Thematic Report Archives - Page 7 of 15 - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

Schools and colleges should:

  • R1 Strengthen the opportunities for learners to find out more about new subject options such as A level business and social studies subjects before they finalise their subject choices
  • R2 Work collaboratively with other schools and colleges to share learning resources, particularly Welsh-medium resources, and to increase professional learning opportunities for teachers of A level business and social studies subjects
  • R3 Strengthen monitoring and evaluation processes for A level business and social studies subjects to ensure that teachers and leaders are able to identify strengths and areas for improvement in relation to teaching, learning and assessment

Local authorities and regional consortia should:

  • R4 Facilitate increased professional learning opportunities for teachers of A level business and social studies subjects
  • R5 Support schools to evaluate the effectiveness of their A level provision and develop targeted improvement plans

The Welsh Government should:

  • R6 Address the limited availability of A level Welsh-medium learning resources, including textbooks, in these subjects

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

To realise the vision for effective community schools in Wales in a strategic and sustainable way:

Schools should:

  • R1 Build strong partnerships with families as an integral part of improving the wellbeing and achievement of all pupils
  • R2 Refer clearly in strategic plans to how they will work with families, the community and partners to improve the wellbeing and achievement of all pupils
  • R3 Employ family and community engagement staff to work with families, the community and wider partners
  • R4 Work with the local authority and with statutory and third-sector partners to provide services that address the needs of families and the community, including co-locating services and utilising school assets
  • R5 Evaluate the impact of community school strategies

Local authorities should:

  • R6 Include in strategic planning actions on how they will develop authority-wide initiatives to support schools to be effective community schools
  • R7 Strengthen cross-directorate working to plan ways of locating a range of services in schools
  • R8 Ensure that 21st Century Schools planning considers the need for spaces / base rooms for family and community access
  • R9 Support schools to appoint family and community engagement staff, including developing a role description for these staff
  • R10 Provide professional learning opportunities for support school staff, governing bodies and strategic partners to develop community schools

The Welsh Government should:

  • R11 Develop a set of agreed, defining characteristics for community schools, and consider how schools are classified as ‘community schools’ and how this term is used to identify specific schools
  • R12 Promote the benefits of community schools, particularly in areas of disadvantage, with schools, local authorities and regional consortia
  • R13 Strengthen the expectation for including actions on family and community engagement in school strategic plans
  • R14 Refresh national guidance on community schools, using the Family and Community Engagement Toolkit (FaCE), and provide guidance on how schools can evaluate and improve their community school strategies
  • R15 Ensure that 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme planning, guidance and building standards take into consideration the need for spaces for family and community access

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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This report identifies effective approaches to supporting pupils’ resilience in primary and secondary schools and pupil referral units in Wales. 

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

Schools and further education colleges should:

  • R1 Market A level Welsh First Language effectively in order to increase the number of learners that choose the subject
  • R2 Develop effective methods of introducing the set and synoptic texts to learners in contemporary and original ways
  • R3 Plan purposefully to increase the desire, resilience and confidence of secondary school learners to use the Welsh language, and work with external partners to promote this

Local authorities and regional consortia should:

  • R4 Provide networks in order to offer professional learning opportunities and share best practice in terms of teaching A level Welsh First Language
  • R5 Track the proportions of learners in key stage 4 and 5 that pursue courses through the medium of Welsh, and set targets to increase this in line with the objectives of the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

Welsh Government should:

  • R6 Provide a national marketing resource to promote A level Welsh First Language and the subject’s employability skills
  • R7 Work with Qualifications Wales to ensure that the new Welsh GCSE qualifications to support the proposed curriculum offer texts that are more contemporary and more relevant to learners

Improvement Resource Type: Thematic Report

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Recommendations

To improve the provision and quality of leadership development, regional consortia and other providers of professional learning should work together to consider:

  • R1 How to increase the focus on developing leaders’ ability to bring about improvement in the quality of teaching and learning
  • R2 How best to evaluate the impact of leadership development programmes over time