetrators and victims. Leaders should ensure they review records regularly and evaluate the impact of their actions on pupils’ wellbeing. 
  • R4    Ensure all school staff receive regular and purposeful professional learning opportunities on personal and social education matters, including relationships, sexuality, diversity and gender transitioning. This is so that they are able to provide an affirmative, proactive approach to supporting pupils as they grow and develop into young adults.

Local authorities should:

  • R5    Work with schools to collect and categorise and analyse all bullying and harassment data correctly and comprehensively. In addition, support schools to analyse this information regularly to identify trends and put restorative arrangements in place. 
  • R6    Plan suitable intervention and support on gender issues at both school and local authority level, evaluating regularly their impact on pupil wellbeing. 
  • R7    Provide school staff with the necessary professional learning to adopt a proactive approach to peer-on-peer sexual harassment, including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and harassment. 

The Welsh Government should:

  • R8    Work with local authorities to improve the way they collect bullying and harassment information from schools and ensure that local authorities identify and respond to patterns and trends in behaviour. This is in order to plan suitable guidance, training and support for schools. 
  • R9    Ensure schools receive regular and informative updates on best practice and suitable resources that are available to support them in the delivery of relationships and sexuality education.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

The Welsh Government should:

  • R1 Undertake a structural review of PCET ITE provision which considers the emerging themes identified in this report and the wider workforce development needs
  • R2 Ensure that data relating to the number, outcomes and destinations of trainees in PCET ITE programmes is regularly collected and published
  • R3 Broker opportunities for course leaders and delivery staff in both FEIs and HEIs to develop professional learning networks focussed on PCET ITE pedagogy
  • R4 Develop incentives to encourage trainees to teach and study through the medium of Welsh

Providers should:

  • R5 Improve the provision of mentoring for ITE trainees
  • R6 Increase the opportunities for trainees to carrying out their teaching experience and complete aspects of their training programme through the medium of Welsh
  • R7 Ensure that all trainees have high quality teaching experience placements which allow them opportunities to observe strong teaching practice and develop comprehensive teaching skills
  • R8 Ensure that PCET ITE programmes are flexible enough to meet the needs of the full range of trainees
  • R9 Ensure that programmes are co-constructed, taking into account the needs of trainees at HEIs and FEIs, and with consultation with PCET employers

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Following the events of summer 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement, Estyn agreed with the Welsh Government that the review take account of Welsh and wider Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic history, identity and culture.

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Test

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

In the case of future similar grants, leaders in schools and colleges should:

  • R1 Ensure they have a clear vision for the outcomes they desire from additional spending
  • R2 Work with a wide range of partners to develop strategies to support learners’ progress and wellbeing
  • R3 Regularly track and evaluate the impact of additional spending in order to adjust current plans and inform future planning
  • R4 Consider building on successful changes to practice made during the pandemic
  • R5 Ensure that learners’ progress in Welsh is priority, irrespective of the linguistic backgrounds of learners

Regional consortia and local authorities should:

  • R6 Track and evaluate the success of different models of providing additional support to learners across their areas, referring to the indicators suggested in this report

The Welsh Government should:

  • R7 Ensure that conditions for any future catch up grant spending are flexible and are equivalent for schools and colleges

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

Further education colleges, work-based learning providers and adult learning in the community partnerships should:

  • R1 Quality assure remote and blended learning provision to ensure that all courses or programmes meet a minimum quality standard so as to reduce the variability in provision
  • R2 Ensure that leaders and teachers have access to professional learning that supports the development of how to design effective remote and blended teaching and learning, as well as further develop teachers’ pedagogical and assessment skills
  • R3 Share emerging and innovative remote and blended learning practice within and across post-16 sectors in Wales and beyond

The Welsh Government should:

  • R4 Continue to support the sector with guidance to enable providers to develop quality remote and blended approaches, particularly in supporting the return to direct teaching and training and the assessment of practical vocational and technical skills
  • R5 Commission professional learning for the post-16 sector, which is free to providers and helps them to develop specific expertise in remote and blended learning design, teaching, training and learning for their sector to reduce variability of quality in provision
  • R6 Enable adult learning in the community partnerships and learners to access a national centralised digital platform to provide remote and blended learning more easily
  • R7 Encourage and support providers to share emerging practice in remote and blended learning within and across post-16 sectors in Wales