CONWY County Borough Council has received a positive report from Estyn inspectors. 

The team of inspectors visited the council’s education service in November 2023, and its report was published yesterday (January 18).

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Cllr Julie Fallon, cabinet member for education and skills, said: “I’m very pleased to receive this report following Estyn’s very thorough assessment of our education service.

“I’m glad the inspectors recognised that we’re committed to ensuring effective education for children and young people in Conwy, and that the positive attitude of senior leaders, elected members and officers, helps to drive continuous improvement across the local authority.”

The report states that:

  • The local authority provides strong support to improve the quality of teaching and leadership in its schools and settings.
  • The local authority works well with the regional school improvement service to deliver an appropriate range of universal and targeted support for leaders and staff.
  • School leaders have a good understanding of how to access local authority specialist support and welcome the timely advice and guidance officers provide.
  • There is a well-established and effective culture of cross-service working, exemplified clearly by the services offered in Conwy Family Centres.
  • The Youth Service provides a broad range of beneficial activities for young people.

The recommendations which Estyn gave the council’s education service were as follows:

  • Sharpen processes to improve attendance in the authority’s schools and pupil referral units.
  • Refine approaches to improvement planning and ensure that ongoing monitoring and evaluation focuses on the impact of the local authority’s work on learners’ outcomes and progress.

Rhun ap Gareth, council chief executive, said: “We’re happy to accept this report and use its findings to continue our work in improving services in Conwy.

“We’ll prepare a plan to address the recommendations and continue to work closely with Estyn to monitor progress.

“In the meantime, I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the inspection process and for their continuing commitment to education services in Conwy.”

The full report is available to read on Estyn’s website.