The Partneriaeth Scrutiny Councillor Group met on Monday 24 June 2024 to review the performance of Partneriaeth's Priority 4, discuss the operational effectiveness of Partneriaeth with its Chair and Directors of Education, and examine the organisation's updated risk profile. The meeting also included an update on the Curriculum for Wales.

Partneriaeth Priority 4: Career Pathways

The meeting was scheduled to review the delivery of Partneriaeth's Priority 4, which focuses on providing career pathways for leaders, practitioners, and support staff within the education system. This included an overview of the Teaching Assistant Leadership Pathway (TALP), which has three elements: an induction programme for new teaching assistants, a programme for practising teaching assistants, and an aspiring Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) programme. The report indicated that while participants valued the programmes, some noted that the additional responsibilities of an HLTA role were not always reflected in salary differences.

The agenda also covered support for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), with 12 days of training provided during the 2023-24 business plan cycle, focusing on cross-curricular skills, equity in education, and effective classroom practice. Feedback suggested that this training contributed to NQTs' development and improved their classroom practice.

Furthermore, the meeting was set to discuss the National Middle Leaders Development Programme (MLDP) and the National Senior Leaders Development Programme (SLDP). The MLDP, comprising five modules, aims to develop leadership skills in practitioners with leadership responsibilities within schools. The SLDP, also with five modules, is designed for leaders with overall responsibility for an aspect of leadership across a school. The 'Aspiring Headteachers Development Programme – Preparing for National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)' was also to be reviewed, with a report on the programme's success rate in achieving NPQH qualifications.

Chair of the Joint Committee and Directors of Education

A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to seeking reassurance and considering whether Partneriaeth was operating according to its Legal Agreement and Business Plan. The Chair of the Partneriaeth Joint Committee, Councillor Glynog Davies, was expected to provide an overview of his perspective on how things were progressing. Following this, the Directors of Education from Swansea, Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire – Helen Morgan Rees, Steven Richard-Downes, and Gareth Morgans respectively – were scheduled to share their views on how Partneriaeth was working for their respective councils, identify key challenges, and offer reassurance regarding Partneriaeth's adherence to its legal agreement, business plan, and timetable.

Updated Risk Profile

The meeting was to receive an update on Partneriaeth's risk profile, with a focus on the risks relevant to the delivery in Summer 2024 and anticipated changes from September 2024. The risk register report highlighted Lack of clarity regarding functions of Partneriaeth and Partneriaeth found not to provide value for money as medium probability and high impact risks. The report detailed various corporate, financial, and governance risks, including the potential for funding delays from the Welsh Government and the risk of failing to comply with Regional Consortia Grant (RCG) terms and conditions. A key governance risk identified was the Lack of clarity regarding functions of Partneriaeth, which could lead to a lack of confidence and trust.

Curriculum for Wales Update

An update on the support and delivery for the Curriculum for Wales during 2023-24 was scheduled. This included information on the universal and tailored, bilingual support provided to schools and settings, and the ongoing work of primary and secondary subject networks. The report was expected to address challenges faced by schools regarding progression and assessment, noting that while many schools were moving away from solely summative assessment, concerns about external accountability remained, particularly for secondary schools in communicating progression to parents and carers. The report also mentioned that schools were involved in national collaborative opportunities such as Understanding By Design (UBD) and the National Pedagogy Project.

Partneriaeth Scrutiny Work Programme

The meeting was also to note the Partneriaeth Scrutiny Work Programme for 2023-2024, which outlines the topics scheduled for discussion at various meetings throughout the year.