The report, ‘Higher Apprenticeships in work-based learning’, evaluates the standards, provision and leadership of this type of apprenticeships, which are comparable to certain university-level qualifications.  It highlights the positive experience of many learners who welcome the opportunity to gain formal qualifications and develop their practical skills at a supervisory or managerial level, but recommends that work-based learning organisations address the length of time it takes some learners to finish.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

Higher level apprenticeships are an ideal way to recognise people’s skills in the workplace and for them to gain a formal qualification while still earning.  The challenge now is to bring completion rates up to the level of other apprenticeships and to increase take-up in priority skill areas such as information technology and engineering.

The report highlights success stories and notes the benefits of gaining higher apprenticeship qualifications through strengthening the leadership and communication skills of learners and by increasing promotion and job opportunities. In a few cases, learners find the programme too demanding or difficult to balance with work and home life.

Inspectors recommend that work-based learning providers better support learners through mentoring, workshops and training, as well as engaging with new employers.  In addition, there is a role for the Welsh Government in facilitating better understanding in work-based learning providers about taking into account learners’ existing literacy and numeracy qualifications.

In its report, ‘The quality of education and training for young people engaged with youth offending teams’, Estyn evaluates the impact of the 15 partnerships across Wales known as youth offending teams or YOTs.  These teams support young people referred from the courts, or are at danger of offending or of getting into trouble with the law. The teams comprise of social services, the local authority, the police, probation and health services. The young people they work with can have complex needs such as speech and language difficulties, mental health issues and family problems.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

Young people who are supported by youth offending teams spend too little time in education, training or employment. Youth offending teams need to work more closely with colleges and work-based learning providers to improve the range of opportunities available for these young people. 

These services are working with young people who do not always have the resilience to overcome the challenges they face. It is therefore vital that young people’s access to education is improved, and their progress is recorded carefully so that this information can be used to help improve opportunities for education, employment and training.

The report highlights how linking with local professionals can help find a suitable educational placement for a young person. However, only in a minority of areas do YOTs work in this way, for example in the Vale of Glamorgan and in Newport. Collaborative approaches like these are helpful, particularly in reducing the risk of young people disengaging from education. Further good practice and anonymised case studies about individual young people are outlined in the full report.

Inspectors also recommend that all youth offending teams have a dedicated co-ordinator for education, employment and training, develop strategies to promote literacy and numeracy skills, and extend management board membership to include local education and training providers.

Estyn’s report, ‘Youth Support Services in Wales – The Value of Youth Work’ provides a general evaluation of the quality of services for 11 – 25 year-olds.  These services include open access youth clubs, community-based projects, and more targeted support for young people facing difficulties with securing employment and training, poverty, domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, mental health or homelessness.

While there is a wide range of youth support services available across Wales, many young people either do not know about them or have difficulty getting access to professional youth work. Reduced funding and competing policy priorities have also changed the way services are structured and targeted. Often, their spread and location means that those living in a rural area may not have the same range of opportunities and services available to them as those living in urban areas, or face unreliable internet access to online services.

The report recommends that the Welsh Government, local authorities and their partners should renew a commitment to professional youth work. This can be achieved by putting young people’s rights at the heart of their work, listening to what they need and involving them in decisions. The report includes case studies describing particular projects that have overcome barriers in providing youth support services.

Estyn’s report is the first in a series arising from a joint project examining issues around support for young people in Wales. This project is being carried out by Estyn, Care Inspectorate Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office working together as Inspection Wales. 

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

All young people have the right to high quality support through professional youth work.  Local authorities and voluntary sector groups such as the Urdd, Young Farmers, and the Prince’s Trust, provide important activities that develop young people’s self-reliance and widen their experiences.
 

There are variations in the quality and extent of youth services across Wales and barriers to ensuring all young people have equal access to the support they need. Today’s report recommends involving young people at a local level so they can influence the services available to them.

As part of the report, inspectors met local authority senior officers, local authority and voluntary sector youth service managers, youth workers, and young people to listen to their views. One young person believed that they “wouldn’t be here today” without their youth service.

The report highlights Llamau housing association in Cardiff which works well with very vulnerable young people who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Their workers take the time to get to know the young people so that their needs can be addressed. Interventions are flexible and focused on individuals and provides targeted support for the range of issues and situations facing each young person.

Estyn outlines recommendations for local authorities, providers and the Welsh Government to address the barriers faced in providing effective youth services and ensure that the needs of young people remain at the heart of this work.

Estyn’s wide-ranging report, ‘The  new GCSE specifications in English language, Welsh language, mathematics, mathematics-numeracy and the Welsh Baccalaureate in schools and colleges’ considers the quality of teaching and assessment, planning, staff development and leadership in introducing these new qualifications.  Inspectors visited a broad range of schools and colleges, including a small number of pioneer schools. Case studies of interesting practice outline successful strategies from schools and colleges across Wales.  
 

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

These new qualifications are unique to Wales and have been designed to improve pupils’ knowledge, skills and particularly their ability to think critically and solve problems.  They also place a greater emphasis on the quality of pupils’ writing, reasoning and use of mathematics in a wide range of contexts.  Schools and colleges should respond to these important changes and help pupils of all ability to attain their full potential.
 

The report highlights Cardiff High School’s approach to teaching the new mathematics qualification.  As a result of placing a strong emphasis on reasoning in maths lessons, pupils have become more confident in their skills, leading to outstanding exam results.  Another case study highlights Ysgol Gyfun Gwŷr in Swansea which challenges pupils to reach the very highest levels of attainment in the Welsh Baccalaureate.  By challenging its more able pupils, the school has improved standards and achievement. A further 12 case studies outline interesting and effective practice in the Welsh Baccalaureate, English, Welsh and mathematics.
 

The report recommends that schools and colleges should:

• Provide stimulating tasks that develop the resilience of learners
• Ensure that learners improve their writing in English and Welsh
• Have high expectations that all learners contribute orally especially in Welsh
• Improve pupils’ problem-solving skills in mathematics and mathematics-numeracy
• Develop pupils’ higher-level reading skills in English, Welsh and mathematics and the Welsh Baccalaureate

Estyn’s report, ‘Preparing for the Digital Competence Framework’, gives an overview on how schools are beginning to ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop their digital competence. Inspectors visited schools many of which have been identified as having innovative and interesting strategies, which are captured in case studies.

Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says,

Central to a successful education system is ensuring that the next generation are not only knowledgeable in an increasingly digital world, but stay safe online and acquire advanced digital skills to support their future employability.

Schools should be familiarising themselves with the new Digital Competence Framework, by creating a whole-school vision and putting this into practice. Our report outlines the key steps to starting this journey, making progress and then building and sustaining momentum.

The digital journey of Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni in Monmouthshire involved radically rethinking its approach to new technology. Leaders changed the way that they planned their curriculum and established a programme of investment to ensure that the school’s digital infrastructure and hardware was fit to prepare pupils for life in the 21st century. Teachers’ and pupils’ confidence in digital skills is now far greater and pupils’ standards and progress are, in many cases, above that expected for their age.

Similarly, Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf has a vision of digital learning that is contributing to a transformation in pupils’ and teachers’ use of technology, as well as to the school’s approach to online safety. This work has complemented the school’s overall approach to preparing for the new curriculum.

Inspectors found that the schools visited as part of the report were at various stages of preparedness for the new digital competence framework. The report makes a series of recommendations for all schools including appointing a digital lead who has full support of senior leaders, providing relevant training for teachers, and auditing ICT hardware and infrastructures. Local authorities, regional consortia and the Welsh Government have a key role to play in supporting schools to embed the framework in their curriculum.

Effective teaching is at the heart of school improvement and central to implementing a new curriculum in Wales. School leaders should encourage an open classroom culture where teachers are comfortable when reflecting on and sharing their practice.”

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