News Articles Archive - Page 8 of 15 - Estyn

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Schools must make sure that teacher assessment informs teaching and helps pupils to understand and progress their own learning, according to a report published today by Estyn. Many school leaders express some uncertainty about how to approach assessment in the context of the Curriculum for Wales.

Today’s report, The changing approach to assessment, can help schools move towards assessment that supports pupils’ learning. As some schools adopt the Curriculum for Wales and others continue to prepare, the inspectorate recommends that schools should approach assessment in a way that deepens teachers’ understanding of pupils’ learning and how they can progress.

Inspectors visited a sample of schools across Wales previously recognised for having strong practice in teaching.

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, says,

Getting assessment right is a priority for the Curriculum for Wales. We know that tests are only part of the story when evaluating how well pupils learn. Assessment in the classroom should respond to the needs of individual pupils and be an ongoing and natural part of teaching, not a method of accountability.

Today’s report can help schools to plan how they assess pupils’ work and develop their approaches to reflect the Curriculum for Wales. It identifies good practice from a wide range of primary, secondary, all-age and special schools. 

Case studies in the report highlight how schools have developed effective approaches to assessment. Staff at St Joseph’s RC High School, Newport, ensure that assessment is integral to teaching. In one approach, subject leaders identify key points when teachers must check that pupils have understood before they continue with their learning. The school also regularly reviews the impact of what they are doing and have brought on board parents, pupils and teachers with this system.

Further recommendations in the report include developing teachers’ and leaders’ understanding of this type of assessment and ensuring that teachers use the information they have to adapt their teaching to support and challenge all pupils as appropriate.

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A new report highlights substantial differences in post-16 learning options available to 16-year-olds. These are influenced by learners’ location, preferred language choice and prior educational attainment.

Findings from Estyn suggest that national, regional and local structures need to tackle inconsistency between, and within, different geographical areas and education and training providers in the curriculum offered to 16-to-19-year-olds in Wales.

The new report calls for every local curriculum offer to include a suitable variety of learning options to meet the needs of post-16 learners. The findings recommend developing a more cohesive suite of qualifications that include progression opportunities from entry-level to level 3 and beyond. More work needs to be done to ensure vocational education options are valued as highly as general qualifications.

The report also recommends that all 14-16-year-old learners receive impartial information, advice and guidance so that they know about all the post-16 options within their local area. Estyn highlights that too many learners lack awareness of work-based learning opportunities such as apprenticeships.

Access to a wider range of courses is needed for Welsh-medium students. The report suggests that collaborative working used in some school sixth forms and colleges, such as merging teaching groups or effective use of teachers’ availability, could be implemented in other sixth forms and further education colleges to ensure greater Welsh-medium teaching.

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales said: 

Our findings come at a time when a clear strategy is being pursued for learners up to the age of 16 by way of the new Curriculum for Wales. This new report shows that more work needs to be done to ensure that learning options for 16-19-year-olds across Wales are more impartial. The new Commission for Tertiary Education and Research recognises that there needs to a more joined up approach across post-16 services.

We hope that the report and its recommendations will help support Welsh Government in their work with the Commission and other bodies, such as Qualifications Wales and Careers Wales, to develop a more cohesive approach to post-16 education and training.

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Mae adroddiad newydd yn amlygu gwahaniaethau sylweddol mewn opsiynau dysgu ôl-16 sydd ar gael i’r rhai 16 oed. Caiff y rhain eu dylanwadu gan leoliad dysgwyr, eu dewis iaith a’u cyrhaeddiad addysgol blaenorol.

Mae canfyddiadau Estyn yn awgrymu bod angen i strwythurau cenedlaethol, rhanbarthol a lleol fynd i’r afael â’r anghysondebau rhwng o fewn ardaloedd daearyddol gwahanol a darparwyr addysg a hyfforddiant o ran y cwricwlwm sy’n cael ei gynnig i’r rhai 16 i 19 oed yng Nghymru.

Mae’r adroddiad newydd yn galw i bob cwricwlwm lleol gynnwys amrywiaeth addas o opsiynau dysgu i fodloni anghenion dysgwyr ôl-16. Mae’r canfyddiadau’n argymell datblygu cyfres fwy cydlynol o gymwysterau sy’n cynnwys cyfleoedd dilyniant o lefel mynediad i lefel 3 a thu hwnt. Mae angen gwneud mwy o waith i sicrhau y caiff opsiynau addysg galwedigaethol eu gwerthfawrogi cymaint â chymwysterau cyffredinol.

Mae’r adroddiad hefyd yn argymell y dylai pob dysgwr 14 i 16 oed gael gwybodaeth, cyngor ac arweiniad diduedd fel eu bod yn gwybod am yr holl opsiynau ôl-16 yn eu hardal leol. Mae Estyn yn amlygu bod gormod o ddysgwyr nad ydynt yn ymwybodol o gyfleoedd dysgu yn y gwaith, fel prentisiaethau.

Mae angen i fyfyrwyr cyfrwng Cymraeg allu manteisio ar ystod ehangach o gyrsiau. Mae’r adroddiad yn awgrymu y gellid rhoi gwaith cydweithredol sy’n cael ei ddefnyddio mewn rhai dosbarthiadau chweched a cholegau, fel cyfuno grwpiau addysgu neu ddefnyddio argaeledd athrawon yn effeithiol, ar waith mewn dosbarthiadau chweched a cholegau addysg bellach eraill i sicrhau mwy o addysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

Dywedodd Owen Evans, Prif Arolygydd Ei Fawrhydi dros Addysg a Hyfforddiant yng Nghymru:

Daw ein canfyddiadau ar adeg pan mae strategaeth glir yn cael ei dilyn i ddysgwyr hyd at 16 oed trwy’r Cwricwlwm i Gymru newydd. Mae’r adroddiad newydd hwn yn dangos bod angen gwneud mwy o waith i sicrhau bod opsiynau dysgu i’r rhai 16 i 19 oed yng Nghymru yn fwy diduedd. Mae’r Comisiwn Addysg Drydyddol ac Ymchwil newydd yn cydnabod bod angen dull mwy cyfunol ar draws gwasanaethau ôl-16.

Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd yr adroddiad a’i argymhellion yn helpu i gynorthwyo Llywodraeth Cymru â’i gwaith â’r Comisiwn a chyrff eraill, fel Cymwysterau Cymru a Gyrfa Cymru, i ddatblygu dull mwy cydlynol ar gyfer addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-16.

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A storybook has been published this week, designed to help children to understand what happens when the childcare service they attend is inspected.

The book “Our Nursery” (Ein Meithrin) was read aloud to children at Ysgol Feithrin Pontypwl by the chief inspectors of Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales on Thursday morning, 29 September 2022.

Written by the Welsh novelist, Manon Steffan Ros, the book reassures children that the visit is a normal day and that the inspectors are friendly and looking forward to speaking with them. 

The book, which has been sent to all childcare and play settings in Wales, was launched at Ysgol Feithrin Pontypwl as the setting was found to be an example of effective practice in the way it put outside play at the heart of learning, during its last inspection in March. 

Inspectors from Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales jointly inspect some childcare and play services in Wales, to reduce the burden on providers during inspection. The inspectorates wish to support practitioners and children through the inspection process, as well as sharing best practice.

Chief Inspector for Care Inspectorate Wales, Gillian Baranski said:

This delightful, simple story can be used at circle time to show children what our inspectors will do when they visit, and also encourage children to show the inspectors what they are doing. 

We want to help the very youngest learners to have their say about their care and education.

Chief Inspector for Estyn, Owen Evans said:

We are very pleased to have worked with Care Inspectorate Wales to publish this wonderful storybook. It reflects our commitment, alongside CIW to ensure that our approach is inclusive, transparent, and friendly.

We strive to ensure that learners are at the heart of our inspections and we are clear that it’s never too early to involve children in the inspection process. This book will be a great tool to encourage awareness of, and conversations about the inspection process.

A digital copy of the storybook can be found on the Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales websites.

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Early indications from the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 2021-22 show that the education and training sector in Wales is continuing to deal with the effects of the pandemic. This year marks a significant change in approach to the way Estyn reports progress.

In a new move to share the Annual Report’s findings as early as possible, Estyn has today outlined what’s working well and what needs strengthening across sixteen sectors including schools, colleges, work-based learning and initial teacher education among others, as well as across themes such as the Curriculum for Wales and Additional Learning Needs reform.

The findings also offer insights on the impact of poverty on attainment and improvements in providers that were in special measures or significant improvement.  

Ahead of his full Annual Report, which is out early next year, Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, says,

These early insights help to make sense of the strengths and challenges for education and training as we begin a new academic year. We’ve also published prompts to help self-evaluation in areas where we have identified a need for improvement.

Resources published alongside these summary findings support those working in education to focus on some of the areas of improvement highlighted.

The inspectorate has shared prompts for self-evaluation in every type of education and training to support:

  • leaders in non-maintained settings to evaluate the quality of their provision
  • primary, secondary and maintained special schools, and pupil referral units to plan for the Curriculum for Wales
  • all age schools to fully maximise the benefits of providing all-through provision
  • leadership development in independent schools and in independent specialist colleges
  • developing FE learners’ numeracy skills in a vocational context
  • officers in local government education services to consider how effectively they evaluate their work and identify areas for improvement
  • evaluating the quality of learning experiences in initial teacher education
  • adult learning partnerships to improve collaboration
  • evaluating the quality of mentoring in initial teacher education
  • Welsh for adults providers in improving learners’ speaking skills
  • work-based learning providers to improve partnership working

Owen Evans continues,

Learners are, of course, our biggest priority. And they can have an important influence on their own education. That’s why we’ve also published an activity for school councils in primary and secondary schools to help them discuss important topics such as the history of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic peoples and communities and how to influence what and how they learn.

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Estyn the education and training inspectorate for Wales is pleased to announce the appointment of five new independent non-executive directors to its board. The new appointments have been sought from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to widen the horizons of Estyn’s strategy board and provide advice and constructive challenge at an important time, as the organisation moves towards a new model of delivery from 2024.

Dr Emyr Roberts, David Jones OBE, Maria Rimmer, Professor Brett Pugh and Professor Charlotte Williams OBE (Co-optee) will join the board from this month and will work closely with the executive team to develop and deliver Estyn’s strategy as the organisation works towards a revised inspection framework for delivery in 2024. 

Commenting on the new appointments, Owen Evans said: “I am delighted to welcome Emyr, David, Maria, Brett and Charlotte to Estyn’s board. They are all highly respected leaders and have a wealth of valuable experience which will enrich Estyn’s approach and ensure that our work considers a wide range of viewpoints to achieve maximum impact across Wales.

“We are keen to ensure that our board reflects an experienced and diverse range of backgrounds across the breadth of our activities that will help us plan for the future. Ensuring that we include the voices and expertise of a wide variety of experiences at a strategic level within Estyn will be increasingly important as we strengthen our work on equity, diversity and inclusion and continue to adapt to the new curriculum and other changes in Welsh education.

“It’s a very exciting time for education in Wales and in particular for us at Estyn as we have the potential to review a new inspection framework for 2024 – exploring the most effective and equitable interventions over the next eighteen months. The insight and strategic input from our new non-executive directors will be extremely valuable as we build on this opportunity.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the non-executive directors who have completed their term and supported us through our current pilot framework design and the challenges the pandemic posed across the sector.”

Dr Emyr Roberts, who was a co-optee on the current board, has held a number of senior appointments across Welsh Government and the Welsh Office throughout his career, including Director General for Education and Skills. He was the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales prior to his retirement in 2017 and led the creation of the new environmental body for Wales which integrated the work of the previous legacy organisations. He is Chair of the Aberystwyth University Council.

David Jones OBE is currently the Chair of Qualifications Wales, the Defence Electronics Component Agency (DECA), and a member of the Wales Appeals Board of NSPCC Cymru. A Chartered Engineer, David has over 30 years of experience working in Further and Higher Education. Following his retirement, he currently works in a range of non-executive and consultancy roles. 

Maria Rimmer is a retired school leader with a wealth of experience in educational management and governance and a keen interest in social justice and community relations.

Professor Brett Pugh is a former Headteacher and Director of Education at Newport City Council. Before his retirement he was a Director for Education at the Welsh Government. He is currently a visiting professor at the University of South Wales and Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Education Other than at School.

Professor Charlotte Williams OBE is a renowned academic and has held a number of senior leadership roles in the Higher Education sector. She recently chaired the review into Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the New Curriculum.
 

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Estyn has announced how its school inspections from autumn will reinforce the national push to create an equitable education system in Wales. 

A deeper focus on equity from September will see inspectors closely examine and report on the impact that schools have on the progress and attainment of pupils disadvantaged by poverty. Inspectors will consider how headteachers and other leaders ensure that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have equal access to all aspects of the school’s work, including after-school activities. There will also be a renewed focus on how leaders use the pupil development grant to help mitigate the impact of poverty on these pupils’ attainment and wellbeing.  

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, stresses the role inspection plays,

We saw that however hard it was for all pupils during the pandemic, its effects on children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were amplified.

We want to see what schools are doing to make the biggest difference – and what more could they be doing. From the autumn term, we’ll consider how well schools establish positive relationships with families and the wider school community to improve the life chances of all pupils.

We also expect to see pupils from all backgrounds playing a full part in the life and work of their school, being listened to and stimulated and engaged in the classroom.

Through its engagement work, Estyn has seen positive steps already taken by schools to support pupils and families who faced issues due to socio-economic disadvantage during the pandemic. Case studies of best practice also published by the inspectorate highlight that schools that successfully support vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils see barriers to learning as a challenge to be overcome, not a problem. 
 

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Three leaders in the Welsh education sector will be welcoming guests at this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod.

As Urdd Gobaith Cymru celebrates its centenary year, this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod will be held in Denbighshire to mark the location of where the first Urdd National Eisteddfod was held in 1929. 

Qualifications Wales, Estyn and National Academy for Educational Leadership Wales are sharing a stand at this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod, which runs from Monday 30 May to Saturday 4 June. 

Throughout the week, the regulator, inspectorate, and Leadership Academy will be updating visitors to stand 12-14 on changes to the Welsh education system, with a focus on curriculum reform.

On Wednesday 1 June, visitors are invited to watch a live question and answer panel session between the three organisations and Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, which starts from 11.30am. 

David Jones, Chair of Qualifications Wales, says:

We’re thrilled to be attending this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod with Estyn and the National Academy for Educational Leadership Wales. After the last two years, we’re grateful to be attending shows and events such as these so we can speak to the public face to face. 

The Urdd Eisteddfod is a timely opportunity to update visitors on Welsh language provision, especially on our Choice for All strategy which sets out our vision for increasing the availability of Welsh-medium qualifications, and our Welsh language support grant work. 

We encourage visitors to speak to us about taking part in our Qualified for the future curriculum reform work. We’ve been working closely with learners, teachers, parents, carers and others to help shape the new GCSE qualifications which are due to be introduced in September 2025. We’ll be sharing an update on this programme of work as part of Wednesday’s question and answer session, which is open to everyone.

The panel session, which will be held at stand 12-14, will see the three organisations and the Minister asked a series of questions relating to the Welsh education system and their roles within the system, before visitors are asked to participate in the conversation. The session is expected to last 30 minutes.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, comments:

It’s a really exciting time for education in Wales, with schools getting ready to start teaching our new curriculum from September. It’s important we engage with as many learners, teachers and everyone in education on our new curriculum and the future of qualifications – and what better place to do that than at the Urdd Eisteddfod, one of the biggest and most important events in our cultural calendar.

Tegwen Ellis, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Educational Leadership Wales, says:

If we are to achieve the national ambition set out for our learners, then it goes without saying that working in partnership is a priority. That’s why this week, at the Urdd Eisteddfod, it is a great opportunity for the three organisations to work together in promoting and providing a greater understanding of the role we all play in supporting the education system. We look forward to talking to learners, parents, teachers and leaders from across Wales, together.

As well as having a chance to speak to staff from each of the three organisations, there’s a space for younger guests to take part in arts and crafts activities.  

Owen Evans, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Estyn, adds:

We are very pleased to have a presence at this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod in its landmark centenary year and after it reacted with such purpose over the pandemic.  After two years of working with education providers, parents and learners through a series of virtual engagement visits, it’s great to now be able to open up these conversations in a face-to-face setting. I’m also pleased we’ll be sharing space with two of our educational partners.

Alongside Qualifications Wales and the National Academy for Educational Leadership, our team will be on hand to welcome visitors and talk about the opportunities and the challenges ahead as well as the changes we will be implementing as we return to our inspections and nearer normal activities. 

We will be rolling out our new inspection arrangements in September and are working closely with a range of partners to ensure that the new framework aligns with and supports the new curriculum. I would encourage people to visit our stand to find out more and share their views.

For more information about the three organisations please visit the Qualifications Wales website qualificationswales.org, the National Academy for Educational Leadership Wales website nael.cymru and the Estyn website estyn.gov.wales.
 

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Estyn will today publish a report for young people to support them to feel more confident about recognising and challenging sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by other pupils. This youth-friendly report will support schools to recognise and challenge peer-on-peer sexual harassment and will help staff and pupils reinforce messages about what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour.

It follows a report published by Estyn in December 2021 which highlighted experiences of sexual harassment amongst secondary school pupils in Wales. The report, called We don’t tell our teachers – Experiences of peer-on-peer sexual harassment among secondary school pupils in Wales, contains insight from 1,300 secondary school pupils in Wales aged between 12 and 18. Pupils say that peer-on-peer harassment happens mostly online and outside school, but they feel it is important that teachers and school staff understand how common it is. 

Pupils told inspectors that catcalling, being asked for nude pictures, people making hurtful or homophobic comments and body-shaming have become a major problem and said that they want teachers to take proactive and preventative steps to deal with sexual harassment amongst young people.

The new youth-friendly report is designed to be accessible to young people and focuses on the key messages Estyn’s research published in December 2021, along with useful signposting for pupils to further information and support. It also provides a range of discussion points which can be used by schools and school councils to explore the issues. In December’s report, pupils told inspectors that only 2 out of 10 pupils who have experienced sexual harassment tell a teacher and that it happens so often that it’s viewed by many as ‘normal’ behaviour. Estyn wants to support schools to challenge this with open discussion.

Owen Evans, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Estyn says,

We are pleased that our latest report will support school communities across Wales to better understand and challenge peer-on-peer sexual harassment and know where to go for advice.

Learners are at the heart of our work and this report includes insights from providers across the whole of Wales which will offer valuable ideas to improve the approach of schools. We found that the best schools make sure that respect is a top priority.

Young people shouldn’t have to deal with sexual harassment in any form and we’re concerned by the findings of our recent report, which show that this issue is becoming a major problem for young people and schools and is happening more often than we think. This behaviour must be challenged across society.

We all need to work together to change attitudes and behaviour around peer-on-peer sexual harassment and we would encourage schools to develop a ‘whole school’ approach to educating and challenging on this issue.
 

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Schools have been supported to develop their vision for teaching and the Curriculum for Wales, including thinking about its underlying principles, according to a report published today by Estyn. 

However, schools would welcome more practical professional learning opportunities from consortia, other partnerships and local authorities to help them understand how they can design and deliver their new curriculum. 

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector says,

The new curriculum is a vital component in the future of Welsh education. Whilst the Consortia are succeeding in providing generic support for schools engaged in the new curriculum, further work is required to ensure the bespoke support individual schools require is provided. Teaching and curriculum development cannot be separated and the overall support to improve the quality of teaching and leadership is too variable. Too often this does not target the specific aspects that need improving, which can have an impact on pupils’ progress and learning. 

Finally, while the regional consortia and local authorities collect stakeholders’ views and use external consultants to review their work, overall they need to do more to evaluate the impact of their professional learning for curriculum and teaching.

The report features examples of interesting practice, such as how the Central South Consortium developed a model to support their schools and PRUs to understand the curriculum design process. The model helped consortium officers to support schools in developing design processes and has given schools access to professional learning suitable to them at specific phases of curriculum development.