The report, “Religious education at key stage 2 and key stage 3’ evaluates standards, provision and leadership in religious education in schools. It also looks at pupils’ attitudes towards learning about religious education, how well the curriculum is planned, how well it is taught, led and assessed.  

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

Religious education should encourage pupils to explore a range of questions in a reflective, analytical and balanced way.  Pupils should have opportunities to consider aspects such as humanity’s quest for meaning.

We’ve found that the majority of 11-14 year-olds understand how religious education supports them to become informed global citizens and feel this helps them to contribute well in their local community. Case studies in the report outline good practice for schools to use.

The report highlights Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School in Neath Port Talbot where teachers developed pupils’ interest through a project where they researched people with a religious background, using the theme of ‘Heroes and Villains’. Pupils worked collaboratively enhancing their evaluative and analytical skills. As a result, pupils had high levels of motivation, enthusiasm and engagement throughout the term.

Inspectors recommend that schools should ensure that more able pupils achieve standards of religious education in line with their ability, and strengthen transition arrangements between key stage 2 and key stage 3 to avoid repetition of work. In addition, schools should evaluate their curriculum for religious education in order to prepare for the development and implementation of the new Humanities Area of Learning and Experience as part of the new curriculum for Wales.

Chief Inspector, Meilyr Rowlands, says,

I am grateful to Professor Donaldson for his work on this review and am glad that the report recognises the strengths of the current inspection system. We now look forward to working with Welsh Government, schools, and other stakeholders to fully consider the report’s comprehensive proposals and how to take them forward. We will keep stakeholders informed as this work develops and be seeking their views through consultation to ensure they have their say.

Professor Graham Donaldson says,
 

Wales is working to develop a dynamic and successful education system with rising standards and schools committed to their own improvement. Evidence to my Review confirms that Estyn is central to that process. The unique professional experience and expertise of its HMI and peer inspectors are a key national resource. Inspectors should both evaluate how well the young people of Wales are being served by their schools and contribute directly to improving the quality of their learning. That means more emphasis on school self evaluation and improvement, more informative inspection reports, a more diagnostic approach to schools causing concern and more direct engagement of inspectors with reform.

The report contains 34 detailed recommendations. These include:

• An enhanced role for Estyn in providing evaluation and support at the school, local authority, regional, and national levels.

• Mobilisation of Estyn’s resources to kick-start reform with an initial short pause in the inspection cycle to allow inspectors and schools to work together on the reforms.

• Increased responsibility for schools to evaluate their own performance with confirmation of the quality of that self-evaluation by Estyn.

• More informative inspection reports with rounded evaluations replacing summative grades.

• More tailored focus on schools causing concern with diagnostic inspections providing better insights into necessary changes.

• Timely evaluation of progress with reforms nationally through thematic reporting and a three-yearly ‘state of the nation’ HMCI Report.

• Further entrenching Estyn’s independence.

• Need for alignment across the accountability landscape.

Estyn welcomes views from all its stakeholders about the review and will be consulting widely soon. In the meantime, stakeholders can have their say by emailing enquries@estyn.gov.wales.

Today’s report, ‘Involving parents – Communication between schools and parents of school-aged children’, found that schools do not always involve fathers as well as they do mothers. Also, parents from areas of high deprivation are sometimes harder to reach. The report contains case studies outlining innovative strategies from schools that have successfully achieved effective parental communication and involvement.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector says,

It’s generally recognised that parental support can have a significant impact on pupils’ achievement. Many schools are improving the ways in which they involve parents. The most successful schools have a well-planned and structured approach that meets the needs of all parents and is based on parents’ preferences. All schools should read today’s report to discover strategies to support how they can better involve parents.

One strategy that was aimed at involving fathers more was adopted by Lansdowne Primary School in Cardiff. Every morning the headteacher stands at the school gate to welcome families. After noticing that a group of fathers were reluctant to enter the playground, she invited them to share their reasons for their reluctance. The headteacher worked closely with them and this led to a number of changes such as widening the text messaging service to include two telephone numbers and using a group of fathers to discuss and support decisions about changes to the curriculum. As a result, there was an increase in the number of boys reading at home using a new scheme and in the number of fathers attending parents’ evenings.

Inspectors found that parents of secondary school pupils generally receive less communication than those of primary-aged children. However, an innovation at St John the Baptist High School, Aberdare using a homework app has helped to build greater engagement with parents. Since its introduction, 85% of parents have actively used the app which has led to a significant improvement in parents’ views about homework.

As well as recommending that schools consult with parents about their preferred ways of communication, Estyn highlights the need for schools to ensure that reports and parents’ evenings are tailored to a child’s specific strengths and areas for development. Making it clear how staff and parent governors can be contacted and listening to the views of parents from all socio-economic backgrounds are also steps that schools should take to better involve parents. Finally, the report provides recommendations to local authorities and the Welsh Government about their respective roles in supporting schools about this work. 

Bridgend

• Ysgol Cynwyd Sant

Caerphilly

• Cwmfelinfach Primary School

Cardiff

• Kitchener Primary School
• Llanishen Fach Primary School

Carmarthenshire

• Burry Port Community Primary

Ceredigion

• Ysgol Gymunedol y Dderi
• Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth

Denbighshire

• Ysgol Y Faenol

Flintshire

• Cornist Park County Primary School
• Bryn Deva County Primary School

Gwynedd

• Ysgol Gynradd Cae Top

Monmouthshire

• Undy County Primary School

Newport

• Monnow Primary School
• Glan Usk Primary School

Powys

• Radnor Valley County Primary School

Swansea

• Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Lôn Las
• Penllergaer Primary School
• Hafod Primary School

Vale of Glamorgan

• Romilly Primary School
• Cadoxton Primary School
• Rhŵs Primary School

Wrexham

• Ysgol Heulfan

Today’s report, ‘Welsh in key stage 2 and key stage 3 in Welsh-medium or bilingual schools’, was published to help support the development of a new curriculum for Wales and the national priority to increase the number of Welsh speakers and the numbers who use the language in their everyday lives. 

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

“Improving the teaching and learning of Welsh for all learners is at the heart of developing Wales as a bilingual nation. Most headteachers in our Welsh-medium and bilingual schools have a clear vision for all pupils to make the best progress possible while developing their Welsh language skills and for fostering a strong sense of Welsh identity.

“We have seen examples where immersion courses have had a real impact on developing listening and speaking skills and raising standards. The good practice case studies in this report highlight strategies that other schools and authorities can model.”

In Gwynedd local authority, inspectors found the county’s five language centres provide a firm foundation for pupils with little or no previous competence in the language to learn bilingually. Staff at these centres use highly effective methods to teach language, emphasising the importance of listening and speaking skills.  Similarly, in Ysgol Glan Clwyd, some pupils in Year 6 choose to move from English-medium education and learn nearly all subjects through the medium of Welsh in an immersion class in Years 7 and 8.

Estyn recommends that schools focus on developing pupils’ oracy skills to help develop other skills, particularly writing. Other recommendations highlight ways in which local authorities and regional consortia can better support Welsh language development. In addition, the report contains questions for schools to consider as part of their self-evaluation, including questions about opportunities for pupils to develop their Welsh language skills outside Welsh lessons and the school’s ethos regarding promoting Welsh language and culture.

Estyn’s report, ‘Effective use of managed moves by local authorities and schools’, examines the transfer of pupils who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties and are at risk of permanent exclusion, pose a risk to the welfare of others, or refuse to attend school. Effective case studies are included in the report to encourage local authorities and schools to reflect on their current practices.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

Managing the move of a pupil to try out a new school for a fresh start can provide a realistic alternative to permanent exclusion and eliminate the use of unofficial exclusions as a way of managing challenging behaviour. In effective schools, a managed move is offered at an early stage of support to ensure pupils have the best opportunity to succeed and when appropriate can return to their home school.

Carefully managing these moves is a challenge for the majority of schools and one of the recommendations of today’s report is to strengthen the guidance to address inconsistencies in practice across Wales.

The report highlights Coedcae secondary school in Carmarthenshire which has strengthened its provision for vulnerable learners so that more pupils can maintain their place without the need to move to another school. Overcoming financial constraints, introducing new policies and training staff, the school ensures that any child who began to show signs of emotional or behavioural difficulty would have timely access to personal support. The school has seen a notable reduction in fixed-term exclusions and in managed move requests to the local authority.  Its inclusive ethos has also had a positive effect on pupil wellbeing and attendance. 

Current monitoring and tracking practices mean that there is no national data about the number of pupils undergoing a managed move.  Estyn inspectors recommend that the Welsh Government collects this data, as well as strengthening the guidance for schools and the legal rights for pupils who make a managed move to bring them in line with that for pupils who are permanently excluded. The 12 recommendations in the report also outline steps for local authorities and schools aimed at improving the experience and support for pupils moving schools and their families.

About the report

• Estyn’s report ‘Managed moves: Effective use of managed moves by local authorities and schools’  was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government
• Inspectors visited 8 local authorities, 8 schools and 7 Pupil Referral Units as part of the report. They interviewed staff, met pupils and reviewed documents.
• In 2015-2016, there were 109 permanent exclusions from maintained schools and PRUs in Wales. This rate has not changed in 5 years.
• The rate of permanent exclusions has fallen considerably since its peak in 2004-2005 of 465. This is due in part to the introduction of a range of managed move practices.
• Further references:
  • A survey of the arrangements for pupils’ wellbeing and behaviour management in pupil referral units (Estyn, 2012)
  • Attendance in secondary schools (Estyn, 2014)
  • Effective practice in improving attendance in primary schools (Estyn, 2015a)
  • Education other than at school: a good practice survey (Estyn, 2015b)
  • Education other than at school (Estyn, 2016)

Estyn’s report, ‘Supporting more able and talented pupils’ outlines how highly-effective teaching, strong external partnerships and opportunities for pupils to learn independently are enabling schools to stretch their more able and talented pupils successfully.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

There are pupils in every school in Wales who have exceptional academic abilities or skills. Some pupils may show an aptitude in areas such as art, music, drama or sport, whereas others may demonstrate outstanding leadership, team working or entrepreneurial skills. Schools must provide extended opportunities across the curriculum for these more able and talented pupils to achieve their full potential.

Today’s report uses case studies to showcase innovative approaches to stimulating and challenging young minds of all abilities.

The report highlights Ysgol y Preseli which used guidance from the National Association for Able Children in Education to develop a consistent, school-wide approach to meeting the needs of its more able and talented pupils. The creation of a pupil mentoring programme for more able pupils in key stage 3 supports them to develop their social and academic skills . This approach has had a strong impact on pupil outcomes since its introduction in 2013.

In addition to identifying effective and innovative practice, the report also outlines the role that local authorities and regional consortia can play in providing suitable training and guidance to enable schools to meet the needs of more able and talented pupils.

Case studies

• Evenlode Primary School, Vale of Glamorgan
• Langstone Primary School, Newport
• Treorchy Comprehensive School, Rhondda Cynon Taff
• St Joseph’s RC High School, Newport
• Ysgol y Preseli, Pembrokeshire
• Llandrillo yn Rhos Primary School, Conwy

Chief Inspector Meilyr Rowlands says, “Looking back over the last seven-year cycle of inspections, there’s been a shift in education in Wales towards greater collaboration. It’s clear from our inspections of over 2,700 schools, non-maintained settings, colleges and other education and training organisations that there is enough excellence across Welsh education to support improvement and help reduce variability.

 

“This spirit of cooperation is most obvious in the way that the new curriculum is being developed with the teaching profession and how schools themselves are beginning to develop innovative teaching and learning practices. Consortia of local authorities work together and schools support each other to improve teachers’ professional skills.” 

• Inspection findings this year are broadly similar to those for the last seven years as a whole. Seven-in-ten primary schools inspected this year are good or excellent, similar to last year, while half of secondary schools inspected are good or excellent, a bit better than last year
• There are many strengths in nursery settings, maintained special schools and in further education colleges, where the quality of education provided is good or better in most cases. Variability within and between providers remains a challenge in most other sectors.
• Schools that are most successful at raising standards for all their pupils and at closing the gap in the performance of pupils eligible for free school meals compared to their peers, encourage greater involvement of parents and the community and create a culture where education is respected and valued.
• In the quarter of schools that deliver the Foundation Phase well, pupils make good progress, become confident learners, and are well-prepared for future learning. But many schools remain reliant on more traditional teaching methods, especially for children aged 5 to 7.
• As the secondary school accountability system became increasingly linked to examination results, some schools focused too much on examination technique rather than on providing a broad education. The best schools develop learners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes to learning by capturing their interest through engaging learning experiences.
• Mergers of further education colleges have resulted in a smaller number of large providers. The new leadership teams of these institutions have overseen improved provision in this sector over the last seven years.

Through the report and film, ‘Active and experiential learning’, Estyn uses case studies and cameos to describe detailed practice and common characteristics of schools where pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy in the foundation phase.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says, “A significant strength of Welsh education is the ethos and principles of the foundation phase. Central to its success is careful planning by practitioners so the learning environment reflects pupils’ interests and their stage of development so they can develop and practise their skills.

“Today’s guide and film bring to life how schools across Wales should be providing the foundation phase. From role-playing preparations for the Queen’s birthday celebrations to running a pop-up bakery, there are many ideas to inspire everyone working in the foundation phase to help improve provision and outcomes for children.”

Supporting the development of strong literacy and numeracy skills involves a mix of strategies. For example, in the best schools, practitioners recognise the importance of talking in learning to help children’s vocabulary and create active imaginations. Numeracy skills are developed across a range of activities such as planning the cost of a holiday that enables children to interpret and extract information from data.

One of the many case studies in the illustrated guide highlights how the story of the three little pigs was used to challenge pupils to build a sturdy house. Pupils built houses for the pigs in the outdoor area out of a range of different materials. They made a note of measurements and counted how many bricks, crates or boxes they used. They tested the strength of the houses using fans and took photographs. Pupils were able to talk about the houses they had made. They communicated in writing and used the mathematical skills they had learned. 

As well as highlighting good practice for schools, the guide outlines the roles that local authorities, regional consortia and the Welsh Government can play to support the delivery of the foundation phase. These include providing training, identifying and sharing effective practice and supporting understanding in schools of how to develop pupils’ skills through active and experiential learning when developing a new curriculum for Wales.

About the report
Estyn’s report ‘was commissioned by the Welsh Government and is available in full at https://www.estyn.gov.wales/thematic-reports/search

Case studies

• Brackla Primary School, Bridgend
• Ysgol Gymraeg Cwm Derwen, Caerphilly
• Ysgol Gynradd Saron, Carmarthenshire
• Ysgol Glan Gele, Conwy
• Sandycroft Primary School, Flintshire
• Sealand Primary School, Flintshire
• Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael, Newport
• Tongwynlais Primary, Merthyr Tydfil
• The Meads Infant and Nursery School, Pembrokeshire
• Ynystawe Primary School, Swansea
• Blaenavon Heritage VC Primary School, Torfaen
• George Street Primary School, Torfaen
• Borras Park Community Primary School, Wrexham

The awards recognised the 34 schools, colleges and other settings that were judged to be excellent for one or both of the overall judgements for current performance and prospects for improvement or in three or more inspection areas in the academic year 2016-2017.

Meilyr Rowlands says,

“Celebrating the excellence in our education system and recognising how it was achieved will help to inspire and drive improvement across Wales.  The Estyn awards both commend hard work and commitment while highlighting strategies that lead to success. I recommend all education and training providers visit our website to explore case studies demonstrating excellence from the 34 schools and other education providers that achieved excellence during 2016-2017 inspections.”

Bridgend
Bryntirion Comprehensive School
Ysgol Cynwyd Sant

Caerphilly
Hendredenny Park Primary School

Cardiff
Fitzalan High School
Ysgol Pencae

Carmarthenshire
Ysgol Bryngwyn School
Heol Goffa School
Ysgol Glan-Y-Môr School
Ysgol Gynradd Bynea
Ysgol Gynradd Parcyrhun
Ysgol Gynradd Saron

Ceredigion
Gogerddan Childcare
Ysgol Comins Coch
Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth

Flintshire
Ysgol Pen Coch Special School

Gwynedd
Ysgol Bodfeurig
Ysgol Gynradd Bontnewydd
Ysgol Gynradd Talysarn

Merthyr Tydfil
Greenfield Special School

Monmouthshire
Llandogo Early Years

Neath Port Talbot
Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School

Newport
Rougemont School
Ysgol Gymraeg Casnewydd

Pembrokeshire
Pembroke Dock CP School

Rhondda Cynon Taf
Ton Pentre Infants School
Y Pant Comprehensive School
Ysgol Ty Coch

Swansea
Llanrhidian Primary School
Oakleigh House

Vale of Glamorgan
Llansannor C.I.W. Primary School
Palmerston Primary School
United World College of the Atlantic Ltd

Further education
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
Pembrokeshire College