School Improvement Partnership Programme Board meetings: 21 November 2024 and 18 December 2024

The School Improvement Partnership Programme Board met on 21 November and 18 December.

The primary focus of the November meeting was to present the Programme Board with an overview of how LAs are planning to deliver local school improvement (SI) arrangements and to set out the next steps which will include:

• Clarify the national and local expectations for professional learning and curriculum support within an agreed definition of school improvement to support the next phase.
• Better describe the purpose of deep and purposeful collaboration as a vehicle to improve the quality of self-evaluation and improvement planning in schools.
• Work with local authorities to explore how an open system can support local authorities in knowing their schools.
• Following budget clarity, hold further discussion on the partnership arrangements and how they are supporting improvements in learning in schools.

The December Programme Board meeting provided further information regarding the role of the Education Improvement Team, the national professional learning and leadership body, and the national support programmes.

Following the first meeting of the National Coherence Group (NCG) on 11 November when the Terms of Reference for the Group were agreed, the NCG met again on 4 December when it reflected on the coherence of the proposed system based approach for school improvement. Members acknowledged that this was the culmination of a large amount of work across the sector, and in partnership across national, local and school colleagues. Following the meeting, the Chair, Kirsty Williams CBE, wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Education on behalf of the Group, setting out their views and suggestions for further action.

Terms of reference and membership of the NCG are available.

On 5 November the Cabinet Secretary for Education made an oral statement announcing the decision to establish a national professional learning body. Discussions with the National Academy for Educational Leadership (NAEL) around the functions of the new body and transition are ongoing. This new body includes functions which we will be delivering nationally to provide consistency, and these include functions from both regional consortia and the NAEL. Discussions with NAEL, local authorities (LAs) and regional partners around the functions of the new body, how it relates effectively to local functions, and transition are ongoing. The new body will aim to be legally operational by April 2025, with some functions transferring in the following months.

You will be aware that the Welsh Government’s 2025 to 2026 Draft Budget was published on 10 December and the Local Government Settlement published on 11 December. The Cabinet Secretary for Education has also made a Written Statement regarding additional in-year funding for Education. The education sector is set to benefit from £225.5m in funding, with schools, colleges and other settings receiving funding to help meet the needs of learners across Wales. The funding will be made up of £114m additional funding for 2024 to 2025 and £111.5m allocated in the 2025 to 2026 Draft Budget. I have attached my letter of 11 December to Education partners which provides further information.

Since the launch of the School Improvement Partnership Programme at the end of January 2024 we have together made significant steps forward to developing a new approach to school improvement for Wales. There is still a lot of work to be done as we transition to the new arrangements during 2025, but the commitment from all partner organisations to the success of the Programme is recognised and appreciated.

May I take this opportunity to extend to you all Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year.