School Improvement Partnership Programme Board meeting: 24 July 2024

The School Improvement Partnership Programme Board met on 24 July, in the first of what we expect will be a series of regular meetings running from September 2024 on.

Chaired by Welsh Government, and with membership drawn from ADEW, WLGA, regional consortia, leadership unions and Estyn, the Board provides a shared space for organisations most directly impacted to discuss progress towards a shared system change. The Board members have been asked to oversee the implementation of the findings of the Strategic Review of Education Partners in Wales, and in particular ensuring that this work will result in improved educational standards, reduced workload and improved value for money. The Board members have been asked to represent their own organisation, recognising the range of wider engagement with partners and schools.

Early in their discussion the Board emphasised the importance of effective engagement and communication with the whole education sector. As such, it was agreed that it would be helpful if as part of a wider suite of communications, I, as Chair of the Programme Board, issued a short note after each meeting. This is the first of these and can be shared openly with colleagues and partners.

Members were provided with an overview of the current focus of work in three core areas: school to school working; partnership working at local level across local authorities; national functions and support; and progress to establish a fourth project which will have oversight of the transition to the new arrangements.

Further to the local authority guidance and template shared in June, a full round of positive conversations were held during July with each Director of Education, the Welsh Government and Review team to discuss progress and offer support and connections as appropriate. In particular, these discussions highlighted the depth and extent of discussions that have been had between local authorities and their schools and the thought and attention that is going into the work. The Welsh Government will be updating the guidance over the summer to include equity, ALN, curriculum, and professional learning, alongside school improvement. We will share this with partners as previously. 

There was an update on the work to design national functions which has been shared previously with partners, including a small prioritised range of national professional learning, a range of national strategic support programmes, the continuing role of Adnodd, and the establishment of a small education improvement team dedicated to enabling engagement and collaboration. Further details will be made available in October.

There was a consensus that the review has helpfully directed the conversation to teaching and learning; support for the general policy direction and an acknowledgement of the opportunities these changes can afford at school, local and national level.

Members however, also expressed concerns regarding the delivery challenges associated with the Programme’s tight timescales and at a time of significant budgetary pressures.

An updated timeline will be prepared for the Board meeting in September and this will be shared with partners. This will include timings for meetings of the National Coherence Group which is due to be established in the autumn.