The independent inspectorate of schools and learning providers in Wales, Estyn, published its latest Annual Report on 24 January 2018.
The Report has analysis on the education and training in Wales during the previous year. This is just like every other year. But this year, there’s a twist in the tale.
The year in focus is 2016-2017 and it is the last year of a 7 year cycle of inspections.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales, Meilyr Rowlands, takes the opportunity to reflect on over 2,700 inspections where every provider in Wales was inspected at least once.
There’s also a special focus on key education policies pursued by Welsh Government over the last seven years.
The review of the year 2016-2017 is a familiar story.
“Inspection findings this year are broadly similar to those for the cycle as a whole. Seven-in-ten primary schools inspected this year are good or excellent, similar to last year, while half of secondary schools inspected are good or excellent, a bit better than last year.”
The tone of the Report is not familiar. It is noticeably upbeat. Positive.
Mr Rowlands CHMI says in his Forward:
“Over the seven years and including all sectors, 77% of inspection judgements were good or better (71% good and 6% excellent) and 23% were less than good (20% adequate and 3% unsatisfactory). This overall picture shows that there is much to be proud of in the Welsh education system.”
This positive tone is noteworthy because the data shows little progress in inspection judgements over the last 7 years and the analysis describes challenges to improvement that are significant.
One reason given for why performance in Primary might be better than in Secondary is that accountability mechanisms affect practice – there are schools where teachers too often teach to the test. This is not teaching for learning.
Accountability that puts great emphasis on exam performance leads to pressure that means “some secondary schools focus too much on teaching examination techniques rather than on providing a broad education that better serves the long-term interests of learners.”
In contrast, “the best schools develop learners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes to learning by capturing their interest and commitment through engaging learning experiences. They develop the confidence of learners so that they become well-rounded individuals, ready for further study and employment, and for contributing to society, as well as doing well in examinations. That schools that ‘teach to the test’ may achieve relative examination success also raises questions about whether current qualifications examine the right skills and whether they reward learners’ broader understanding and critical thinking enough.”
This is a bit of a tease as Estyn reminds us that they will be reporting later this year on the recently introduced new GCSEs in Wales, including English and Mathematics.
Estyn’s review of the new GCSEs may have an influence on the next generation of GCSEs, due for redevelopment in 2020 to reflect the emerging new curriculum.
This new curriculum, it is said, will require a new approach to assessment generally. Assessment will focus more on helping learners to understand how they are performing and what they need to do next. Teachers will be encouraged to adopt assessment for learning practice. Assessment of learning by external examination will be made less intrusive by being just one of a number of accountability measures.
In presenting his Report, Mr Rowlands says that a shift towards greater collaboration is a prominent trend in the sector. Schools supporting other schools, Local Authorities working in consortia and Welsh Government developing a new curriculum with practitioners.
He concludes, there is “enough excellence across Welsh education to support improvement and help reduce variability”.
The Report is 214 pages long. It includes a focus on 8 policy areas, specific sector summaries and provides a scattering of case studies from well-judged providers with material such as key question prompts that others might use to raise standards. See here for a useful summary for providers from consultants Impact.
About the author
Robin Hughes
Robin has been a school governor for over ten years and is bilingual, Welsh and English. Before becoming a consultant and working with a number of private and public sector educational organisations, Robin had stakeholder management roles in an examination board and was the Wales Secretary for ASCL, a body that represents over 16,000 senior school leaders.
