20.06.14
Anglesey’s education services lifted from special measures
Anglesey County Council’s education services have been lifted out of special measures by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales (Estyn) after making ‘good progress’ in improving standards.
The local authority’s services had been placed into special measures in May 2012 after inspectors found them "unsatisfactory".
In particular, Anglesey was criticised for standards being “below what could be expected at all key stages”; attendance rates in secondary schools were unacceptably low; and operational leadership in the delivery of education was not driving improvements in areas of underperformance.
At the time, Estyn issued a set of seven recommendations to tackle the problems, including raising standards in all key stages and making sure that all learners who could do so achieved functional literacy by the end of key stage 2.
Since the report was issued, the council implemented an action plant to address all seven recommendations made by Estyn in 2012.
It focused on working with schools to raise standards at every key stage; improving business and financial planning; better information-sharing with schools, governors and local authority members; and addressing surplus places by developing a schools modernisation programme for the 21st century.
During a recent inspection, Estyn found that significant improvements had taken place both within the school and behind the scenes since the report. As a result, the Chief Inspector advised that Anglesey’s education services should be taken out of special measures.
Anglesey’s County Council leader and education portfolio holder Ieuan Williams said: “I would like to thank everyone who has been part of this important recovery process and I'm confident that the robust processes now in place will ensure that the County's education services will continue to improve in the future.”
Gwynne Jones, Anglesey’s director of lifelong learning added: “Every part of Anglesey’s education community worked as one to respond positively to the challenges presented by Estyn in its May 2012 report.”
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