News Articles Archive - Estyn

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Two students in blue uniforms interacting with a monitor lizard at a zoo facility.

Young people across Wales are receiving better-targeted support through the Jobs Growth Wales+ programme, according to a new follow-up report from education inspectorate Estyn. The programme has strengthened its referral processes and enhanced wellbeing provision for participants facing significant barriers to employment.

Estyn’s review of all five lead contractors and 49 delivery centres found that collaboration between contractors, Working Wales and the Welsh Government has considerably improved how young people are matched to appropriate support strands since its report in 2023. Enhanced referral documentation now captures participants’ individual needs more effectively, ensuring they receive the most suitable help.

Participants consistently report positive experiences, appreciating the supportive learning environments and personalised attention from staff. They particularly value enrichment activities that help build confidence, social skills and team working abilities alongside their core development.

However, the evaluation identified capacity challenges as demand continues to grow. Rising participant numbers and longer programme stays have created waiting lists in some regions, potentially delaying start dates and risking participant disengagement. The availability of sector-specific provision varies significantly across Wales, limiting choice for some young people.

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said:

“The Jobs Growth Wales+ programme plays a vital role in helping young people take positive steps toward further education or employment. It’s encouraging to see how collaboration across partners is improving referral processes and personalising support. But more needs to be done to ensure all learners, regardless of where they live, can access the sector-specific training that meets their needs and ambitions.”

Estyn has made a series of recommendations to the Welsh Government, contractors and all stakeholders involved in delivering JGW+ to ensure that participants can access timely sector-specific work placements aligned with their career aspirations.

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Group of children in school uniforms sitting on the floor attentively in a colorful classroom setting, with educational posters and toys around them.

A new thematic report by Estyn has found promising developments in international language education across Welsh schools, particularly in the primary phase where many schools have made positive strides since languages became integrated into the Curriculum for Wales in 2022.

The report examines how schools are implementing international languages and the impact on learners from early years through to post-16 education. It highlights examples of good practice, particularly in primary and all-age schools where pupils are exposed to languages from an early age and develop a strong multilingual ethos. However, the findings show that not all learners benefit from the same quality of teaching and learning.

While most secondary schools visited provide suitable opportunities for pupils in Years 7 to 9, uptake at GCSE and A level remains low. Evidence gathered as part of the report suggests that time constraints in the curriculum, pupils’ perception that languages are difficult, and lack of relevance to future careers contribute to this decline.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Owen Evans, said:

“Learning an international language broadens horizons and opens doors for young people in Wales. It is encouraging to see positive developments, particularly in primary schools, where pupils are starting their language journey earlier than ever. However, we must ensure that all learners, regardless of where they live, have consistent access to high-quality international language education. This means stronger leadership, better transition between primary and secondary phases, and continued investment in teacher development.”

The report also highlights the crucial role of school leaders in supporting and sustaining international language provision. Where leaders prioritise languages, pupils are more likely to benefit from engaging teaching, clear progression routes and enrichment opportunities.

Insights showed that collaboration between primary and secondary schools is often weak, affecting continuity in learning. Additionally, teacher recruitment remains a significant challenge, with too few student teachers entering the profession to meet future demand.

The report makes recommendations for schools, local authorities, school improvement services and the Welsh Government, focusing on improving teaching and learning, developing stronger curriculum arrangements at transition points, and supporting schools to maintain provision for GCSE and A level international languages courses.

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Person yn defnyddio gliniadur gydag eiconau sy'n symboleiddio cysyniadau digidol fel deallusrwydd artiffisial, fideo, addysg, a thargedau yn arnofio uwchben y sgrin, mewn lleoliad swyddfa fodern.

For the past few years, we have been exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can effectively and responsibly support our work. Our ambition is to develop a safe environment for AI which will enable more efficient working. Having robust governance arrangements in place will support clear guidance to our staff and stakeholders. Our ambition, guiding principles and priorities for 2025-26 in relation to AI are outlined in our strategic approach which can be read in full here.

During the coming year we will focus our work in three main areas:

  • Estyn’s AI work: We will continue to safely experiment with how AI can support efficiency and enhance our own work, including incorporating areas we have been piloting into our business as usual
  • Education and training AI rapid review: We will enhance our collective understanding of how education and training providers are using AI and share effective practice
  • International collaboration: We will work with international partners to evaluate how AI can enhance inspection work, drawing on international best practice

Jassa Scott, Strategic Director leading on Artificial Intelligence at Estyn said:

“Like all education and training providers, we are keen to explore, both within and beyond Estyn, the challenges and opportunities that AI presents. Internally, we are looking at how AI can help us improve the way we inspect and engage with schools and at the same time, we are working with a range of stakeholders, across Wales and internationally, to share learnings and best practice which will inform our development. We are committed to making sure AI is used safely and ethically, ensuring that it supports rather than replaces human expertise and judgement.

“There is a rapidly growing interest in what this technology can do and we are keen to support the wider system with effective and responsible use. We recently carried out a survey on behalf of Welsh Government to gather a national picture of how AI is already being used in schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). We were delighted that more than 300 education professionals gave us their views and we follow up in more detail with a range of providers to identify effective practice to share. We want to understand and share how AI is being used in classrooms, what is working well, and where the challenges lie. The findings from this review will help shape future guidance and support for schools and PRUs across Wales. The full Thematic Review –  Understanding AI in Schools and PRUs, will be published on October 9 and we look forward to sharing the findings and ensuring that clear and accessible guidance is widely promoted to support schools.

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Join us for our Estyn Live webinar at 4:00pm on 23 June 2025 for a discussion around the effective practice and key findings of our recent thematic report:

Fostering mutual respect – promoting positive behaviours in secondary schools – Estyn

The report author, Aranwen Morgans-Thomas HMI will be joined by representatives from Cardiff West Community High School and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe to share their experiences.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions you may have on the report or the topic more broadly.

Sign-up now!

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A teacher is writing a fraction addition problem on a whiteboard in a classroom.

The quality of mathematics education across Wales remains too variable, with many pupils underperforming due to inconsistent teaching and insufficient subject-specific support, according to a new thematic report from Estyn.

The report, ‘Unlocking potential: insights into improving teaching and leadership in mathematics education’, draws on evidence from recent school inspections, thematic visits to primary, secondary and all-age schools, and national survey responses. Whilst the report identifies pockets of effective practice in mathematics teaching and curriculum planning, overall too many schools fall short in key areas including subject knowledge, pedagogy, and the use of assessment to guide teaching.

Inspectors found that where teaching was most effective, teachers held high expectations, used a range of responsive assessment techniques, and ensured that pupils developed a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. In contrast, less effective teaching often lacked challenge and did not address misconceptions effectively.

The report also highlights a concerning decline in subject-specific professional learning and support for teachers, which contributes to gaps in confidence and competence, particularly around the Curriculum for Wales. In some cases, teachers relied too heavily on bought-in schemes of work without sufficient adaptation to meet pupils’ needs.

Chief Inspector Owen Evans said:

“Too many pupils in Wales are not reaching their full potential in mathematics because the quality of teaching and leadership varies so widely between schools. We need to raise expectations for all learners and provide our teachers with the subject-specific training and support they need to help every pupil succeed. Strong mathematics education is fundamental not just to individual futures, but to Wales’s future prosperity.

“Our report focusses on how we can improve the teaching of Maths in Wales, and provides a number of best practice examples and resources to support teachers in their day to day practice.”

The report identifies the need for a coherent and comprehensive mathematics curriculum that builds progressively on pupils’ learning and includes authentic contexts for application. Schools with the strongest outcomes often demonstrated collaborative curriculum planning, clear progression models, and a balance between explicit instruction and opportunities for pupils to explore and reason independently. Examples of effective practice from schools are highlighted throughout the report, as well as practical video resources for classroom teachers.

Estyn has made a series of recommendations to the Welsh Government, local authorities, regional consortia, and school leaders to strengthen the quality of mathematics teaching and ensure that all pupils, regardless of where they live, have access to high-quality mathematics education.

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David Jones and Ashok Ahir from Qualifications Wales, Owen Evans from Estyn and Mathew McAvoy from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni sat in a panel session at the Urdd Eisteddfod.

A group of leaders from across education in Wales came together at the Urdd Eisteddfod at Margam Park this week to discuss the brand-new range of qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds launching from September.

Qualifications Wales, the qualifications regulator, and Estyn, the education and training inspectorate, held a joint panel discussion about the new National Qualifications on the Eisteddfod Maes on Tuesday 27 May. 

Hosted by Ashok Ahir, Qualifications Wales’ Director of Communications and Engagement, the panel included Qualifications Wales’ Chair David Jones, Estyn Chief Inspector Owen Evans and Matthew McAvoy, Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni Assistant Head and CYDAG’s Secondary Leader.

Starting from this September, Year 10 learners will be able to choose from a broad range of new qualifications designed to support the purposes of the Curriculum for Wales, and to provide skills that are in demand by employers.  Subjects coming this year include new combined language and literature GCSEs in Cymraeg and English, Mathematics and Numeracy, Business, Computer Science and Food and Nutrition. More new GCSE qualifications will follow from next year, and from 2027, for the first time schools will also be able to offer new work-related VCSEs in subjects such as Public Services and Engineering – broadening what is available to learners across Wales. 

Topics discussed by the panel included how the new qualifications align with the Curriculum for Wales, the different qualifications that will be launched in each of the three implementation waves from 2025 to 2027, and the crucial role that schools will play in developing their provision. 

David Jones, Chair of Qualifications Wales, said:  

“I always enjoy meeting lots of learners, parents and teachers at the Eisteddfod but especially so this year as it’s my final year as Chair. I’m very happy that I will get to see the first wave of these brand-new qualifications be rolled out to 14 to 16-year-olds before my tenure ends. Developing these new qualifications has been a long and very detailed process, involving so many stakeholders – including learners, teachers and school leaders of course. Those learners are now going to benefit from increased opportunities for hands-on learning, a greater mix of assessment methods, and the opportunity to build knowledge and skills in a really diverse range of subjects. Many thanks to those who took part in the panel.” 

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training at Estyn, said:  

“It’s great to be at the Urdd this week and in particular to be involved in discussing the future landscape of qualifications in Wales at the session hosted by Qualifications Wales. It was great to hear the perspectives of a school leader in relation to this. Curriculum and high-quality teaching are always a focus for us on inspection and we wish schools well with their work to implement the new qualifications.” 

 Matthew McAvoy of Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni and CYDAG, said:

“I was very pleased to be invited to take part in this panel. There is of course a huge amount to prepare ahead of first teaching in September – as there always is ahead of any significant change – and the partnership working and collaboration that already exists between schools across Wales will play an important role going forward. Speaking from my own school’s perspective, we’re really excited that we’re going to be able to broaden our offer to our learners so that they end up with qualifications that really reflect how we live and work now – putting them in good stead for the pathway they choose after they leave us.” 

For full details of the new National Qualifications, including which subjects will be introduced when, see National 14-16 Qualifications | Qualifications Wales. 

To learn more about Estyn’s work, see www.estyn.gov.wales.  

To learn more about CYDAG, see www.CYDAG.cymru  

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A classroom with students seated at desks listening to a teacher presenting a slide

Estyn has today published an updated version of its thematic report on attendance in secondary schools in Wales, building on the findings of the original January 2024 publication.  

Although the report identifies a range of examples of successful approaches taken by providers, it is clear that secondary school attendance in Wales remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels and continues to be an important national concern. 

The updated report provides new insights drawn from recent inspection evidence, continued engagement with schools previously featured, newly visited schools that have improved attendance, and includes analysis of the latest national attendance data. 

Recent unverified national data from Welsh Government, highlights that overall attendance for secondary schools has increased by 1.1% points to 89%, but this continues to be considerably lower than pre-pandemic levels and whilst attendance of secondary-aged pupils who are eligible for free school meals has also increased, it remains concerningly low. 

Based on data from 2023-2024, secondary school pupils are missing on average, nearly 11 days of education more per year than they were before the pandemic.  Estyn warns that at the current rate of improvement, it would take over ten years for attendance rates to recover to pre-pandemic levels. 

Pupils from low-income backgrounds and living within the three-mile radius who do not qualify for free school transport face significant barriers to regular attendance.  

Headteachers also told us that Year 11 examinations and pupils wanting to revise at home also contributes to declining attendance rates despite improvements at the start of the year. 

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector says: 

“Despite early signs of improvement, progress in tackling attendance issues is still too slow in a minority of schools. Support remains inconsistent across Wales, and limited data continues to hinder schools’ ability to evaluate impact and target action effectively.  

“We’ve added new examples of successful approaches from schools and two further recommendations for Welsh Government, reinforcing the pressing need for a joined-up, national approach to improving attendance. It is clear that schools cannot tackle this issue alone.” 

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Students in school uniforms engaged in a classroom activity with books on their desks.

A new report by Estyn highlights how strong leadership, consistent behaviour management, and community engagement help improve pupil behaviour across secondary schools in Wales.

Estyn’s latest thematic report, “Fostering mutual respect – promoting positive behaviours in secondary school” explores how secondary schools are promoting positive behaviour and managing challenges such as defiant pupil attitudes, low-level disruption, and inconsistent parental support for school policies. Drawing on visits to 24 secondary and all-age schools, as well as discussions with local authorities and national surveys of headteachers, staff and pupils, the report identifies key factors that underpin successful behaviour strategies.

The report finds that schools with strong and clear expectations for pupils and staff are more likely to foster positive behaviour. In these schools, well-being is a priority and is supported by comprehensive and well-understood behaviour policies. Importantly, these schools ensure that their staff receive regular professional learning and that approaches to behaviour management are consistently applied. Engagement with parents and strong community partnerships are also key to sustaining positive behaviour culture.

The report notes several challenges facing schools. These include acts of defiance by pupils, persistent low-level disruption, and increasing reports of mobile phone misuse and corridor misbehaviour. Some school leaders expressed concern about the growing impact of socio-economic pressures, mental health needs, and a lack of timely specialist support. A few schools also report defiance from some parents in adhering to school policies, adding to the complexity of the issue.

Chief Inspector Owen Evans said:

“Pupil behaviour can be challenging and positive behaviour doesn’t just happen – it’s the result of strong and compassionate leadership allied to clear and consistently applied behaviour management, consistent staff training and involves the support of the whole school community. Our report shows that schools that prioritise well-being, establish high expectations, and build trusting relationships with families are more likely to succeed in creating safe and supportive learning environments. We want this report to serve as a platform to promote the effective and positive practices we’ve seen in schools across Wales.“

The findings also highlight the importance of a whole-school approach where all staff are aligned in promoting good behaviour. In particular, the most effective schools regularly review and reinforce their strategies through professional learning and collaboration. Restorative practices, trauma-informed approaches, and strong community partnerships all contribute to a sense of belonging and mutual respect among pupils.

Estyn recommends a renewed focus on professional learning, collaboration between schools and local authorities, and an update to national behaviour guidance. It also calls on the Welsh Government to launch a national campaign on positive behaviour to support schools and pupils alike.

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Two learners sat working at a round table of a college in Wales

A new Estyn report highlights how further education (FE) colleges in Wales are facing increasing behavioural challenges, with issues such as absenteeism, social media misuse, and vaping becoming widespread. While many learners engage positively and respectfully with their college communities, persistent negative behaviours and emerging trends continue to impact learning environments. 

Drawing on visits to seven colleges, national surveys of staff and learners, and consultations with stakeholders, “Learner Behaviour in Further Education Colleges: Understanding, Supporting and Promoting Positive Behaviour” explores how colleges are promoting positive behaviour, supporting staff, and responding to the complex needs of learners. 

The report identifies absenteeism, lateness, and misuse of social media as widespread behavioural concerns. The rise in vaping on campuses is another significant challenge. Although serious issues like sexual harassment and substance misuse are less frequent, they remain a concern. The report calls for clearer national guidance and targeted strategies, particularly to address the misuse of social media and vaping. 

Inspectors also found that the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect learners’ behaviour and staff well-being. Many young people – especially those on lower-level courses – are struggling with social skills and resilience. This, in turn, places pressure on staff, many of whom report heightened stress and a need for more support to manage behavioural disruptions effectively and protect their well-being. 

Chief Inspector Owen Evans said: 

“It is encouraging to see many learners showing maturity, independence, and respect for others. But we must not overlook the growing complexity of behavioural issues facing colleges. Clearer guidance, targeted strategies, and long-term investment are crucial to help colleges create inclusive, respectful, and safe learning environments for all.” 

The report highlights how behaviour varies across learner groups. Male learners on vocational courses such as construction are more likely to demonstrate inappropriate behaviour while neurodivergent and marginalised learners face distinct challenges, including increased risk of bullying and harassment. Estyn recommends that colleges strengthen inclusive support systems to meet the needs of these vulnerable learners. 

The report also outlines a range of effective practice on promoting positive behaviour that were observed during visits and consultation with colleges. For example, Bridgend College’s well-being team regularly hosts support fairs as part of its commitment to improving learning behaviour, well-being, and reducing barriers to learning, while Coleg Sir Gâr has developed a practical resource, the ‘Creating an Inclusive Environment’ toolkit, to enhance teaching strategies and support learner behaviour.  

While many institutions offer staff training in behaviour management and trauma-informed approaches, implementation is often inconsistent. One of the biggest barriers to sustained improvement is funding. Colleges rely heavily on short-term funding, which limits their ability to embed consistent policies, retain experienced staff, and build long-term support structures. The report recommends that Medr considers how FE funding can support long-term investment in behaviour management systems and the retention of skilled staff. 

Read the full report

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Group of five diverse people smiling, with text overhead reading 'Ethnic Minority Leadership Programme' on an orange background.

In 2023, we launched a new development programme to reduce the barriers facing education workers from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.

After successfully recruiting two cohorts of fantastic leaders, we are now opening up our next cycle.

Recruitment for our Ethnic Minority Leaders programme is now live and is open to those working in an education setting or local authority looking to take the next steps in their careers. The programme also aims to boost the experiences and careers of those involved and increase diversity in education leadership.

Owen Evans, HMCI said:

“This programme is an important part of the work we are doing to increase representation across all levels of leadership and the pool of inspectors that we work with so that the education workforce reflects the diversity of Wales.”

“We know that organisations that attract and develop individuals from the widest pool of talent consistently perform better and we have a role to play in driving diversity in the education and training sector.”

Applications for the programme are currently open. Candidates must be currently working in an education setting or local authority in Wales, have at least five years’ teaching experience and be responsible for developing learning, teaching or wellbeing.

Find out more