ERW schools receive bespoke support following publication of National Support Categories

Today’s National School Categorisation System outcomes have shown that more schools across the ERW Region are responding well to support. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Alun Thomas ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Results published by Welsh Government today show there is an increase in the percentage of primary schools across the region (Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Swansea) which are becoming more resilient. This means that fewer primary schools are in the categories requiring significant support as compared to last year’s figures. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Today’s results also show that the number of secondary schools requiring limited support has almost doubled since last year. This means that the regional can allocate greater resources to those schools requiring increased support. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Betsan O’Connor, ERW Managing Director said: “It’s pleasing to see schools are becoming more resilient and now need less support. It is also good to see a change in culture, as increasingly the support is coming from other schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There will be some schools which are disappointed about elements of the outcomes published, but we will be providing support for those schools in the areas identified for improvement.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Cllr Ali Thomas OBE said: “Neath Port Talbot Local Authority knows its schools well. The outcomes of the national categorisation model for 2015 confirm that most of our schools require minimal support as they are in the Green and Yellow support categories.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The percentage of schools categorised as Green and Yellow has increased and almost all our secondary schools are in these categories. The majority of NPT primary schools are effective schools and only a minority require specific support to improve at a quicker pace. A few schools require intense support and need to make rapid improvements.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The main aim of the categorisation model is to ensure that schools access the appropriate level of support and work together to make it possible for every school to improve.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are confident that the local authority, working in partnership with the regional school improvement service ERW, will continue to support our schools, ensuring that they reach their full potential.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To view the outcomes of the categorisation system for primary and secondary schools please visit the My Local School website ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A parents/carers guide is available on the Dysg website. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​