Decision details

The Head of Education, Geraint Davies, introduced the confidential report (previously circulated) which outlined the response to the recent Estyn Inspection Report that resulted in Christ the Word Catholic School being placed in Special Measures.

During his introduction the Head of Education provided some context to Estyn’s inspection, which included background information on the school’s establishment, the impact of Covid on all pupils and educational establishments including Christ the Word School, and details of the five recommendations made by Estyn, all of which were detailed in the Inspection report available on the Estyn website. 

In addition, he detailed all the steps undertaken by the Council’s Education Service, the School’s Governing Body, Diocese and GwE to date with a view to addressing Estyn’s recommendations, which included the development of a Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and a joint Local Education Authority (LEA) and GwE Support Plan for the school.  These measures included the appointment of additional governors on the School’s Governing Body, the appointment of an interim school leadership team and the provision of additional support to help move the school forward.  All of these actions and the measures outlined in the PIAP had been accepted by Estyn and the delivery of the PIAP and LEA/GwE action plans were now subjected to regular challenge and monitoring. 

Responding to Committee members’ questions the Lead Member for Education, Children and Families, the Head of Education, LEA Education Officers, Christ the Word School and Diocese representatives, along with GwE representatives:

·      outlined the governance and management arrangements for Voluntary Aided schools 

·      gave an overview of the Estyn Inspection process, including the lead-in work ahead of an Inspection

·      outlined the types of support offered to the school since its establishment

·      confirmed that safeguarding was a key feature of all Estyn inspections.  The measures now in place in response to the regulator’s recommendation were now continually challenged and monitored to ensure their robustness.  Also, an additional governor had been appointed to the School’s Governing Body and that governor had assumed responsibility for safeguarding on the Governing Body

·      advised that various training events were being held for school leaders, staff and governors to ensure that they had the relevant skills to address the recommendations and deliver the action plans

·      confirmed that the PIAP and LEA/GwE Support Plan dovetailed with the new Curriculum for Wales, Religious Instruction (RI) Programme, and the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code and would ensure their delivery across the school going forward

·      gave assurances that all partners involved with the school were now working effectively together with a common aim of supporting the school going forward and securing the very best outcomes for all learners attending the school

At the conclusion of a comprehensive and an in-depth discussion, the Committee thanked all for attending and for constructively contributing to the debate:

Resolved: to

(i)           receive the information provided during the course of the discussion;

(ii)   support all parties’ efforts to date in addressing the recommendations laid out in Estyn’s Inspection report of Christ the Word School; and

(iii)  request that a further report be presented to the Committee in September 2023 detailing the progress achieved in implementing and delivering the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and the joint local authority & GwE Support Plan following the 2022 Estyn inspection of the school.