Ensuring A Strong Education System For Gwynedd

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet has supported a recommendation to consult with schools and governors on the core principles that will provide the foundations for an education system that will ensure that the county’s pupils are able to achieve the highest standards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report identified the need to ensure consistent leadership across the county’s primary and secondary schools. This follows work by external education advisers who reviewed the conditions for school leadership and school arrangements and structure within the education authority which found: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• that overall secondary and primary schools are too small to be able to allocate enough time for headteachers, senior managers and middle managers to provide effective leadership;
• the conflicting demands on many primary headteachers where they have a substantial commitment to teaching classes alongside their management and leadership roles;
• difficulties in recruiting senior lleaders and middle managers at secondary schools;
• difficulties in recruiting headteachers for primary schools;
• lack of candidates from outside the local authority area.

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for Education said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our vision as a Council is to ensure the best possible education system for Gwynedd that will allow our children and young people to achieve the highest standards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Estyn, the school’s inspectorate, as well as independent educational specialists clearly state that good leadership is the key to ensuring education of the highest possible quality. This report is the first step on a journey that will result in the first-class leadership required to deliver excellence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is no questioning the hard work and commitment of Gwynedd’s school staff and their determination to providing the best possible education for our pupils. However, to achieve the very best we must now tackle the very serious difficulties in recruiting headteachers in rural areas and the fact that some headteachers are not able to commit enough time to provide effective leadership due to their teaching commitments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a crucial next step in the process, we will now be discussing these principles with schools and governors and encouraging them to share their views so that we can move ahead together.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council will consult with governors, schools and Elected Members over the coming months before a report is presented to the Cabinet in November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​