Education chiefs agree ‘zero’ target for schools under Estyn scrutiny

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Powys education chiefs have agreed to set a target of having no schools under additional Estyn scrutiny after a councillor challenged performance figures that painted a misleading picture of progress.

The change will be introduced next month after concerns were raised that the council was reporting success against targets despite eight schools remaining in Estyn follow-up categories.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of Powys County Council's Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, October 15, when councillors examined the authority's latest performance report.

Cllr Angela Davies (Liberal Democrat – Rhayader) questioned why two education performance measures had been marked green, indicating that targets had been achieved, when several schools still required additional monitoring or improvement.

The council's Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard showed that four secondary and all-through schools were in Estyn follow-up categories, against a target of eight.

Meanwhile, four primary and special schools were also in follow-up categories, matching the council's target of four.

Both measures were therefore recorded as meeting their targets, despite the fact that eight schools remained subject to additional scrutiny by the education watchdog.

Cllr Davies argued that the council should be setting more ambitious targets rather than presenting the existing figures as a success.

"I've raised this before and got agreement that the target should be nil," she told the committee.

"I accept that over the past few quarters the target has come down.

"We're now on eight when the actual number of schools is four.

"That makes it look like we're under target, but actually if we were honest and put nil there, we would not be on target."

Turning to the position in primary and special schools, she questioned why the council had not reduced its target further.

"Again, last time you did agree that the target should be nil," she said.

"We've gone from six to four and in the last quarter, we achieved four, should the target now be three if not nil and therefore red."

Cllr Davies made clear that she was unhappy with the way the figures were being presented.

"I can't let you get away with two greens there, I'm sorry," she said.

"I want to know what else we're doing to get these schools out of an Estyn category."

Responding to the criticism, the council's Director of Education, Dr Richard Jones, agreed that the ultimate aim should be for no Powys schools to require additional Estyn follow-up.

"I agree with you the target has to be zero in a follow-up category," he said.

However, he cautioned that schools could not always be removed from follow-up categories immediately, as this depended on the timing of further inspections by Estyn.

"And with that target the committee need to be aware there will be points in the year where it's impossible to reach that, given that the inspections haven't happened yet," he explained.

Dr Jones confirmed that the performance measures would be changed when the council introduces its new Integrated Business Plan in November.

"I've committed to altering that measure and will be taken forward when we bring our new IBP in November," he said.

"Target will be zero and we will work to get there."

Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, assesses schools following inspections and determines whether additional monitoring or intervention is required.

Schools can receive a 'no follow-up' outcome where no further monitoring is considered necessary, or be placed under Estyn review where improvements are required.

More serious concerns can result in a school being placed in a 'significant improvement' category, indicating important weaknesses requiring urgent action.

The most serious category is 'special measures', which applies when a school is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education and has limited capacity to improve.

The decision to introduce a zero target means the council's future performance reports will more clearly reflect its ambition to have every school operating without the need for additional Estyn intervention.

The committee's comments and recommendations will now be forwarded to the council's Cabinet for consideration.