Agenda item

Purpose:

1. The Minister for Education and Skills announced the introduction of the National School Categorisation System in September 2014. The system, which covers both primary schools and secondary schools, has evolved over subsequent years.

2. From 2017-2018, Welsh Government removed the data-driven judgement that placed schools into a standards group as part of Step 1. Discussion around the school’s self-evaluation and school development planning has become the central feature of the model. The school’s data remains as a starting point for discussions within the school, and with the Challenge Adviser, about their capacity to improve in relation to leadership, teaching and learning.

Key Issues:

1. The following terminology is used to describe the outcomes of each step of the categorisation process:

Step 1: no standards group is published for 2018-2019

Step 2: the outcome is a judgement about a school’s improvement capacity (A-D)

Step 3: leads to a support category for each school (green, yellow, amber, red)

2. A range of other risks where they occur are considered when making a judgement about a school’s improvement capacity and a decision about their support category.

3. The performance of eFSM pupils is taken into account giving consideration to the school’s support category. Consideration should be given to performance over time (3 years minimum.)

4. For new and amalgamated schools any available performance data is used to inform discussions as part of Step 2 of the process – the self-evaluation of the school’s capacity to improve.

5. Changes to a school’s support category in year

The National School Categorisation process is carried out on an annual basis. The outcomes are communicated to the Welsh Government each year for publication following national verification in January. However, it is possible for each region to review a school’s categorisation at any point during the year in response to changes in circumstance. These changes will not be published nationally.

Circumstances that may necessitate a review include:

·         Schools that are making very good progress.

·         Schools that become subject to a higher degree of risk

·         Schools in inspection follow up

6. The National School Categorisation system is not contingent on the outcomes of an individual school’s inspection. Where school self-evaluation and monitoring of schools’ performance are effective this should result in appropriate action that will support a school’s self-improvement and avoid the need for inspection follow-up activity. However, where a school requires follow up as a result of inspection the associated degree of risk, and the need to provide evidence of a school’s progress against its recommendations, is weighed carefully when determining a judgement about a school’s improvement capacity and making a decision about its support

category.

7. The level of support available for each category is as follows:

·         Green support category - up to 4 days of challenge adviser time.

·         Yellow support category - up to 10 days of challenge adviser time.

·         Amber support category - up to 15 days of challenge adviser time.

·         Red support category - up to 25 days of challenge adviser time.

Each challenge adviser will determine the nature of the bespoke support package to be provided to each school according to need. This support will be aligned to the school’s own development plan, through a single plan of support.

Member Scrutiny:

The report was presented by the Principal Challenge Adviser, and questions were invited:

·         In response to a question about the changes, it was confirmed that there had been a review of improvement and outcomes, and of Estyn too that has led to categorisation changes and the development of a national self-evaluation tool and an authentication model which is still under development.  The EAS will be working closely with authorities and schools to ensure that the appropriate support is provided.  The Chair clarified that the letter he will be writing to the Minister will be bespoke to Monmouthshire.

·         A Member congratulated the EAS on the support provided and the increase in green schools.  It was confirmed that the one red school is provided with a range of support from e.g. challenge advisers, a learning network school.