The Scrutiny Performance Panel – Education met on Thursday 20 February 2025 to discuss school attendance and exclusions, and how schools improve the quality of teaching and learning through cluster and regional work. The panel also reviewed its workplan for the upcoming year.

Managing and Improving School Attendance and Exclusions

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on school attendance and exclusion data, alongside accompanying action plans designed to support inclusion through improved school attendance and pupil behaviour. The report highlighted that while attendance levels in Swansea schools compare favourably to national averages, there was a slight increase in attendance rates at both primary and secondary schools during the 2023-2024 academic year. However, the report also noted a national and local trend of increasing exclusions, with a particular concern regarding permanent exclusions, which saw an increase during the 2023-2024 academic year, including the first permanent exclusion of a primary school learner.

The report detailed that the Education Directorate's vision for promoting attendance and supporting behaviour is outlined in its inclusion strategy, approved in May 2023. This strategy includes priorities such as promoting attendance, promoting inclusion, and embedding a shared inclusion ethos. The report also discussed the challenges affecting school attendance and pupil behaviour, including poverty, the impact of the pandemic, rising mental health issues, and adverse childhood experiences.

The discussion was expected to cover the Education Welfare Service (EWS) action plan, which aims to support school attendance through research-based interventions. This includes a focus on the concept of 'belonging' as a key driver of attendance, and a move away from solely punitive measures towards earlier identification and intervention for pupils and families. The report also touched upon the national priority of improving attendance for pupils eligible for free school meals (eFSM), noting that schools with a higher number of eFSM pupils tend to have lower attendance rates.

Regarding exclusions, the report indicated a national trend of increasing fixed-term and permanent exclusions, which is mirrored in Swansea. The data presented showed a reduction in fixed-term exclusions (FTEs) compared to the previous year, but an increase in permanent exclusions. The report detailed the reasons cited for exclusions, with assault/violence against learners remaining the primary reason for permanent exclusions. The panel was also scheduled to review data on managed moves, a strategy to offer learners a fresh start in a new school, and the development of a revised behaviour strategy for Swansea schools, which aims to view children with challenging behaviour as vulnerable rather than difficult.

Improving Teaching and Learning Through Cluster and Regional Work

The panel was also set to examine how schools in Swansea improve the quality of teaching and learning through cluster and regional collaboration. The report explained that clusters are groups of schools working together on common priorities to enhance educational offerings. This approach is encouraged by the Welsh Government as part of its strategy to promote collaboration and continuous improvement.

The report highlighted that improving teaching and learning is central to each school's work, driven by the national education priorities of improving pupil progression and reducing the impact of poverty on attainment. Robust self-evaluation is identified as crucial for school improvement, informing school development plans (SDPs) which outline improvement strategies, professional learning, and support requirements.

The briefing was expected to detail how schools collaborate within traditional clusters, often comprising a secondary school and its feeder primary schools, to ensure smooth transitions. More recent developments include non-traditional clusters focusing on specific priorities, such as improving vocabulary. The report also outlined the role of Partneriaeth, a collaboration between Swansea, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire local authorities, in enhancing educational quality across the region through professional development, leadership training, and curriculum implementation.

Examples of collaborative work were to be presented, including reciprocal early years classroom observations between Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bryniago and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin, and professional development focused on sentence structures within the Pentrehafod Cluster. The report also mentioned the refinement of middle leadership roles at Bishop Gore Secondary School and its extension to feeder primary schools. The role of a lead officer for ‘Transition of Pedagogy’ was to be discussed, focusing on professional learning for clusters to explore Curriculum for Wales transition regulations.

Partneriaeth's three-stage approach to professional learning, including the 'teach for purpose' programme, was also scheduled for discussion, with an emphasis on areas such as questioning, effective feedback, and challenge and pace for all. The report noted that Swansea schools have a high attendance rate for these programmes. The panel was also to hear about regional subject-specific collaborative networks and national leadership development opportunities, which have reportedly led to clearer school improvement plans and more robust quality assurance timetables.

Workplan 2024/25

Finally, the panel was scheduled to review its workplan for 2024/25. The agenda indicated that the next meeting was planned for Wednesday, 26 March 2025. The workplan document itself lists various items for future discussion, including school visits, a briefing on the strategy for poverty-proofing the school day, school admissions policies, career advice, and updates on the Inclusion Strategy and Annual Education Performance. It also notes potential additional topics for scrutiny, such as the Pupil Development Grant spend, school meals, and cookery in schools.