First steps on journey to improve Powys County Council's education service have been taken

Education watchdog, Estyn have confirmed that the post inspection conference with PCC education officials took place on Thursday, November 28.

Estyn also said that the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP), the council’s official response to the criticisms and recommendations from the inspection report, had  been submitted on time.

A spokesperson for Estyn said: ” The PIAP was on November 20 and we received it on November 13.

“The post-inspection improvement conference took place on November 28.

Following the conference, we will send a letter to the chief executive of the local authority.

“This letter will confirm the degree of assurance inspectors received during the conference that the local authority understands the reasons why it causes significant concern and that it has plans in place to address those concerns.”

PCC chief executive, Dr Caroline Turner, said:   “At the conference, the authority discussed its priorities and planning with Estyn, and they will return in a year’s time to assess the progress made in each of the five recommendations given in the inspection report.

“The authority awaits Estyn’s written feedback from the improvement conference.

“Their feedback will be used to update our Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP).

“When this work is complete, the PIAP will be presented to a future meeting of the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee.”

When the report was published in September, it caused a political row in Powys.

An extraordinary meeting of the full council was supposed to be held on September 25 to discuss a vote of no confidence in the then education portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander (Independent – Banwy).

This meeting was cancelled after Cllr Alexander was moved and replaced at the education brief by Cllr Phyl Davies (Conservative – Blaen Hafren).

The PIAP needs to show how PCC plan to improve in five key areas in response to the recommendations from Estyn:

These are:

• Improve standards in secondary schools, and especially the performance of more able learners.

• Improve the evaluation, planning and co-ordination of provision for learners with special educational needs and other pupils who may require extra support.

• Improve the consistency and impact of senior leaders in improving the quality of education services and continue to strengthen the rigour, scrutiny and challenge about performance of the authority’s services.

• Ensure that the organisation of provision for non-maintained, post 16, Welsh medium education and secondary education meets the needs of the children and young people of Powys.

• Continue to improve the quality of financial management in schools and take appropriate action to address schools with significant deficit budgets.