National School Categorisation Statement 2019
“Schools and clusters continue to build their capacity to self-improve and are becoming more resilient. It is important that all educational professionals work together to ensure schools and settings receive the best possible support to enable the realisation of the new curriculum and the reform agenda. With our partners we will be providing and brokering tailored support for all schools and settings and working to support agreed identified areas for improvement and sharing best practice within and beyond the region.”
Sent on behalf of the Consortia
Arwyn Thomas, Managing Director, GwE
Debbie Harteveld, Managing Director, EAS
Geraint Rees, Interim Managing Director, ERW
Louise Blatchford, Interim Managing Director, CSC
You can find out more information about your local school and School Categorisation here http://mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk/?lang=en
Here is Councillor Gareth Thomas, Chairman of GwE, the School Improvement Consortium for North Wales’s response:
‘GwE, the six Local Authorities and schools in North Wales are working productively and very effectively together to support learners. This is regularly supported by very positive Estyn inspection findings in schools, LA and Consortium. We are very pleased to report that the categorisation process of schools this year is again demonstrating improvement. Schools and clusters continue to build their capacity to self-improve and are becoming more resilient. It is important that all educational professionals work together to ensure schools and settings receive the best possible support to enable the realisation of the new curriculum and the reform agenda. With our partners we will be providing and brokering tailored support for all schools and settings and working to support agreed identified areas for improvement and sharing best practice within and beyond the region.
GwE is held accountable by local authority members and schools on its work programme and its financial spend. GwE does not recognise the issues, source or magnitude of the figures quoted by the teaching unions. ‘
Nationally since 2014 the percentage of schools categorised as red has decreased from 5.2% to 3.2% in 2018. In the same period the percentage of amber schools has reduced from 28.9% to 11%, and percentage of green schools has increased from 15.5% to 41.7%. This pattern of improvement is also reflected regionally. This is clear testimony to the very positive working relationship between GwE, the six local authorities and schools. It is further evidence of the professionalism of staff in schools, Local Authorities and the Consortium.
GwE will demonstrate through their local accountability processes to Elected Members, and schools, that the statement by the teaching unions is inaccurate.
