Learning, Caring and Leisure Scrutiny Committee SER...Report Learning, Caring and Leisure Scrutiny...

Report Learning, Caring and Leisure Scrutiny Committee Part 1 Date: 2nd March 2016

Subject Local Authority Education Services for Children and Young People 2015 Self-Evaluation Report

Purpose To consider the 2015 self-evaluation report on the Local Authority’s Education

Services for Children and Young People

Author Partnership Manager

Ward General

Summary This report presents the 2015 annual self-evaluation of education services for

children and young people in Newport. The self-evaluation is based on the Estyn Common Inspection Framework. A single inspection framework covers all local authority education services for children and young people, including education, the youth service, and partnership arrangements for youth support services.

Proposal The Committee is asked to consider the evidence and findings within

the LAESCYP Annual Self-Assessment and assess whether: 1. The evaluation is balanced and the findings are in keeping with

the evidence presented

2. The areas for improvement are in line with the evaluative commentary and likely to produce the desired improvements

3. To record any comments and views expressed for conveying to the appropriate Cabinet Member

Action by Framework Partnership Manager

Timetable Immediate

This report was prepared after consultation with:

Head of Law and Regulation Head of Finance Head of People and Business Change

Background Currently, Council’s in Wales are inspected by Estyn as part of the Estyn Common Inspection Framework. A single inspection covers all local authority education services for children and young people, including education, the youth service, and partnership arrangements for youth support services The starting point for all Estyn inspections has been performance data from the local authority’s own annual self-evaluation report. Also, Estyn have made clear since the start of local authority inspections in 2001 that it would prefer to take the authority’s own service evaluations produced, as part of its annual business improvement cycle, that were the same service performance evaluations that were reported to scrutiny. Estyn’s framework for inspections states “the process of self-evaluation should be continuous and an embedded part of the local authority’s working life”. LAESCYP Proposed Inspection Model From September 2016 Estyn are, from September 2016, proposing a revised model for undertaking inspections. This will have implications for how scrutiny engages with Estyn in undertaking the inspections and will involve closer working between them. For authorities that have an impending inspection, the process will furnish the inspection team with evidence from scrutiny about performance of services so that the veracity and accuracy of the scrutiny committees’ work can be tested. It will also show how effectively scrutiny is working in being proactive at identifying areas of concern and then holding the executive to account for addressing these areas of concern. Ideally scrutiny should be one-step ahead of the inspectorate and have pre-empted any shortcomings that might be found on inspection by taking their own proactive action beforehand. The approach places greater emphasis on the accountability of local authority managers, for the services they are responsible for, by challenging service performance against robust, evidence based and well-tested criteria. The criteria by which the quality of scrutiny is judged will be set out explicitly in Estyn’s LAESCYP inspection framework and guidance, both of which would be public documents found on Estyn’s website. This is the same as in the inspection framework 2010-2013. There will, as exist at present, also be on-site elements to the inspection. In another change, Estyn are proposing the creation of a new role on an Estyn inspection team for a scrutiny member to act as a team member. The scrutiny member would be trained by Estyn prior to joining an inspection team. It is proposed that the scrutiny team member will join the Estyn team for a minimum of one day, up to a maximum of two days. The role of the scrutiny team member would be to focus on the quality of the authority’s self-evaluation processes and to look at the quality of the scrutiny process set against the context of the authority’s overall governance. This role is different to the current roles undertaken by peer and lay inspectors. After the inspection, the authority will be required to produce a post inspection action plan to explain how it will implement the recommendations of the inspection team. This is the same as in the inspection framework 2010-2013.

Links to Council Policies and Priorities

Single Integrated Plan for Newport

Newport City Council’s Corporate Plan 2012-17

Proposal

The Committee is asked to consider the evidence and findings within the LAESCYP Annual Self-Assessment and assess whether: 1. The evaluation is balanced and the findings are in keeping with the evidence presented 2. The areas for improvement are in line with the evaluative commentary and likely to produce the desired improvements 3. To record any comments and views expressed for conveying to the appropriate Cabinet Member

Comments of Chief Financial Officer There are no financial consequences associated with this report.

Comments of Monitoring Officer There are no specific legal issues arising from the self-evaluation report but the Estyn proposals for future inspections will have implications for Scrutiny, given the enhanced role for the Scrutiny committees and also the proposal for a scrutiny member to become part of the inspection team.

Staffing Implications: Comments of Head of People and Business Change There are no specific staffing implications arising from the report. The annual self-assessment process is part of the Local Authority’s on-going process of assessment, evaluation and improvement. As such it is important that it is subject to rigorous scrutiny so that the organisation is challenged to make improvements.

Background Papers Local Authority Education Services for Children and Young People Annual Self-Assessment 2016

LOCAL AUTHORITY EDUCATION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

2016 SELF-EVALUATION REPORT

One Newport, Newport Local Service Board, oversees the implementation of work and the targeting of resources

against a set of priority themes identified through the Unified Needs Assessment. Within this structure the delivery

of services to children and young people on behalf of the One Newport Local Service Board is co-ordinated by the

Family Support Services Board and Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Group, and brings together

those local partners who are responsible for the delivery of these services.

The Partnership recognises that its purpose reflects statutory provisions in the Learning and Skills Act 2000 and in

the Children Act 2004, dispensed through the Seven Core Aims determined by the Welsh Government (WG) and

through adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

This self-evaluation is presented by the Partnership and reflects the assessment of the current situation and future

development.

KEY QUESTION 1: HOW GOOD ARE OUTCOMES?

1.1 Standards

1.1.1 Results and trends in performance compared with national averages, similar providers, and prior

attainment

The percentage of pupils aged 5-15 eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) (PLASC 2015) in Newport was 20.4%, broadly in line with the region at 20.8% and above the Welsh average of 18.8%. The rank positions for the LAs within the EAS consortium are: Monmouthshire (2nd), Torfaen (12th), Newport (16th) Caerphilly (19th) and Blaenau Gwent (22nd). The percentage of pupils aged 5-15 from an ethnic minority background in the region is 8.6%, an increase from 6.8% in 2012. This is a similar rate of increase to that nationally (7.9% to 9.5%). Notably, the proportion of ethnic minority pupils in Newport increased from 18.0% to 21.6% in 2015.

Teacher assessment outcomes at the end of the foundation phase are good. Performance in this phase continues to improve, with 88.1% pupils achieving the foundation phase indicator (FPI) in 2015, an increase from 87.0% in 2014. Newport currently ranks 8th in Wales for the FPI when compared with other local authorities, which is significantly above the LA’s FSM ranking (16th, 2014 PLASC data). There have been improvements at both the expected level (outcome 5+) and at the higher level (outcome 6) in all indicators. The LA’s ranking against other LAs in Wales have increased in LLC Welsh and PSDWCD but have declined in LLC and MD due to a greater rate of improvement in the other LAs. However, when ranked against the other LAs in Wales, performance in Newport is significantly higher than could be expected given the FSM ranking and is above the national figures for all areas of learning.

Teacher assessment outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are good. Performance in this key stage continues to improve, with 89.3% pupils achieving the core subject indicator (CSI) in 2015, an increase from 86.2% in 2014. Newport is now ranked =7th in Wales, which is significantly higher than could be expected given the LA’s FSM ranking. Performance improved at both the expected level (Level 4+) and the expected level+1 (Level 5+) in the last year. Performance is above the national average for all indicators. These improvements in performance have increased the LA’s rankings against other LAs in all areas apart from Welsh 1

st language.

Teacher assessment outcomes at the end of key stage 3 are adequate. Performance continues to improve, with 81.6% pupils achieving the core subject indicator (CSI) in 2015, a significant increase from 77.1% in 2014. Newport is now ranked 18th in Wales, up from 19

th in 2014. Performance has improved across all

indicators at the expected level 5+ and to a greater extent at level 6+. Improvements have been made in all subjects and indicators and Newport’s ranking has risen slightly for all areas apart from science. Performance in each subject remains lower than the national average.

Performance at key stage 4 is adequate. There has been continued progress, with increases in all high level indicators apart from Capped Points Score and CSI. The proportion of pupils achieving the Level 2 threshold inclusive of English/Welsh first language and mathematics has improved from 52.8% in 2014 to 54.2% in 2015. There was also a small increase to the L2 threshold and a more significant increase to the L1 threshold, although both remain slightly below the national average. The capped point score declined to 4.6 points below the national average. There were declines in both English and Science, but an improvement in mathematics. Despite this, mathematics remains below the national average to the greatest extent. When ranked against the other LAs in Wales, despite improvements in some indicators, gains have been at a slower rate than the national average in the majority of indicators. Newport’s performance improved in the Level 2 Threshold, including E/W&M, the Level 2 Threshold and mathematics but there were declines in English, which had an impact on the Core Subject Indicator.

At the end of key stage 4, the gap between the LA benchmarks for performance modelled on FSM entitlement and actual performance increased in 2015, with the Level 2 threshold including English/Welsh and mathematics 1.3 percentage points below the expected achievement and the capped point score 5.9 percentage points below the expected achievement. The last 2 years has seen performance in Newport fall below expected achievement; in the 3 years prior to that performance was above.

When FSM benchmark data is used to compare the performance of similar schools, the number of Newport schools above the median has increased for the Level 1 and 2 thresholds and capped points score, stayed the same for mathematics and reduced for the Level 2 incl threshold, CSI, English and science. The number of schools in the bottom quarter has increased for all indicators except for L1 threshold and for English. The number of schools in quarter 4 has remained the same in science and reduced in mathematics.

Percentage of pupils leaving full time education with no qualifications: Data currently being verified with schools.

The percentage of leavers without qualifications: Data currently being verified with schools.

NEETs data available March 2016.

Performance in A level examinations is good. In 2015, schools entered a higher proportion of the cohort for A-levels than in 2014, however the cohort size was smaller. The ability on entry of the cohort (based on GCSE performance) cannot be ascertained from this data.

The percentage of A levels at A*-E has fallen from 99.2% to 96.8%. Given the significant increase in entry, the pupils of Newport achieved 1761 A-Levels at A*-E in 2015, 295 more than in 2014. Given the decrease in cohort size the number of A levels at A*-E, awarded per student increased from 1.84 to 2.26. The percentage of A levels at A*-A improved from 22.9% to 23.5%. Given the significant increase in entry, the pupils of Newport achieved 428 A-Levels at A*-A in 2015, 89 more than in 2014. Given the decrease in cohort size the number of A levels at A*-A, awarded per student improved from 0.425 to 0.550. The schools have entered a higher proportion of the cohort for A-levels in 2015 than 2014. The ability on entry of the cohort (based on GCSE performance) cannot be ascertained from this data. It will however be available in individual school self-evaluation, based on final performance data. At an individual student level, the key factors to entering higher education would be: the number of A levels achieved (this has increased from 1.84 to 2.26 per student); and the quality of A levels achieved (this has increased from 0.425 to 0.550 per student). However, in 2014 there were only 12 A-Level entries which were graded as fail, but in 2015, this increased to 59. This may suggest that some schools entered a small number of

pupils for one or more A Levels, where an alternative vocational qualification, may have been more appropriate.

The Level 3 threshold improved from 95.0% to 95.9% in 2015. This 0.9% point improvement is at a faster rate than the EAS region. Currently national improvement figures are not available to 1 decimal place, so no comparison can be made.

Gwent Music seeks to build on the concept of education through music. Whole class project lesson plans

incorporate literacy and numeracy elements. Income schools these are recorded and assessed by TAs and

teachers and built into targets for pupils across the year.

The national qualification framework is now built into all music examinations. Work is being developed

with the EAS and WG to formally report on this and for schools to link this into their individual results.

Areas for further development

Improve performance in level 2 Maths and English.

Continue to improve Key Stage 3 outcomes.

Participation in education, employment or training

The percentage of Year 11 leavers not in full-time education, employment or training (NEET) decreased in

2014 to 4.7% (ranked 22nd

) compared with 9.1% in 2009 (ranking 22nd

). This is the fourth greatest rate in

reduction in Wales but still leaves Newport with the highest rate of Year11 leavers becoming NEET in

Wales

The percentage of learners remaining in full-time education continues to be relatively stronger (ranking

14th

) with improvements over the last four years broadly in line with Wales.

During 2015 NCC implemented the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework with a focus on

provision and early identification. This has led to a significant re-focusing of efforts by schools and

partners on addressing the needs of those at risk of disengagement and ensuring appropriate provision is

in place.

The NEET project has engaged with 112 young people onto 7 programmes across the city, retained 93% of

young learners for the duration of the programme and progressed 80% of young learners into positive

progressions such as Education (41%), work (11%) and training (29%).

During the Aspire delivery the following results were achieved for the group of 15 pupils. Increased

attendance of 4% for the group; an increase from an average of 68% in 2012/13 to 72% 2013/14. 77%

achievement rate of BTEC/ GCSE C or above grades. 114 qualifications attempted. 88 achieving a GCSE or

equivalent C grade or above.

NCC has delivered the Work Programme since 2012 in Newport. Last year it supported 1200 people into

job search activities and supported 612 people into employment. Working specifically with 18 – 24 year

olds, supporting 106 people with job search activities, and supporting 103 of this group into employment.

Narrowing the Gap – Children and Young People’s Skills Project has been commissioned through Newport

Youth Service and has supported 1088 individuals during 2014/15


Whilst early identification mechanisms are robust we need to better target appropriate resources at those

identified with greatest need. There are specific issues around additional support, mental health support

and appropriate youth support provision within communities.

Interventions need to be earlier within the child’s life and involve more work with parents, family and

communities. Team Around the Cluster is expected to provide additional support mechanisms and

pathways here.

More engagement of employers within education will support the engagement and progression process.

Achievement and attainment through involvement with youth support services

Newport Youth Service has made good progress in increasing the proportion of members achieving accreditation through informal learning opportunities. In In 2014/15, 480 individual young people gained accredited outcomes. Accreditation achieved includes ASDAN, Peer Mentoring and DoE.

Alternative Learning Forum (ALF) responded to the needs of the Newport Secondary Schools and moved from a short term alternative education provision to a long term (full academic year option). 29 Year 11 students accessed this provision in 2012/13, 14 students in 2013/14 and 14 again in 2014/15.

Newport Sports Development and Positive Futures programmes work with and engage Young People who have continued to succeed and gain Sports Leaders UK (SLUK) qualifications in 2014/15 from Community and Education settings. Qualifications gained include 54 x young people aged 13 – 19 completed SLUK Level 1 Award (30 x via schools and 24 x via communities first settings) against 48 x last year. 30 x young people (against 27 x last year) completed Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) Level 2 (17 x via schools and 13 x via communities first settings).

Secondary School based qualification in 2014/15 Active Young People Organiser Workshop (Sport Wales) engaged 16 x young people with training.

Primary School based qualification had an increase – Playmaker Award (Sport Wales) engaged 117 to begin their leadership pathway.

The above SLUK courses in 2014/15 have resulted in 9 volunteers progressing on to payroll with Newport City Council as a Casual Sports Coach, and a number gaining further practical delivery experience on sessions in schools and communities with paid Casual Sports Coaches with a view to employment in the future.

2 x Physical Literacy workshops have been delivered over the last 12 months assisting with the up skilling of staff on the Physical Literacy Framework. The training catered to 40 individuals including Play Development, Volunteers, Sports Coaches, Facility, Nursery and Playgroup staff. A partnership with Wales PPA has resulted in a staff development programme being delivered across 8 early year settings across Newport. The programme aims to mentor 20 site staff with the aim of providing new ideas and ways of developing physical literacy.

The Positive Futures Mentoring team has developed and progressed throughout the last 12 months. One of the team leads and develops 16 x Mentors who give 1:1 support, guidance and sport engagement opportunities to Education and Alternative Education providers who have at risk and challenging young people across the city. Young people are referred onto the programme from partners such as mainstream comprehensive schools (4 currently), Families First Preventions Team for Youth ASB, YOS, Aftercare, and Bridge Achievement Centre and a variety of supporting agencies that engage with at risk young people. The team are now engaging with 15 x referrals on a weekly basis as 1:1’s, 11 x referred groups, and 14+ Families First Youth ASB Referrals.

The lead officer for the programme has developed an internal training package for all staff to attend on a regular basis. The package offers issue based workshops led by internal staff and practical sessions to develop knowledge around a certain sport. Such workshops encourage staff to deliver sport in a variety of settings: 1:1, schools & community sessions.

Different Sports delivered are: Football, Netball, Basketball, Swimming, Badminton, Table Tennis, Boxing, Dance, Gym Circuits and Tennis.

Over 150 different issue based workshops and qualifications were delivered in 2014/15 including Sports Leaders UK, Princes Trust XL programme, COPE, ASDAN Qualifications, Effective Listening Skills, Bullying, Racism, Legal Highs, ASBO, Gambling, Drugs Misuse, Smoking. These are provided for Families First ASB Referrals, Mentoring, Youth Offending Service along with others.

As part of a pan Gwent collaborative programme led by Newport Sports Development Service, 1,376 learning opportunities have been provided in accredited sport leadership and coaching opportunities ranging from Sports Leaders UK, Disability Inclusion Training, First Aid, and Sports Wales AYP qualifications. 287 of these are Newport specific linked to Education and Communities.


Further increase the learning opportunities and accredited outcomes for young people through

engagement with Sport Development Volunteer and Coach Education Pathway.

Further engagement with the voluntary sector to ensure appropriate pathways for all young people.

1.1.2 Groups of learners

Gender

In the foundation phase at outcome 5+ gender differences have reduced for FPI, LLC-English and PSDWCD but increased for LLC Welsh and MD. Gender differences remain either less than or in line with the Wales average for FPI, LLC Eng and PSD. At outcome 6+ gender differences have increased slightly for LLC-English and mathematical development and PSD, but decreased for LLC Welsh. Gender differences for 2015 at outcome 6+ are either less than or in line with Wales.

At key stage 2 at level 4+ gender differences have slightly increased in mathematics and science. Gender differences are slightly larger than the Wales average for the CSI and mathematics and science, but significantly larger for Welsh. At level 5+ gender differences increased for each subject, apart from Welsh, which decreased slightly. Gender differences for 2015 at level 5+ are significantly wider in Welsh than the Wales average (3 schools) and slightly larger in mathematics and science.

At key stage 3 gender differences have reduced in all indicators at level 5+ to now be approximately in line with the Wales average. At level 6+ gender differences have decreased slightly in English and science, but increased in mathematics, compared with 2014. At level 7+ gender differences increased in English and science, but decreased in mathematics, compared with 2014. Gender differences for 2015 at level 6+ and level 7+ are in line with the national average.

At key stage 4 the gender gap reduced in 2015 for the Level 2 threshold inclusive of English/Welsh first language and mathematics from a 6.5 points gap in 2013 to a 4.6 points gap in 2015, below the Wales average of 7.5 points. The gap has been smaller than across Wales since 2011. This gap has reduced due to the acceleration of boys’ performance relative to girls’. In fact, girls’ performance in 2015 was lower than 2014 in all measures apart from L2 inc and mathematics. This is reflected in the gender gap decrease for all measure apart from L2 inc and mathematics, as this is due to poor performance of girls whilst boys continue to improve. The gender gap for all measures is smaller than that for Wales.

Performance of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM)

In the foundation phase indicator measure (FPI), the gap between the performance of FSM and non FSM pupils has narrowed since 2014, and is only slightly larger than the Wales gap.

At key stage 2 CSI the gap between the performance of FSM and non FSM pupils has narrowed since 2014, and is smaller than the Wales gap.

At key stage 3 CSI the gap between the performance of FSM and non FSM pupils has narrowed since 2014, but it is larger than the Wales gap.

At Key Stage 4, the FSM/non FSM gap reduced in 2015 for the Level 2 threshold inclusive of English/Welsh first language and mathematics from a 35.7 points gap in 2013 to a 34.2 points gap in 2015, above the Wales average of 32.5 points. This gap has reduced due to the acceleration of FSM pupil performance relative to non FSM pupil performance. In fact, non FSM pupil performance in 2015 was lower than 2014 in L2 threshold, CSI and Capped Points Score. This is reflected in the narrowing of the gap for all measures.

Performance of minority ethnic groups and learners new to English

In 2015, EAL pupils as a group achieved the L1, L2 and L2 inclusive thresholds in line with the whole

schools LA population (L1 96% v 94%, L2 83% v 84%, L2inc 51% v 54%).

Pupils are successful in achieving qualifications in their home language with 83 pupils achieving

qualifications at Levels 2 or 3 in 9 languages in 2015. In 2014 55 pupils took external qualifications and

achieved qualifications at levels 2 or 3 in 18 languages.

The GEMS Language Acquisition Record that provides targeted intervention for mainstream and specialist staff has been updated (July 2013) to incorporate the National Literacy Framework. Learners are now tracked on a numeric basis focussing on the statements within the Language Acquisition Record.

More Able and Talented

As outlined, Newport pupils continue to perform well at the higher levels at foundation phase and key stages 2 and there has been significant improvement in most indicators at key stage 3. At FP and KS2, performance is above the national average and above LA FSM rankings.

Performance at outcome 6 improved in all indicators in 2015: LLC 33.9% (+0.5) and 0.3pp below Wales; LLC Cymraeg 51% (+8.0) and well above Wales (3 schools); MD 33.8% (+1.5) and 0.5pp below Wales and PSD 56.7% (+4.6) and above Wales.

At KS2, at Level 5+ performance is also strong, with all indicators except Cymraeg improving again in 2015: English 49% (+3.3); Cymraeg 49% (-0.1); maths 48.3% (+2.5) and science 50.8% (+1.5). All indicators are well above the Welsh average.

At KS3, performance at Level 6+ has improved significantly since 2014, with all areas except science now performing strongly against the national: English 53.8% (+7.5) and well above Wales; maths 58.8% (+6.3) and 0.7pp below Wales and science 52.4% (+5.5) and 6.1pp below the national average.

The proportion of pupils achieving A* and A grades in GCSEs has dropped from 20.9% in 2014 to 18.4% in 2015. The Wales average for this indicator remained at 21% for the second year.

Performance of Looked After Children

Looked After Children achievement at all key stages fluctuates due to small cohort numbers and a greater

representation of pupils at School Action Plus or with statements of SEN than the overall population.

However, analysis of performance over the last three years demonstrates that performance of Looked

After Children pupils in Newport schools is lower than the overall population at all key stages with the gap

increasing with each key stage in line with national averages.

All pupils in year 10 and 11 offered one to one tuition after school to help prepare for their GCSE’s.

Performance of children with Additional Educational Needs (AEN)

Learners with AEN (School Action, School Action Plus and Statement of SEN) make good progress. The

proportion of children with AEN achieving the CSI has increased significantly over the last 5 years from 41%

in 2010 to 58% in 2014 (Wales 2013: 53%), and from 24% to 38% at KS3 (Wales 2013: 40%).

When compared with other authorities, standards for pupils with AEN are above national averages at KS2.

In 2014, 74% of children at School Action (Wales 2013: 65%), 52.0% of children at School Action plus

(Wales 2013: 47.0%) and 21% of children with Statements (Wales 2013: 17%) achieved the KS2 CSI.

At KS4 in 2014 standards for pupils with AEN were below national averages for the Level 2 threshold

inclusive of English/Welsh and mathematics at 10.5% for all AEN pupils (Wales 2013: 17%), 12.2% of pupils

at School Action (Wales 2013: 20%), 11.4% of pupils at School Action Plus (Wales 2013: 16%) and 5.6% of

pupils with a Statement (Wales 2013: 11%).


Continue to close the gap in performance at KS4 for the L2+.

Improve the performance of girls at KS4.

Improve performance at A/A*.

Improve the gender gap at the expected level +1 in FP and KS2. Further improve outcomes for Looked After Children attainment.

1.1.3 Not applicable for local authority inspections

1.1.4 Skills – Hayley Davies Edwards

Many foundation phase and key stage 2 pupils make sufficient progress in developing their literacy, communication, numeracy and ICT skills in primary schools, however this is not the case in the secondary phase. Since September 2012 91.3% of infant, junior and primary schools (21/23) and 60% of secondary schools (3/5) are judged to be good or better for KQ1.

Performance in the national reading, Welsh and numeracy tests is adequate.

In relation to LA rankings, in 2014-15, the EAS regional combined performance of all year groups in the English reading tests at SS85+ matched performance at SS115+ in terms of local authority rankings. In Newport, performance was relatively stronger at SS115+ than at SS85+. Performance at SS115+ was several places higher than might be expected given the FSM average. Overall, Newport LA rankings at SS85+ align more closely to Teacher Assessment rankings in key stages 2 and 3, than in the Foundation Phase. However, it is important to note that reading is only one of three attainment targets taken into account for Teacher Assessment in English and Welsh. LA rankings for Teacher Assessment at the expected level + 1 have not yet been published.

In the Cymraeg reading tests, in terms of LA rankings, the combined EAS performance across years 2 to 9 was similar overall in terms of local authority rankings at SS85+ and SS115+. However, in Newport rankings for the reading tests were several places lower than LA FSM rankings. Year 2 scores were also relatively low in Newport (three schools). There is also little correlation with LA rankings for Teacher Assessment, hence test and TA rankings are not aligned.

In both English and Cymraeg, mean progress scores in Newport are relatively weak in years 6 and 9 compared with those in year 2 and the combined ‘all years’ figure.

The benchmark performance in the national reading tests compared with Teacher Assessment performance LLC / English (Years 2, 6 and 9) in Newport was average overall in years 2 and 6. At SS85+, fewer than 25% of schools were in the bottom quarter (11% and 15% schools respectively), but only 13% and 8% schools were in the top quarter. In year 9, Newport performance was above average at SS115++ (63% schools above the median and no schools in the bottom quarter), but below average at SS85+ (75% of schools below the median).

The benchmark performance in the national reading tests compared with Teacher Assessment performance in LLC / Cymraeg reflect the performance of just three Welsh medium primary schools (three in FP and two in KS2). In year 2, performance was below average at both SS85+ and SS115+ (two out of

three schools below the median). In year 6, one school was in the top quarter at SS85+, the other in the third quarter. At SS115+, both schools were in the bottom quarter.

At SS85+ there was a variation of 21% between TA and test outcomes in Year 2, 16% in Year 6 and no variation in Year 9. Reading test performance decreased on 2014 by 4% in Year 2 and by 1% in Year 6. Regional test performance is therefore inconsistent with TA data in year 2 and year 6. There is a wider variance between Reading Test performance and TA in Year 2. This is greater than the variance in English - 5.4% and 8.4% respectively and in maths - 13% and 3.2% respectively.

At SS116+ there was a variation of 39.6% between TA and test outcomes in year 2, 35.3% in year 6 and 41% in year 9. Reading test performance is in a par with 2014 (11.4%) in year 2 and increased on 2014 by 6% in Year 6 (7.5%). Test performance is therefore highly inconsistent with TA data in years 2 and 6. The variance between Reading Test performance and TA is 3.7% wider in year 2 than in year 6.

In the national numeracy tests, in four out of five LAs in the EAS consortium, the combined performance of all year groups was similar in the procedural and reasoning tests in terms of LA rankings for standardised scores of SS85+. Performance was lower than might be expected in Newport when LA FSM rankings are taken into account (both tests - as in 2014). As with the reading tests, LA rankings in national numeracy tests at SS85+ align more closely to Teacher Assessment rankings at the expected level in key stage 3, than to rankings in Foundation Phase and key stage 2.

In four out of five LAs in the region, rankings in the numeracy tests were similar at SS85+ and SS115+. LA rankings for Teacher Assessment at the expected level + 1 have not been published yet.

Progress measures data shows that increases in Newport were smaller than for Wales as a whole in nearly all cases. Mean progress scores in Newport were relatively weak in years 2 and 6, but relatively stronger in year 9 for both tests.

The benchmark performance in the national numeracy tests compared with Teacher Assessment performance in mathematics shows that performance was stronger in year 9 than in years 2 and 6, contrary to Teacher Assessment benchmarks where key stage 3 performance was well below average at the expected level (only 36% schools above the median compared with 61% in Foundation Phase and 56% at key stage 2). In the primary phase (years 2 and 6), with the exception of the year 6 procedural test at SS115+, there were fewer than 50% of schools above the median, and significantly more schools in the bottom quarter than in the top quarter.

Performance in Newport in year 2 was well below average, with roughly three-quarters of schools below the median for most measures and too many schools in the bottom quarter (between 34 and 39%).

Performance in Newport in year 6 was weakest in the reasoning tests, with too many schools below the median and very few schools were in the top quarter (3%, 10% / 8%, 5%).

Performance in Newport in year 9 was strongest and well above average SS115+.

In 2015, the combined absence/disapplication figure was higher than last year in Blaenau-Gwent and

Monmouthshire, but lower than last year in Torfaen, Newport and Caerphilly for all three tests, (reading,

procedural and reasoning tests). In Newport, the percentage of pupils absent and/or disapplied from the

tests has been above the national average since 2013, albeit figures were significantly lower in 2015 than

in 2014. In Newport the percentage of pupils disapplied from the tests in 2015 was relatively high when

compared with Blaenau-Gwent and Caerphilly.

Newport Sports Development continues to support the delivery of Physical Literacy and Multi-skills, alongside the PLPS team and provide training requirements and support when required to teachers and early years nursery settings.

Regional collaborative Sports Development Local Authority Partnership Agreement steering group continues to oversee future development of Physical Literacy and Multi Skills in schools, early years settings, leisure centres and communities.


Improve performance in the national tests.

Endure closer alignment of teacher assessment and test outcomes.

Continue to improve attendance and disapplication figures in the national tests.

Develop a programme to engage young people not engaged in the labour market in employment skilled-

based programmes of learning to improve their basic skills.

1.1.5 Welsh Language

In Cymraeg, 2015 end of foundation phase assessment outcomes for the individual attainment targets at the expected level show that overall performance increased on 2014 by 5% and is in line with the target (96%). Performance is above Wales (91%) by 5% and above SE Wales (92%). The 3 year trend shows an increase of 7.5%. Newport LA is ranked 2nd out of 20 LAs in Wales in 2015 and is up on 2014 by 7 places

Performance in Cymraeg is 6pp above performance in English (90%). Girls outperform Boys by 10%. The gap has widened by 4% on 2014. The performance of all three schools increased on 2014. All three schools met their target for 2015 and all three schools are performing above the median.

At the expected level +1 results increased on 2014 by 8%. Performance is 5% above the target (46%) and above Wales (37%) by 11% and above SE Wales (32%) by 19%. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 23.4%.

Performance in Cymraeg is 15pp above performance in English (36%). Girls outperform Boys by 8%. The gap has narrowed by 7% on 2014.

In Cymraeg, 2015 end of key stage 2 teacher assessment outcomes for the individual attainment targets at the expected level show that overall performance was on a par with 2014 results at 94% and in line with the target (94%). Performance is above Wales (91%) by 3% and above SE Wales (91%) by 3%. The 3 year trend shows a decrease of 4.3%. Newport is ranked 5th out of 20 LAs in Wales in 2015 which is down on 2014 by 2 places. Performance in Cymraeg is 2pp above performance in English (92%). Girls outperform Boys by 12%. The gap is on a par with 2014. Both schools met their target for 2015.

At the expected level +1 results were on a par with 2014 results at 49% and 2pp above the target (47%).

Performance is above Wales (38%) by 11% and above SE Wales (36%) by 13%. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 8.3%. Performance in Cymraeg is on a par with performance in English (49%). Girls outperform Boys by 22%. The gap has narrowed by 3% on 2014 at 25%.

In Welsh second language end of key stage 2 teacher assessment outcomes at the expected level (86%) show that performance increased on 2014 by 6pp and is 9% above the target. Performance is above Wales (76.1%) by 9.9% and above SE Wales by 4%. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 7.7%. Newport is ranked 1st in Wales in 2015 - up on 2014 by 2 places. Girls outperform Boys by 10pp. The gap has increased by 0.5% on 2014. Many schools’ performance was above Wales and showed improvement on 2014.

At the expected level +1 performance increased on 2014 by 2% (to 32%). Performance is 3pp above the target of 29%, above Wales (19.13%) by 12.87pp and above SE Wales at 26% by 4pp. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 2pp each year since 2013. Girls outperform Boys by 13pp. The gap has increased by 3.6% on 2014 at 9.4%.

In Welsh second language end of key stage 3 teacher assessment outcomes at the expected level (78.5%) performance increased on 2014 by 3.3pp. Performance is below Wales (81.2%) by 2.7pp and below SE

Wales by 2.5pp. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 3.6pp. Newport LA is ranked 19th

in Wales in 2015 as in 2014. Girls outperform Boys by 16%. The gap has increased by 1.1% since 2014. A minority of schools’ performance was above Wales. Many schools showed improvement on 2014.

In Welsh second language end of key stage 3 teacher assessment outcomes at the expected level +1 (41.4%) performance increased on 2014 by 8.8pp. Performance is above Wales (33.2%) by 7.2pp and above SE Wales by 2.5pp. The 3 year trend shows an increase of 9pp since 2013. Girls outperform Boys by 17%. The gap has increased by 0.9pp.

At Key Stage 4 performance in the GCSE full course (or Level 2 qualification) in 2015 was 78%. This is an

increase of 10pp on 2014 and is above the Wales average and 8 points above the target. 575 pupils were

entered for L2 qualifications - up from 487 on 2014. Performance in the short course was at 37.7%, which is

a decrease of 24pp on 2014. However the proportion entered for the Full Course is increasing and Full

Course results are also increasing. Only 14% of the cohort was not entered for Welsh qualifications at KS4

in Newport.

Areas for further development - Cymraeg (3 schools)

Continue to narrow the gap in performance between boys and girls in some indicators.

Improve standards of writing in KS2, particularly at the expected level +1 (2 schools).

Areas for further development – Welsh second language

Improve standards of writing at Level 4+ KS2 and reading and writing at KS3.

Close the widening gender gap between girls and boys at KS2 and KS3.

Continue to address the variance in performance between schools at KS3 and 4.

Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2014-17

1.2 Wellbeing

Attitudes to keeping healthy and safe

Physical wellbeing

100% of schools have achieved Phase 3 Healthy Schools Award against a National Target of 95%. 6% of schools have achieved their National Quality Award in Healthy Schools. 31 pre-school settings are engaged in the Healthy Pre-School Scheme. This now includes all Flying Start Settings.

Young people have good knowledge of healthy eating through the Healthy Schools programme, new school menus, School Nutrition Action Groups and ‘Ready, Set, Go’ cookery competitions. The Cooking Bus has visited Newport to train Community Workers, Healthcare workers, Childcare providers and 10 Primary schools and their staff in good practice with food and food preparation.

Campaign launched in November across Facebook and Twitter using ‘No Alcohol No Risk’ slogan. Monitoring and evaluation is being undertaken to access the reach of the campaign

All but one of Newport’s primary schools (for 14/15) participated in the Newport primary schools’ swim programme (including one from Monmouthshire), which has seen an increase in participation from 1,800 in 2013/14 (46 children per school) with 1,900 participating in 2014/15 which equates to 49 children per school.

Swim Development witnessed an increase in the number of pupils achieving the National Curriculum standard overall (680 compared to 530 for 13/14) and for year 6 (76 for 13/14 = 43% & 120 for 14/15 = 49%) for both girls and boys. However, it must be noted that only a small proportion of children attending the programme are in Year 6; only 247 pupils (13%) were from Year 6. In addition, Swim Development is conscious that the figures for 15/16 will potentially decrease due to changes to the national curriculum standard which have made this award harder to achieve.

Newport (as with other local authorities) has witnessed a significant decrease in the swimming ability of children attending the schools swim programme, with many children never having been to a swimming pool before. This may be due to a number of reasons including place of birth, background, culture, deprivation etc..

Swim Development has continued to enhance delivery of school swim programme with the training of primary school teachers and teaching assistants. The aim of which is to give them the relevant aquatic skills to teach children within the programme. Swim Development has organised both a Module 1 and Module 2 course during 15/16.

Participation in the schools programme has resulted in schools still utilising other facilities available at the Newport International Sports Village and the Active Living Centre at Newport High School both within school time and outside school where the facilities are used with families and friends. For example some schools have utilised other facilities which allows schools and pupils to access coaching in other sporting activities. The programme has also seen schools utilise other facilities including astro turf, indoor tennis courts, cycling and MUGAs. In this way young people are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles and positively impact on their physical activity levels.

794 young people accessed the C-Card Scheme in 2014/15, which provides sexual health advice, information and access to contraception, of which, 63% were repeat users.

Friday Night projects continue to be delivered across the city specifically focusing on some of the most deprived communities. There are currently 8 Friday Night Projects being run across the City including those in communities such as Duffryn, Pill, Somerton and Ringland to name a few. Large numbers of young people are attracted to leisure facilities on Friday evenings to engage in sport and other diversionary activities. Evidence from the police has indicated a reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour when these sessions are taking place. Additional Friday Night Projects are now operating in Moorland Park, Newport Centre, Bettws and Gaer.

The Positive Futures Street Team have a timetable covering areas where there is a lack of provision, parks and provision that needs additional support. The Street Team work Monday to Friday targeting hot spot areas in a reactive manner responding to partners referring in perceived “hot spot” areas of anti-social behaviour across the City. The Street Team complete reporting sheets every session which are collated and fed back to the Newport Anti-Social behaviour steering group consisting of partners such as Gwent Police, South Wales Fire and Rescue, and including numerous Housing Associations and other partners.

Dragon Sport and 5x60 school based programs continue to be implemented in 100% of Newport schools. There has been an increase in Sport and Physical Activity in all of the 8 high schools and an increase in participation in the Dragon Sport program.

The 2015 School Sport Survey highlighted a participation level for Newport of 50% “Hooked on Sport” which is indicates that they participate more than 3 times a week against the National Average of 48% and the Gwent average of 47%. A total of 7,408 pupils participated in the survey from primary and secondary schools.

Positive Futures led on a specific ASB project called Operation Bang. This involved numerous partners (Police, Fire Service, Preventions, Communities First, Youth Service) working together to ensure ASB levels were kept to a minimum during the hotspot ASB period of Halloween and Bonfire Night. Community based events were held throughout Halloween. A central event was also held on Bonfire Night in the Velodrome to transport “at risk” of offending youths out of their communities a d into a constructive activity. In total, 1,166 young people were recorded engaging over the period, consisting of 33 sessions.

Positive Futures has an outreach “Street Team” that engage with young people in hotspot areas that have been identified through Police data and local knowledge. The team take part in outreach sessions amongst targeted communities and support local leisure facilities with ASB issues, and late night provision that attracts large numbers of young people. The team currently operates on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

Thursday and Friday evenings. Staff actively signpost and engage with young people to raise awareness of current provision.

MEND 2-4 years educates families with dietetic advice and support and provides physical activity sessions with exit routes to families. Three courses are delivered throughout the year, and 10 families accessed each of these three courses, amounting to 62 participants.

MEND 5-7 years educates families with dietetic advice and support and provides physical activity sessions with exit routes to families. Three courses are delivered throughout the year, and 10 families accessed each of these three courses, amounting to 65 participants.

Narrowing the Gap – The Families First Health and Wellbeing Project has engaged with 411 clients throughout the year and has offered a variety of interventions to improve mental wellbeing, diet, physical activity and support around alcohol and substance misuse counselling: - 93% of families have reports an increase in their ability, willingness and confidence to make and maintain a progression; - 84.5% of families / family members report an improvement in their understanding of healthy eating options and physical activity; - 93% of parents state that they are more confident in making informed health choices for their family, and - 94% of long-term clients show an improvement via a distance travelled assessment tool.

Social and emotional wellbeing

All Newport schools have been trained in implementing the SEAL programme.

School-based Counselling services operate in all secondary and nursery schools, 44 Primary Schools, Maes Ebbw and the PRU.

One-off incidents and bullying linked to Protected Characteristics are collated centrally and monitored by the Equalities Monitoring Group. In the autumn term 2015, Schools were supported in updating their Equalities Action Plans.

All school have been trained to use an electronic monitoring system to monitor one-off incidents and bullying linked to Protected Characteristics although not all schools are making a termly data return.

Music continues to be an important activity promoting both learning and wellbeing in many schools.

As well as 121 lessons, many schools offer extra-curricular clubs through Gwent Music and these are an important outlet for creativity and expression.

There are also in excess of 500 children per week attending Music Centres in Newport, and those who are eligible for Free School Meals can access these free of charge. These Music Centres also deliver music therapy when appropriate to those requiring the service and there is potential to develop this should there be sufficient capacity within the team to promote it.


Strengthen monitoring and reporting of equalities instances using SIMS by Schools.

1.2.1 Participation and enjoyment in learning

Social wellbeing

Primary school attendance has increased from 93.03% in 2010/11 to 94.5% in 2014/15. Newport performed below the Welsh average of 94.9% attendance in 2014/15 but performed in line with Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent in joint 19

th ranking position across Wales. This is an improvement from the

21/22 ranking position obtained in 2013/14.

Unauthorised Primary School absence in Newport is 1.8% which is the highest in the South East Wales Consortium and is above the Welsh average of 1%.

Secondary school attendance has increased from 91.82% in 2010/11 to 93.1% in 2014/15. Newport performed below the Welsh average of 93.8% attendance in 2014/15 but performed in line with Merthyr Tydfil in joint 19

th ranking position across Wales. This is an improvement from the 20/11 ranking position

obtained in 2013/14.

Several Gwent Music projects have been delivered and will continue to be developed across the four authorities specifically targeting schools who report low attendance for secondary-age pupils.

Gwent Music has developed a Beat Boxing project which acts as a hook for specific learners and rewards them with sessions.

Gwent Music is also working with the PRU to deliver 6-week sessions that are then taken up by the relevant school in order to provide a legacy and a hook back into mainstream education.

Although the overall secondary school data for 2014/15 shows a slight increase in the number of incidents of fixed-term exclusions and a rise in the number of days lost to exclusions (see below), over half of the secondary schools have been successful in reducing the number of incidents. Four schools have also successfully reduced the number of days lost to exclusions.

There has been an increase in the number of exclusions which are 6 days or more in three schools. One school saw a considerable increase of 236 days lost, an increase of 91.5 days compared with the previous year.

In Newport, exclusions continue to be significantly above the Welsh average, especially for fixed-term exclusions of less than 5 days where there has been an increase of 0.38%, and a slight reduction of 0.06% in the number of fixed term exclusions of over 6 days.

Secondary permanent exclusions continue to decrease, falling from 17 in 2012/13 to 10 in 2013/14 and to 8 in 2014/15.

Primary exclusions have reduced by 106 to 81 incidents and 187 days lost.

Exclusions are monitored by the Curriculum Improvement Adviser (Behaviour) on a monthly basis and are reported to the Every Child Group for scrutiny on a half-termly basis. There are also regular exclusion monitoring meetings in all secondary schools, consisting of challenge and support.

A total of 243,332 participations were recorded by Active Communities during 2014, of which 220,704 participations were provided from AYP projects in Primary and Secondary Schools (Dragon Sport and 5x60) with 22,628 participations coming from Positive Futures.

Newport Youth Service continues to increase the number of young people engaged in the DofE scheme.

621 young people participated in the DofE Award in 2014/15 with 280 completing the award.

In 2014/15 Positive Futures has expanded its support for young people in alternative education settings or on the cusp of exclusions. The programme supports Secondary Schools by targeting year groups who have a core group of pupils they are concerned with. Support is also provided on a 1:1 level with the most challenging pupils throughout Newport engaging in Positive Futures.

In 2014/15: 150+ workshops and sport sessions were held for schools and alternative education providers to engage pupils and help reduce the chance of fixed term exclusion.


Implement the Local Authority Attendance Action Plan and review annually.

Continue to reduce the number of days lost through fixed-term exclusions through developing school

capacity to promote positive behaviour and manage behaviour incidents.

Whole System Review of behaviour with stakeholders to refine the system design.

1.2.2 Community involvement and decision making

Young people have and take up a wide range of opportunities to be involved in their communities and in

decision making. Areas of development have been identified to further increase this range of opportunities.

Social wellbeing

Since 2010, the Youth Council and wider participation agenda has progressed significantly, resulting in the development of a Participation Toolkit, training for three school councils and seven youth for a on the United Nation Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), National Participation Standards, Meeting Skills, Community Planning and Local Democracy (2010/11), and the establishment of formal working structures between the Youth Council, Cabinet Members and decision makers. The Youth Council has made significant progress in its work with Newport City Council including attendance of OSF meetings and the development of policy and procedures for the involvement of young people in the recruitment of Council employees; this was formally adopted by Newport City Council in 2012. Due to funding changes this has impacted heavily on the youth council, and a proposal has been developed to ensure that the youth council can function effectively in the future

Over 1000 children and young people contributed to the development of the Community Needs Assessment in 2011 and over 1,500 took part in the development of the 2011 CYPP self-evaluation report. This included focus groups with vulnerable groups such as MIND and Young Parents.

The assessment was repeated in 2012 with over 400 responses and in 2013 with 991 responses from children and young people.

A pupil participation network has been established as a teacher led forum which meets twice a year to share best practice in participation issues. This group is based on the principles set out in the UNCRC. Newport primary PSE Coordinators received training around the UNCRC in January 2012. 70% of schools attended. The PRU also received an afternoon’s INSET on participation standards in March 2012. The PPLN now meets once a term to share good practice supported by the Participation Officer.

Nine schools support Children as Researchers (CARS) projects to enable pupils to research and contribute to the School Improvement Plans. As part of the Pupil Participation Network, members organise and annual event where the children involved in the CARS projects are given the opportunity to present to each other and share good practice. This has enabled schools to replicate different pieces of research and share ideas on their experiences in school, supporting improvement.

Newport has established a “Children in Care Council” to enable children and young people that are looked after to have a voice in the Corporate Parenting Plan. The group meets once a month to gain the views of children and young people on specific LAC issues.

The Newport Junior Safeguarding children’s board was established in 2011 to consult with children and young people on issues around safeguarding. In 2014 the group produced film ‘Who Do We Talk to?’ The film aims to give an insight to those who work with children and young people in handling disclosures and what young feel that they need from adults when they do. The film will now be used as part of the safeguarding training offered to all staff.

In order to establish a more robust mechanism for children and young people to have a voice in Newport, the One Newport Participation Project has been commissioned through Tros Gynnal. Young people took part in the tendering process when selecting Tros Gynnal, and have been working closely with staff to make progress. The One Newport Participation Project incorporates the Newport Youth Council, the Junior Safeguarding Children’s Board and the Children In Care Council to ensure a more joined up approach in enabling young people to have a say in the decisions that have a direct impact on them.

Newport City Council supports a Citizens Panel, initially this targeted adults however the age range has been expanded to give children and young people the opportunity to be involved.

In order to ensure that Newport City Council meets its statutory duty to involve children and young people in decision that have a direct impact on their lives an internal mechanism has been implemented to ensure that elected members and senior officers are aware of the requirements. Support guidance and training is offered through the Participation Officer and the Partnership support team.

In 2013 272 children and young people from across the city were consulted and in the smoke free play area scheme. As part of the scheme a design the sign competition. Young people from Newport Youth Council and The Junior Safeguarding board were on the judging panel and selected the winner from the 243 entries. The winning sign will now be displayed in play area across the city.

In November 2015 the Newport Youth Sports Forum held its fourth annual Volunteer Awards evening. The Forum take the lead on the organising and the delivery to ensure the event is what young people want to see and all youth volunteers are recognised for their hard work and commitment to programmes across the city. This event was on the largest scale yet with an attendance of 400 guests including young volunteers and partners.

The GEMS service in partnership with the Romany Arts Project and South East Wales Equality Council has raised awareness and improved understanding of the Gypsy Traveller Community. This work has increased self-esteem of gypsy traveller young people, through competitions, school assemblies and workshops.

Youth Council representatives are trained to deliver the SE Wales Youth Service Young Inspectors Programme; this enables young people to assess services that are being delivered. Youth Council members inspected Newport's Information Shop against the 'National Standards and Quality Assurance framework for Youth Information Work' and were delighted to able to recommend Newport to receive the first iSpect kite-mark in Wales.

Young people from black and minority ethnic communities are actively involved in the wider community through a range of mechanisms, Gypsy and Romany Traveller participation group, Show Racism the Red Card and GEMS mentoring projects. Examples of outcomes include the development of three films by young people to influence communities within Newport on the topics of substance misuse, arranged and forced marriage, and dealing with grief. The arranged and forced marriage film was awarded a national First Light Film Award and has been used to support honour based violence training across Wales by South Wales Police and the WG.

Young people supported by Llamau in supported housing projects provided feedback about their experiences of homelessness and local services, which was incorporated into the report of the Housing & Community Services Overview & Scrutiny Forum homelessness review in 2011.

BME Sports Forum gives the opportunities for local BME sporting groups to gain advice from sporting professionals such as National Governing Bodies (NGB’s) to access advice and funding to develop BME specific sporting sessions.

Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations is supporting nine Community Voice projects across Newport and Monmouth through the Newport and Monmouthshire engage project.


To maintain closer links between the Children in Care Council, the Junior Safeguarding Children Board and the Newport Youth Council.

Ensure that Newport Youth Council receives the support needed to be effectively involved in decision making.

To widen the opportunity for the information gathered through the annual needs assessment to be fully utilised when developing and delivering services for children and young people

To monitor and support decision makers to meet the statutory requirements of involving children and young people in decision making processes.

To embed the National Participation Standards into all participation opportunities offered to children and young people

Widen training opportunities offered in participation and engagement.

KEY QUESTION 2: HOW GOOD IS PROVISION?

2.1 Support for school improvement

Support for school improvement has many strengths with a number of aspects which are sector leading. These

include: support for school leadership including self-evaluation and planning for improvement; the provision

and use of data; monitoring and evaluation processes through the use of School Secure, and effective early

identification of and intervention in underperforming schools. The significant factors which support this are:

strong and transparent systems, effective communication, and high challenge and effective relationships

between all partners.

2.1.1 Support, monitoring, challenge and intervention

The quality of school monitoring and intervention is very good.

Well-developed robust approaches are in place to identify under-performing schools across the Local Authority (LA). The new National Model for School Categorisation underpins the process for this, replacing the previous Education Achievement Service (EAS) Intervention Framework (IF). As of September 2014, there has been a Principal Challenge Adviser (PCA) attached to Newport, whose role it is to coordinate and quality assure the role of the EAS in supporting and challenging Newport schools.

Intensive training and clear documentation provided for schools means they are aware of these new measures of intervention and support and how they impact upon their own school. Following a series of regional briefings in September 2014, Headteachers have a clear understanding of the new school improvement processes and are aware of the different levels of support attached to their new category and their responsibility for building capacity to deliver their own self-improvement.

All schools were re-categorised during Autumn 2014, in line with the new national model framework.

School categorisation is based on an analysis of standards against a set of national criteria, placed alongside the Challenge Adviser’s professional judgment and knowledge of the school, on the school’s capacity to self-improve; specifically the quality of leadership and teaching and learning. This then leads to an overall category for the judgment of the school, ranging from green to red, which in turn determines the level of support and challenge.

All Challenge Advisers (CAs) received national training in early September 2014 and 5 days of internal training against the new national model and against internal EAs protocols and expectations of performance.

CAs received regional training on making judgments based on the new model and there are robust internal moderation processes in place within each EAS local authority CA team, led by the Principal Challenge Adviser, as well as regional processes for ensuring standardized judgments pan-EAS.

School categorisation is shared with governing bodies annually in the form of a formal report, prepared by the school’s CA. Schools categorized as green overall are given the professional autonomy to deliver the report to their own governors. CAs report to the governing bodies of yellow, amber and red schools. Governors appreciate the information in helping them have comprehensive ‘picture’ of the school’s performance.

The Schools Causing Concern Policy has been rewritten in the light of the new national model and sets out clearly the criterion that is used to categorise a school and the statutory requirement to make formal interventions with clear, measurable and time-restricted plans for improvement in pupil outcomes. Whilst Intervention Plans were in place under the previous EAS Intervention Framework, the tracking of progress and evaluation of outcomes has been considerably sharpened under the new arrangements from Autumn 2014.

Members of the Newport Learning, Caring and Leisure Scrutiny Committee have been briefed on the new policy and have clarified the arrangements for supporting and challenging those schools which will be subject to an intervention plan. The Cabinet Member is fully involved in the process of agreeing and monitoring Intervention Plans and progress made towards the recommendations and this will continue under the new policy.

Schools’ Self Evaluation Reports (SERs) demonstrate that for many schools there is an improving understanding of their capacity and the requirements for internal monitoring, challenge and intervention. The quality of schools’ own self-evaluation processes is an area which is developing across Newport and the full picture of this key aspect of leadership will be updated, along with priorities for improvement at school level, following the completion of the categorization process at the end of Autumn 2014.

The development of the Excellence in Teaching Framework to support classroom observation of the standards and quality of teaching and learning has provided clarity and benchmarking for schools. This has aided accurate self-evaluation. Training has been provided to all schools and bespoke training has been offered to schools on an individual basis to ensure effective implementation. The majority of schools have attended and responded positively.

The PCA for Newport quality assures (QAs) performance of Challenge Advisers against the national standards for Challenge Advisers, through joint visits and scrutiny of activity reports and supporting documentation such as Intervention and Support Plans.

An interim QA Model for the EAS and the LA has been in place from September 2013, with the full model being implemented from September 2014. This has further improved the focus on quality in provision.

The new QA measures which were introduced in Autumn 2014 to ensure consistency of CA reports in terms of quality, focus, accuracy and effectiveness and the Newport PCA have strengthened quality and consistency. All reports now include clear recommendations and timescales for schools, the consortium and the LA. There are clear protocols for report write-up, timings of submission and accuracy checking. Any inconsistencies of practice are identified by the PCA as part of the QA process and there are measures in place to improve the quality of writing to achieve compliance to service standards. All reports are sent monthly to the LA and can be accessed for reference at all times.

School improvement services have now integrated the work of CAs with the literacy and numeracy teams, Welsh Language teams and the 21st Century Learning teams. Support for Physical Education and Science have also been added to the Brokerage, Intervention and Support programmes division of the EAS. Foundation phase support continues to be part of this process. These teams use evidence-based approaches to identify the schools requiring intensive support and the impact of their work is monitored in partnership with the CA. Evidence suggests that most schools in receipt of this support are making good progress. Further audits took place in Autumn 2014 to improve the effective use of ICT as a key skill to learning.

The work of curriculum teams continues to be monitored rigorously by senior managers in the EAS and in the LA.

The formal performance management systems introduced for CAs in September 2013 has been strengthened by the introduction of a service wide Professional Development Review (PDR) system. The national standards for CAs provide a framework of monitoring the quality of performance and the requisite skill levels.

This is supplemented by a programme of training and mentoring and in addition joint visits with PCAs has been used to improve the impact of the work of CAs. CAs receive formal feedback on all joint activities, based on the national criteria for effectiveness in the role of CA.

Most primary schools continue to show improvement. The most effective CAs are deployed to support the schools with the greatest needs.

The challenge to secondary schools has increased significantly from both the LA and the EAS following some disappointing outcomes in level 2 inclusive and level 2 mathematics in a few schools in Summer 2014, as well as a dip in some key performance indicators at key stage 3. Experienced CAs have been deployed in those schools requiring intensive support and this includes those with recent successful headship experience. However the introduction of Schools Challenge Cymru (SCC) Advisers in three Newport secondary schools means there is no direct involvement in these schools. To address this, from January 2015 the Newport PCA will attend all Accelerated Improvement Board (AIB) meetings in the three SCC schools to enable the EAS to continue to hold detailed knowledge of these schools’ progress and areas for development.

Special School provision and the PRU continue to be well supported by CAs with experience and expertise in these types of provision.

EAS target setting arrangements for 2013/2014 built upon previous approaches and are based on a collation of individual pupil targets and prior performance. This created difficulties for some schools during the initial collection period. In consultation with HT groups and LAs a new target setting process was rolled out in Autumn 2014. A single target replaced the minimum and aspirational target.

Training and documentation on target-setting arrangements for the coming year was provided to all schools though workshops during the Summer and Autumn terms 2014. Most schools were able to submit their statutory targets within timescale and these were reviewed, discussed and where necessary amended in partnership with CAs. CAs challenged at school level and the PCA moderated targets in November, visiting schools where further challenge was deemed appropriate.

In this way, challenge to submitted targets is undertaken initially by the EAS and where appropriate further challenged by the LA.

Newport LA reviewed and ratified statutory targets by the end of the Autumn term in line with WG guidelines and local priorities for improvement.

Termly updates on progress to targets have also been introduced by the EAS and this will be reported to Education leadership 3 times during the year, to enable the LA to have a clear picture of the likely outcomes for the key performance indicators at the end of each key stage. The EAS will review the effectiveness of the new arrangements as part of its routine internal review and planning for the coming round of target setting and HTs will be instrumental in this review and planning process.


Further refine arrangements for liaison between LA services and the EAS to impact upon school

improvement, particularly in improving links between CAs and inclusion services.

Continue to develop school to school support within the LA and more widely across the region to capture,

share and build upon best practice.

2.1.2 Support for school improvement - the authority’s work in raising standards in priority areas, including

curriculum support

Support for school improvement is very good.

There is now a comprehensive range of curriculum support in place and this is impacting positively upon outcomes for learners, particularly in those schools where provision and practice has required intensive support.

The refreshed EAS service offer for Literacy, Numeracy and Welsh was shared with all schools in early 2014 as part of the support for planning use of the SEG/WEG and PDG grant funding 2014-2015. Schools were supported by CAs in planning strategically for the most effective use of the funding and ensuring that vulnerable learners in particular benefited from improved provision and practice.

Support for English / literacy continues to be good and outcomes for learners are improving overall and in those specific schools receiving additional support. Outcomes at KS4 in mathematics however remain a focus for improvement and this is reflected in the planning of the EAS maths and English teams in the coming year. Following analysis of data and discussion with all secondary schools at performance meetings at the LA, 3 schools were identified for intensive or additional support programmes. One primary school has also been identified for an intensive support programme in numeracy/mathematics.

In the Foundation Phase, performance has declined at both the expected outcome 5+ and the higher outcome 6 in LLC and MDT. However, performance remains above 2012 outcomes and remains above the national average. When compared with other LAs, Newport’s rankings have declined in all indicators. However, performance in LLC English, LLC Welsh and mathematical development remain above the national average and are higher than could be expected given the LA’s FSM ranking of 16

th most

disadvantaged.

At key stage 2, Performance at the expected level 4+ has improved for English but declined in Welsh (first language) and mathematics. Performance remains above 2012 performance in both indicators and above the national average for English but not for mathematics. Performance at the higher level 5+ has improved in both subjects and remains significantly above the national figures.

In English at the expected level, 18 schools were lower than 2013 and 14 schools higher; 30 schools were within the target range, 8 schools above the target range and 4 schools below the target range. In mathematics, 21 schools were lower than 2013 and 15 schools higher. 24 schools were within the target range, 8 schools above the target range and 8 schools below.

In this key stage, progress at the expected level 4+ over the last three years is slower than across Wales and as a result Newport’s rankings have declined over the last two years. Continued work is needed to ensure that all pupils other than those facing particular challenges attain the expected level, and improve performance at the higher levels.

Newport’s rankings against Wales have decreased due to greater progress made by other LAs within Wales. However, performance remains above the national average for English and Welsh (first language) and is just below the national average for mathematics.

Performance at key stage 3 has improved in English but declined in mathematics at the expected level 5+. At the higher levels there has been an increase in English but not in mathematics.

The decreases seen in mathematics in key stage 3 this year are a result of variance in individual school performance, with decreases in four secondary schools in particular.

In English at the expected level 5+, 1 school was lower than 2013 and 7 schools higher; 3 schools were within and 3 schools above the target range, with 2 schools below.

In mathematics at the expected level 5+, 3 schools were lower than 2013 and 5 higher; 3 schools were within the target range and 2 schools above, with 3 schools below.

Performance in mathematics at the expected level 5+ has declined by 0.98 percentage points compared with 2013 but improved by 3.39 points over the last three years. Performance is ranked 18th in Wales. Performance at the higher level 6+ has declined by 0.75 points compared with 2013 but has improved by 3.33 points over the last three years. At level 7+, performance has decreased by 0.48 points compared with 2013 and has increased by just 0.29 points over the last three years.

At Key Stage 4 level 2 inclusive, Newport recorded a slight rise of 0.3pp to 51.6%, which is 0.1pp above the SE Wales region but 1.3pp below the lower end of the target range; at level 2 performance improved by 0.7pp to 81.4%, well above the 73.8% of the EAS region and well within target; level 1 declined by 0.2pp to 91.8%, which is below the regional 92.9% outcome; performance in the CSI at 50% was an increase of 1.2pp on 2013 and above the 49.1% of the EAS region; level 2 English performance at 68.4% represents a 2.9pp improvement and puts performance 4.1pp above the region; mathematics at level 2 declined slightly

by 01.pp to 55.4%, below the 57.2% of the wider region. In mathematics, 6 out of 8 schools saw either a slight dip or a definite decline in maths outcomes since 2013 and 4 schools performed below their target range and this impacted upon the wider level 2 inclusive outcome. In science standards continued on the upward trend from 2013 with an improvement of 2.4pp, which represents performance 3pp above the wider region.

The EAS English team provided intensive support for one secondary school which increased at level 2 by almost 10pp. In addition, one primary school also received intensive support in developing oracy and this school saw a rise of 10pp at the end of KS2 (2013: 75% - 2014: 85.7%). The English team also tailored some non-intensive support to a further secondary school, focusing on key stage 3 level 5, which rose by 1.3pp.

Newport’s Pupil Referral Unit received intensive support from the literacy team and was subsequently been taken out of the Estyn category ‘Special Measures’.

There has been a partnership approach with PESS in implementing a framework aimed at increasing and improving physical literacy amongst KS2 pupils in Newport. Two high school clusters have been delivering a multi skills package on a weekly basis.

A regional Local Authority Partnership Agreement steering group has been set up to oversee future development of Physical Literacy and progress in this area will be updated at the end of the Summer 2015.

English and literacy

Primary literacy

The English / Literacy training provided by the EAS English /Literacy team focuses sharply on systematic development of pupils’ language skills from reception to Year 6, together with teaching approaches that have a proven track record of success. Training for intervention programmes and for developing reading, writing and oracy across the curriculum are seen as fundamental in raising standards of literacy across the consortium, particularly for the most vulnerable pupils. Courses are modular, to encourage consistency across the region and demand has been high with positive outcomes recorded and repeat courses provided.

In 2013-2014, over 180 teachers attended training sessions from Newport schools. Feedback on training from teachers and school leaders has been very positive across the consortium, and has led to significant whole school training in order to secure consistent whole school approaches to the teaching of Literacy/ English skills. Whole-school training has been provided in one primary school and one secondary school in Newport, since September 2013, by members of the EAS English and Literacy team.

Following the publication of the final National Literacy Framework and supporting documents in January 2013, training and workshops have been provided for subject leaders and co-ordinators, Foundation Phase leaders and Outstanding Teachers of literacy.

The support provided by the EAS team complements the work of the NSP partners engaging with school leaders for the first two phases of the WG initiative. In Newport, the Bassaleg cluster started Phase 1 in June 2013 and the remaining clusters started in Sept 2013.

The EAS has seconded a member of the literacy team to be the regional co-ordinator for the consortium (Jane Crawley-Adams), and she is pivotal in ensuring consistency of approach throughout the SE Wales and in ensuing the literacy and numeracy advisers are kept informed of WG developments and the guidance provided to schools via the NSP Partners. In addition, a member of the English / Literacy team liaises closely with JCA and NSP partners to ensure EAS subject specific guidance and training is taken into account when NSP partners engage with schools. The Senior System Leader for literacy and numeracy also liaises with CfBT directors to ensure the partnership is effective and lines of accountability clear and lead to improvements in pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.

Within the EAS, no school within Newport requested training to support teachers in implementing the national Literacy framework. This is a disappointing take up and it will be important to ensure schools are appropriately drawing on the LNF when planning and adjusting the curriculum during the next two terms. However, all schools have access to an NSP partner and this has added momentum to strategic and classroom planning for skills development.

CfBT have provided the impact information with regard to the progress of Newport schools based on the school completed Progress Tracker and the School Development Record (SDR) available at the time. In the latest phase (Phase 3) of 39 schools visited, 39 have been placed in the Amber category in relation to overall LNF progress.

Nine Newport primary schools have attended Literacy catch-up training in 2013 and 2014 with two schools taking part in ‘Tackling the Tail’, three in Literacy Launcher and four in ‘Success in Six’.

The EAS English and Literacy team will be encouraging greater engagement in Newport schools with regard to intervention strategies, as the programmes are closely linked to the LNF expectations and the training and teaching materials underpin the overall consortium strategy.

The use of the WG diagnostic tool for reading is also being advocated for its ability to evaluate the performance of pupils in the test and to highlight reading skills deficits. This ensures that appropriate AFL strategies may be used to develop pupils’ skills appropriately.

Training since Sept 2013 has included guidance for school leaders to ensure effective use is made of the national reading tests to inform the selection of pupils, together with requirements for schools to submit output data to the EAS and, subsequently, WG. This presents a significant challenge as it relies on all schools returning pupil information via School Secure, rather than SIMs. However, it is essential for LAs to provide pre and post programme output data and to evaluate the effectiveness of these programmes and first data collection took place in March 2014. As of Autumn 2014 the consortium moved some considerable way towards developing a common data tracking and transfer system across the EAS, and whilst not all systems are yet compatible, the aim is to ensure that this is in place 2015-2016.

In Newport, 100% of all schools took part in the KS2-3 cluster moderation exercise supported and monitored by the EAS in summer 2013 and May 2014. The majority of primary Head Teachers and secondary SLT attended with a classroom teacher or Head of department, to support the process.

Head Teachers who have attended the termly English/Literacy leadership seminars have been kept well informed of national and regional developments in English and Literacy since last September.

Early feedback from scrutiny of schools’ SEG plans suggests that Head Teachers have found the guidance on planning helpful and nearly all SEG plans reflect the five strands of the EAS Literacy and numeracy strategy. This has been beneficial in ensuring schools distribute funding more equally across literacy and numeracy this year, and across all areas of teaching, application, intervention, assessment/testing and leadership.

The Outstanding Teachers of Literacy initiative has developed a bank of teachers with the expertise to influence and improve the English teaching of others and 17 Newport teachers in all, from both Primary and Secondary phases have been involved in this programme. The model of training was jointly funded by the school and the LA using SEG.

Secondary literacy and English

Few secondary schools are keen to send members of staff on central training, instead preferring department and whole school training, with the exception of Heads of department networks.

Attendance was good at all EAS Heads of English meetings held in January, July, November 2013 and February 2014 (7 out 8 schools: 88%). The meetings have focused on performance, whole school literacy

issues, improving departmental self-evaluation and Head of department leadership and KS2/3 cluster moderation requirements. Feedback at the end of the meetings, and subsequently, was positive.

Attendance at secondary Literacy coordinators was reasonable with just five teachers from four of the Newport secondary schools attending.

No teachers from Newport attended the ‘Raise the Grade D to C ‘training.

As of January 2015 one Newport school had requested and agreed a Spring term review and development visit for the English department.

Attendance at network meetings is reasonable: Heads of English network meeting – 6 schools attended; Literacy Co-ordinators – 4 schools attended; KS3 Literacy Intervention – 3 schools attended; Developing higher order reading skills kS2/3 – 1 school attended; Supporting Literacy Development – 1 school attended; Tactical Teaching Network – 0 schools attended; GCSE monthly workshops – 5 schools attended WJEC new specification briefing meeting – 4 schools attended.

Two Newport secondary schools nominated staff to participate in the Outstanding Teachers initiative – ‘Literacy Champions phase 2’ which is aimed at developing the capacity of a lead teacher within the department to influence and improve English teaching of others. No teachers from Newport are participating in the Lead Practitioners of English.

Mathematics and numeracy

Numeracy Primary

A wide range of data and other contextual information has been used to identify schools for specific numeracy intervention in 2013-14, including information which has led to schools being categorised in groups 3, 4 or 5 within the wider EAS intervention framework. Twelve primary schools were identified for intensive support between April 2013 and Summer 2014.

Within Newport, one primary school was identified as requiring intensive mathematics support in 2013-14. However, due to leadership issues, it was agreed that this support should be postponed until 2014-15. A full mathematics review was carried out in the Summer 2014, with intensive support taking place from Sept 2014.

The mathematics training provided by the EAS numeracy team focuses sharply on systematic development of pupils’ number skills from reception to Year 6, together with teaching approaches that have a proven track record of success. Due to popular demand, these courses have run five and sometimes six time over the last six terms.

Over 350 / 400 teachers attended mathematics training sessions in 2013 / 2014 respectively.

In 2012-13, over 350 teachers attended the relevant training sessions, of which 23% were from Newport schools. Attendance was fairly evenly spread from reception to Y5/6 but a smaller proportion participated in the level 5 (only 7 schools –15%).

Figures for 2013-14 were lower - with 16% places taken up by Newport schools. However, Newport schools have benefitted from sustained mathematics support over many years and, whilst percentage take up this year is less than for most other LAs in the consortium, Newport schools have continued to ensure that new members of staff are trained in order to maintain the consistent practice that is embedded in many schools. However, the maths team has noted that in the 3 schools where performance in mathematics has been below the median for at least two years hardly any teacher has attended mathematics training and no whole-school training has taken place since 2011/12. This has been identified as an issue for discussion between HTs and CAs in the current round of support arrangements for the relevant schools.

Feedback on mental strategies training from teachers and school leaders has been very positive, and has led to significant whole school training in order to secure consistent whole school approaches to the teaching of numeracy skills. Nearly all Newport schools have received this training in the past, so apart from three schools, most have sent new or particular members of staff on year-specific training during the last two years.

Access to EAS numeracy tests have been helpful in providing a strong diagnostic tool for identifying areas for improvement, with the final assessments in May 2014 enabling teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their work throughout the year to target specific number skills.

In supporting schools in the implementation of the national numeracy and literacy framework, Exemplary materials have been produced to illustrate planning in all year-groups and sent to schools electronically to ensure teachers have access a range of rich activities based around a theme that can be used to promote further in-school dialogue.

Whole school training to support teachers in implementing the national numeracy framework was provided in 9 Newport schools over the last five terms. Uptake on training offered to support schools in implementing numeracy across the curriculum is comparable to other LAs in the consortium and has been very well received. However, it should be noted that significant support and guidance has been provided to Newport schools over many years, so much of the training has involved dissemination of update materials via termly co-ordinator network meetings.

LSAs from most Newport schools have attended EAS numeracy catch-up training over the last 4 terms, with nearly half taking part in the extended Number Recovery course aimed at low achieving pupils in Year 1.

Training since Sept 2013 has included guidance for school leaders to ensure effective use is made of the national numeracy tests to inform the selection of pupil, together with requirements for schools to submit output data to the EAS and, subsequently, WG and provision and practice in this area is as with English above. The EAS will be providing enhanced catch-up guidance to those schools wishing to have monthly visits from September 2014 from a member of the numeracy team. This will focus on supporting leaders in monitoring provision and meeting WG guidance in relation to the tracking of pupils benefiting from additional intervention. Of the 36 schools in the region who have asked to participate in this, this includes five Newport primary schools and one secondary.

All schools were required to take part in the statutory KS2-3 cluster moderation exercise carried out in May/June 2014, and members of the EAS numeracy team attended all four meetings. In order to increase accountability and provide greater opportunities to share good practice, the format of these sessions was changed. It required each school to moderate learner profiles from another cluster, as well as their own, and to provide written feedback indicating their agreement, or otherwise, with the best fit judgement awarded by the school. In addition, the EAS asked that primary Headteachers attend, and a senior member in from secondary schools, alongside year 6 teachers and heads of mathematics. 100% of all primary and secondary Newport schools engaged in the process.

Head teachers who have attended the termly leadership seminars have been kept well-informed of national and regional developments in mathematics and numeracy since last September. In response to a specific request from Head teachers for more detailed guidance on implementing the National Numeracy Framework and in preparing for national testing we provided a half-day head teacher workshop at the beginning of October. Nearly 60 Head teachers attended this across the region, of which a third were from Newport (16 schools).

Developing regular contact with mathematics co-ordinators is seen by the consortium as an important area of the consortium’s work, providing additional layers of detail needed to implement numeracy developments at classroom level. In Newport, all but one school has attended at least one of the four networks to date. Two thirds of schools have attended at least 3 of the 4 meetings and a third all four. This is a much higher proportion of uptake than for LAs in the consortium and continues to include the consistently high performing schools in Newport.

The Outstanding Teachers of numeracy initiative has developed a bank of teachers with the expertise to influence and improve the mathematics teaching of others.

Across the whole consortium, forty schools took part in 2012-13, of which 19 submitted applications to be considered for Year 2 of the programme. Fourteen were accepted into the second year (2013-14) based on EAS evaluation of work undertaken within their schools (in consultation with Headteachers), and the impact of this in developing consistent practice in order to reduce variation.

Fifteen Newport schools took part in the extended programme in the first year (2012-12), of which three moved into the second year of the programme, with two of these providing brokered support in collaboration with the EAS during 2013-14.

Of the 26 schools starting the first year of the 2013-14 initiative eight were Newport schools. Of these, five were accepted into phase 2.

Of the 20 school engaged in phase 2 or 3 of the initiative, and therefore providing brokered support for other schools in the consortium during 2014-15, 8 of these are Newport schools (40%). This is a higher proportion than for other LAs.

Mathematics secondary

Within Newport, one secondary school and the PRU received intensive support on the basis of performance in mathematics / inspection. One school was also identified as suitable for maths support as part of the London Challenge.

Few secondary schools are keen to send members of staff on central training, instead preferring department and whole school training (See strands B and C), with the exception of HoDs meetings.

50% of secondary schools attended the ‘numeracy catch-up (intervention) for year 7 course. This is a two-part course that provides training for teaching assistants and/or teachers who are delivering numeracy intervention programmes for pupils who are performing just below average within their year group and have the potential to catch up with their peers. The remaining schools, except Newport High, have a well-established numeracy intervention programme that has been running successfully for a number of years.

50% of schools attended the ‘Introduction to the EAS numeracy diagnostic assessments (ALFIE). This was an opportunity for heads of mathematics and numeracy co-ordinators to discuss practical arrangements for setting up, implementing and analysing data produced by the online assessment. Newport schools have had access to the EAS numeracy diagnostic assessment for the past two years.

Attendance was high at most EAS Heads of Mathematics Conferences held in January, July, November 2013, February and July of 2014, although in Newport two schools have missed two/three of these meetings. The meetings have focused on: performance, whole school numeracy issues, improving departmental self-evaluation, Head of department leadership, KS2/3 cluster moderation requirements, the proposed KS3 and 4 programmes of study, and the 2 new GCSEs in mathematics and numeracy. Feedback at the end of the meetings, and subsequently, has been positive.

The majority of secondary schools have attended the termly numeracy co-ordinator sessions which took place in March and July of 2014.

Two Newport schools nominated staff to participate in the Outstanding Teachers initiative which is aimed at developing the capacity of a lead teacher within the department to influence and improve the mathematics teaching of others.

One Newport school received bespoke whole school numeracy training in November 2013. The training was jointly provided by the mathematics associate adviser and a mathematics teacher (also participating in the ‘Outstanding Teacher’ initiative). This ensured that the strategies taught in mathematics were disseminated to departments.

In July 2013 and July 2014 one Newport school received training for the Step 7 and Step 8 respectively focusing on mental strategies in order to secure a consistent whole school approach to the teaching of numeracy skills.

In June/July 2014 two schools received training for the maths department on mental strategies in order to build on the consistent methods of teaching number that are currently used in their feeder primary schools.

It should be noted that as a result of cluster moderation in both English and mathematics, clear recommendations emerged for strengthening teaching and assessment practice which was specific to schools and clusters in Newport.

21st

Century Learning

Engagement of Newport schools in 21st

Century Learning Programmes is good and continues to improve. Newport has three Primary schools that have been designated as lead schools to support the development

of the 21st Century Learning programme.

As part of the central training offer 116 staff in Newport schools (primary and secondary) have booked/attended courses running across the Summer and Autumn terms (linking use of technology to improving literacy, numeracy or parental engagement – EAS priorities).

A number of Newport LA staff have attended the Closing the Gap Marking and Planning for Learning sessions, delivered in partnership with Dragonfly Training.

All Primary schools have received training in the Hwb+ national VLE.

Three Newport Primary schools have been included on the pilot of the ICT leadership programme (primary).

A number of Newport schools have attended the SWGfL e-safety briefings.

Schools have carried out Impact evaluations to measure what impact the training has had in school and on targeted learning outcomes. Case studies of best practice will be published on EAS lead school website.

One Primary school was identified for intensive support and an action plan was developed following intensive visits in Summer Term 2014. The programme has been delivered and termly reports of impact on provision and standards are reported to the LA as part of the school’s Intervention Plan.

No Newport Secondary schools were identified for intensive support.

All Newport secondary schools have attended at least one of the WB (Welsh Baccalaureate) support/SLT events and schools have been offered/received Hwb+ training.

The EAS 21st

Century Schools lead is working with the LA’s schools’ ICT support officer on the cross LA ICT strategy group and the LA ICT support team will continue to work on the EAS wide LA strategic group.

Next steps include: The development of a clear and demonstrable evidence of impact summary of 21st Century Learning activity/programmes in Newport schools; the further development of the role of lead schools in supporting self-evaluation in other schools; the identification of further good practice in Newport schools and designation of further schools to lead elements of the 21st Century Learning programmes.

Welsh Second Language Primary

All schools will continue to receive support from a designated Welsh in Education Officer, however 10 Newport schools have been identified as priority schools for 2014-15.

Assessment and teaching support materials, developed by the EAS for the Foundation Phase, (the Hwyl dan Saith / ‘Fun Under Seven’ series), and KS2 are in use by nearly all schools.

Of the 7 schools in receipt of additional support in 2013-14 will continue to receive the highest level of priority support in 2014-15 (minimum of 10 support sessions) to further improve capacity and capability. A further 6 schools will receive priority support (minimum 8 visits).

10 schools, where there is a good degree of good practice in place are being supported to develop as centres of excellence in the teaching of Welsh as a second language.

All schools have access to the EAS Welsh in Education Team’s teaching packs (Foundation Phase and KS2), inclusive of identified possible assessment opportunities and assessment tasks for each Attainment Target.

The Welsh Language Support Team’s exemplar Standardised Oracy Portfolio of work and Oracy / Reading / Writing Standardised Portfolio of work has been given to all Newport schools.

The Welsh Language Support Team‘s exemplar Level 4 and 5 Learner Profile has been shared with all Newport schools.

100% of Welsh Second Language cluster moderation sessions were facilitated and supported by the EAS Welsh in Education Support Team in April / May 2014.

All clusters are in receipt of an EAS Welsh in Education Team report on findings following cluster moderation 2014.

Assessment and moderation has been built into the 2014-15 Core programme of support for Primary Schools in 2014-15 with designated support for Leadership and Year 6 teachers.

An EAS languages (English, Welsh and Welsh Second Language) support pack, ‘Securing Excellence in Teacher Assessment’ has been compiled for 2014-15. All Head Teachers are in receipt of the document with copies to be distributed to Year 6 teachers during the Autumn term.

Of the 2013-14 target schools, performance in 3 is up on 2013 (up 16.7% in one school).

Assessment in-house staff meetings / twilights/ inset days has been provided to 9 schools.

100% of primary schools in Newport participated in Welsh cluster moderation although not all clusters had planned a sufficient timescale for the moderation meeting to agree on all evidence and not all schools had a sufficient range of evidence for full moderation.

All English-medium primary schools were benchmarked according to the 7 EAS Welsh Success Indicators in September 2013. Schools’ performance was reviewed in June 2014. 28 of the 45 schools (61%) in Newport made progress across the success indicators. 4 of the 7 target schools (58%) have made progress.

The Welsh Language Support Team held 63 courses centrally from September 2013 to March 2014, 97 central training days in total.

A similar comprehensive training programme of support is available for 2014-15 (language and methodology). 20 days training were held from April to July 2014 and bespoke in-house training has been delivered in a number of schools.

255 teachers from Newport attended Welsh Second Language central training courses between April ‘13 and April ‘14. 26 teachers were from the 2013-14 identified target schools. Training was free of charge during 2014-15.

In the recent EAS survey, many schools across the region (83.52%) agree or strongly agree that CPD for Welsh second language makes a positive contribution to improvements in their school.

73 teachers from Newport attended central training courses in the Summer term of 2014 and up to October half term.

Only 1 member of staff from schools in receipt of the highest level of EAS priority support in 2014-15 (minimum 10 visits) attended central training days April-October (10 staff booked on to training up to April 2015).

Bespoke training has been provided in 3 schools since September 2014.

In total, 154 training days have been booked by staff from Newport schools (April 4-April 15).

All primary schools received a minimum of 9 x core support sessions from a designated Welsh in Education Officer during 2013-14 and 7 schools received additional priority support.

The Welsh in Education officer at one Primary school was part of the EAS intervention team at the school. An intervention plan was developed for monitoring.

Welsh reviews were conducted at 2 schools followed by a written report and the formulation of an action plan. The impact of support programmes has been judged to be good.

‘Sabbatical Scheme’ support was provided to practitioners at 6 schools.

In a 2014 EAS survey, 82% of schools in Newport stated that they were able to demonstrate a positive impact of the EAS Welsh service on their schools.

Secondary

All schools have access to the EAS Welsh in Education Team’s exemplar standardisation and moderation portfolios and specific assessment support and training has been provided by EAS Welsh in Education Officers at three schools.

Standardisation and moderation tasks completed by Heads of Department at the EAS HoDs forum meetings during 2013-14 and all Welsh Second Language cluster moderation sessions in 2014 were facilitated and supported by the EAS Welsh in Education Support Team.

All Heads of Department are in receipt of an EAS Welsh in Education team report on findings following cluster moderation 2014 and a regional report on findings – best practice and areas for development is available for all schools.

An EAS languages (English, Welsh and Welsh Second Language) support pack, ‘Securing Excellence in Teacher Assessment’ has been compiled for 2014-15. All Head Teachers are in receipt of the document with copies to be distributed to Heads of Department during the Autumn term 2014.

Not all clusters had planned a sufficient timescale for the moderation meeting to agree on all evidence, particularly evidence form secondary schools and not all secondary schools had held departmental moderation prior to cluster moderation. One secondary school did not present evidence for moderation.

Welsh First Language Primary

4 sessions of Cyfathrebu’n Gyntaf (Communication Matters) training was offered in the Summer term 2014. The training was designed for Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 teachers. This was followed by further training for all year groups in October 2014.

The Welsh-medium version of the Aiming for Excellence programme (Anelu at Ragoriaeth) was launched in September 2014.

Termly Welsh Literacy Co-ordinators meeting arranged for 2014-15 and the first event took place in October 2014.

The Welsh literacy conference is scheduled for Spring term 2015 (re-scheduled from Autumn Term).

The EAS Head of Welsh has been in contact with the Central South consortium to enable schools to attend the Central South Welsh training events. A joint programme of support will be constructed for 2015-16.

Welsh language training has been provided for all TAs at 66% of schools by the EAS language tutor who has also discussed linguistic training needs and the WG Sabbatical Scheme with all HTs.

66% of schools have attended all Cyfathrebu’n Gyntaf training events. 33% of schools are not participating in this initiative and have existing good practice.

100% of schools are participating in the Anelu at Ragoriaeth programme, although it is too early to measure the impact of training to date.

No interventions from Challenge advisors have been requested to date, but all schools will receive the support of the designated Welsh-medium Welsh in Education Officer during 2014-15.

The Welsh in Education Officer for the Welsh-medium schools provided MAT support in Ysgol Gymraeg Casnewydd.

The L5+ intervention group at one Welsh medium school led to an increase of 10pp in L5 performance on 2013. The resources developed for the school and case study on the work will be circulated to all EAS Welsh-medium schools.

The 2014 Welsh cluster moderation session for the Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw cluster was supported by the EAS Welsh in Education Support Team. The profiles submitted and agreed upon during 2014 moderation were copied and distributed to all cluster schools.

A training session for assessing Welsh in Welsh-medium schools was held recently (Oct 2nd

2014). This session included a standardisation and moderation exercise and guidance on the EAS 2014-15 moderation process by the designated Welsh-medium Welsh in Education Officer.

The Head of Welsh in Education has held meetings with the transition co-ordinator at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw to ensure cross-phase moderation arrangements are secure for 2015 and will be in attendance of the next cluster Headteachers’ meeting.

There is 100% attendance at cluster moderation.

Further school based commentary should be developed by schools for 2014-15 moderation following whole-school standardisation and moderation in line with EAS guidance shared.

100% of Newport Welsh-medium schools attended the recent Welsh Language co-ordinator training (Oct 2

nd 2014) on assessment and moderation.

Secondary

The EAS Welsh in Education Officer for the Welsh-medium schools is a secondary specialist seconded from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni. The officer is in regular contact with the Welsh department at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw to share resources and to provide information on recent EAS developments e.g. assessment guidance, PISA.

Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw is involved in the Welsh-medium version of the Aiming for Excellence programme (Anelu at Ragoriaeth) which was launched in September 2014.

Secondary Schools across the region and beyond, are continuing to work together on developing self- supportive, subject specific training and networking opportunities for the Welsh-medium community (CYDAG).

There is developing support for the Welsh-medium secondary sector in preparation for the new GCSE specifications with project planning in progress. Significant capital investment has been identified with Head teachers of both secondary schools within the region engaged.

There is a strong school-to school support model for Welsh-medium secondary practitioners within the EAS and support for moderation is as for primary.

Resources for the assessment of Reading at KS4 have been developed by the Welsh in Education Officer to support literary and non-literary reading. Resources were shared with schools in October 2014.

There has been full participation in Welsh cluster moderation.

KS3 profiles at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw were fully agreed with and shared as good practice nationally via WJEC Welsh language unit following moderation in 2014.

Foundation Phase Support for the FP is good. The EAS Advisers have a well-established relationship with HTs and middle leaders, schools identify training and support needs, or the Advisers are able to highlight areas for development from the audit visits. Nearly all Newport schools have accessed training and support and all have commented positively on the impact.

From April 2014 three schools were inspected overall judgements were at least good, with one school achieving two overall excellent judgements. One school received recommendations to improve the learning opportunities in FP particularly outdoors.

Newport schools often contribute to good practice case study guidance materials which are shared across the EAS.

An Early Educators Group has been set up following the very successful visit to Wingate Children’s Centre in County Durham in the Spring term 2014. Six schools are developing new nursery provision which includes enabling environments, reflective planning and strong parental links. These schools will, in time host ‘practice worth sharing events’ with schools across the consortium. The early educators group will meet half termly to share planning, and learning experiences.

FP twitter account @easfpteam is very active and is having a positive impact on sharing good practice both within the LA and wider.

Central training has included: Child Development, Outdoor Learning, Developing Leaders, the Extended Foundation Phase leader module (9 days) and EYE meetings.

Responses to the EAS school survey, overall 86% of schools either agreed or strongly agreed that the impact of FP training and support was positive. 24 Newport schools responded out of 95 EAS primary schools).

Take up of training remains high at 85%. Newport has a strong history of engaging in FP training to improve pedagogical practice.

Attendance at conferences and training impacts on the quality of provision.

All HTs in Newport have received the annual audit of training report for the academic year 2013 -14. The report highlighted that many schools in Newport are delivering high quality FP provision. Nearly all schools completed and returned the questionnaire.

There is improved provision and understanding of outdoor learning following EAS module training and conferences.

LNF skills are embedded in planning and many schools are providing rich learning in order to embed the skills in real contexts.

There is still work to be done in developing the role of the adult across the Foundation Phase the 2015/16 training programme will address this

37 practitioners attended the EYE conference.

Attendance at Foundation Phase leader network meetings is very good with nearly all leaders and coordinators attending all sessions. These meetings strengthen the role of the middle leadership in Newport schools, with a clear focus on sharing good practice at leadership level as well as updates from WG and local initiatives. This is a strong feature of the networking in Newport schools, schools are very good at sharing practice.

Five Newport FP leaders are currently participating in the EAS FP TLR extended training module (9 days). This training aims to build the capacity of middle leadership to improve standards in Foundation Phase. Leaders who attended the previous module have been identified for sharing their practice wider across the LA and the consortium (3 schools).

Alway Primary school hosted a very successful EYE event May 2014, with very positive feedback from the 150+ attendees from across the consortium.

77 practitioners attended Ely Children’s Centre in Cardiff as part of EYE, June 2014 and nearly all schools and nurseries identified EYE as an excellent forum for celebrating and sharing good practice. All events are well attended (six across an academic year) with numbers in excess of 100.

EAS advisers have worked with 7 schools to improve FP provision and outcomes, with 3 of the 7 more intensive than the others.

Two schools received intensive support in line with Intervention and Support Plans from November 2013 and this is on-going. In one case this was within the context of a post-inspection Intervention Plan. Support included work with Foundation Phase Leaders to ensure consistency of provision across the phase, developing independent learning opportunities, improving the quality of the learning environment, improving the quality and consistency of planning and improving the role of the FP leader.

More Able and Talented

MAT network meetings are held termly for Primary and Secondary coordinators

An annual challenge day has been established in partnership with the University of Newport for Y9/10 MAT learners

Two Newport primary schools have now gained the NACE Challenge Award for MAT

primary schools in Newport are using the Quality Standards as an audit tool within their schools

Active Marc has been secured in 4 of the 8 secondary schools with PESS currently working with Sports Development to compete the criteria with any more schools that wish to work through the award.


Continue to target improved outcomes in English, Welsh and mathematics for all learners through focused literacy and numeracy strategies.

Use the termly Brokerage, Challenge and Support EAS reports, which review and evaluate individual curriculum and phase support in the LA, to inform discussions with the EAS about impact of the work on provision and standards.

Continue to prioritise and evaluate the support and challenge provided in schools deemed in need of specific intervention at leadership and/or subject level to raise achievement and raise benchmark performance where results are currently in the bottom quarter.

2.1.3 not applicable for local authority inspections

2.1.4 Support for school leadership, management and governance

Support for school leadership and governance is good.

There are effective processes to identify, evaluate and develop the quality of school leadership. This has resulted in strong and improving quality of leadership in schools as evidenced by school performance data, EAS and LA evaluation of school leadership through the implementation of the new national model, inspection outcomes and the progress made by schools identified as in need of improvement. Some of this is sector-leading practice, with much work in this area shared with other LAs within the SEWC region.

Leadership is evaluated through scrutiny of performance outcomes, CA judgements on the quality of leadership as part of step 2 of the national model, monitoring visits and regular school update meetings. Reviews are undertaken where schools give cause for concern and subsequently interventions are implemented with a particular focus on school leadership. Emphasis has continued on challenging the leadership role of middle managers.

Quality of leadership and management is core to school improvement. The weighting applied to leadership and management factors is the greatest in the new national model and is a key driver of Intervention Plans. The EAS continues to identify strength of leadership from within the LA and is using this resource to improve leadership across the consortium.

The EAS Headteacher Conference in the Summer term 2014 focused on the quality of leadership and the importance of school-to-school support in helping drive standards and outcomes forward. Excellence chains were set up to facilitate this. Many Newport schools have been proactive in this process but is currently too early to measure the impact of these chains.

Secondary School Cross LA Improvement Groups of up to 5 schools focusing on school to school strategies were formed in May 2014. 1 Pilot cluster per LA for primary schools to school leadership and teaching and learning programmes commenced in Summer Term 2014.

The Spring 2014 termly visit with its robust focus on book scrutiny and progress against targets were informative and insightful. This led to significant impact on accuracy of self-evaluation and greater insight into effective leadership practice. This work will continue to be built upon in the termly core visits, as schools are encouraged to revisit key areas for development to ensure that appropriate improvements are being made and are ongoing.

As part of the arrangements for categorizing schools under the new model, CAs scrutinise the quality of planning for improvement through evaluating the quality of a range first hand school-based evidence. In addition, CAs scrutinise the quality and validity of School Improvement Plans (SIPs) and Self Evaluation reports (SERs). Principal Challenge Advisers (PCAs), along with the Assistant Director Challenge Advisers work together across the region to moderate judgments made on the quality of school SE and improvement planning and these will be shared as part of the national moderation process in due course.

The further development of the EAS Excellence in Teaching and Learning Framework (ETF), has led to a common set of principles across schools. Most schools have attended the training that has been provided for the implementation of this resource and many are now using the online version as a means of collating and managing the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, including an agreement to work at cluster level in some clusters.

In the area of the strategic leadership of teaching and learning, a group of Newport primary schools have been instrumental in the development of the Excellence in Teaching Framework with the EAS and one was identified as having the capacity to act as an ‘EAS Training School’ in the Securing Good Aiming for Excellence programme. These schools are providing intensive support for teachers across the consortium. Teaching staff from within primary schools continue to take part in this training opportunity. Evidence from discussion with HTs is very positive: In addition, two primary schools were identified by the EAS to provide school to school support through being lead schools in the Welsh Government’s Lead and Emerging Schools programme.

The EAS initially appointed two primary Headteacher Partner Challenge Advisers from Newport schools in the first tranch of this initiative to strengthen the capacity and expertise of the team and this has been extended to a third secondary Headteacher from Autumn 2014 in the second tranch.

New HTs are allocated a fellow Newport HT mentor and receive termly visits from the PCA to support their identification of key priorities and any additional training and support.

NPQH candidates are mentored by CAs and the region has recently increased the rigour in the endorsement stage to ensure there are quality candidates recommended for the programme.

The EAS Headteacher Conference in the summer term 2013 focused specifically on the quality of leadership and the role of the Headteacher in securing sustained improvement. Most primary HTs and all secondary HTs attended these events.

The EAS Leadership Programme began in April 2013. The participation level of staff from Newport schools on both the ILM and the Post Graduate Certificate in Education Leadership and Management courses has been encouraging.

An increasing number of School governors now robustly hold senior leaders to account for all aspects of the school’s performance. Improved links have been made with EAS governor training programmes to ensure ongoing monitoring and action with schools.

Governors and elected members are actively holding the LA/EAS to account and are more involved with to the analysis of performance of primary schools and secondary schools.

Development of model policies/guidance for school governors has taken place and they receive a comprehensive range of documentation and advice to support them in their role, including model policies and example documentation, increasingly developed at a regional level.

Governor support is also provided to individual schools re redundancy health Disciplinary, Pupil Exclusion, ill-health dismissal Complaints, Quality Mark support, Capability appeals, Dismissal (Capability) and Grievance.

The EAS has successfully provided advice/support to all school governing bodies and Headteachers on various governance issues.

This is supplemented by the provision of a comprehensive programme of governor training which have been well attended by Newport governors. Training continues to be provided in the following areas: Role of Chair, Induction, Performance Management, Safeguarding, Data, Finance, Literacy and numeracy, complaints procedure and HR. Evaluation continues to display a positive profile

The EAS maintain records of all governors’ details and oversee the process of election/appointment of governors.

A comprehensive clerking service is provided to schools by an experienced clerk (SLA). This includes advice, support and clerking for statutory committees for disciplinary, grievances, pupil exclusions, capability hearings Intensive support has been given to governors of school in Special Measures.

Challenge Advisers, Principal Challenge Advisers and the Managing Director of EAS provide consultative support and guidance to Governing Bodies for the key appointment of Headteachers in schools. Tasks and questions are prepared and a regional recruitment pack covering the SEWC region will be introduced in 2015. Informal evaluations of support continue to be good.

Recent training has been provided on the new pay policy through Regional HR and Challenge Adviser involvement.

Leaders at all levels are better equipped to evaluate their performance. This has now been complemented by sessions offered by the EAS which have been well attended by HTs and Governors.

The EAS Governor support Service provided 57 mandatory and strategic Governance sessions in the academic year 2013/14, all of which were available to Newport Governors to attend. The Current Autumn term programme offers 21 mandatory sessions, 4 of which are specifically in the Newport area.

All Governing Bodies in 2013/14 received at a GB meeting an overall categorisation report from the Challenge Adviser which included data on the performance of the school. CAs provide an explanation of the data at these meetings and invites queries.

Specific individual secondary data training sessions (which meet the mandatory content requirement) were offered to all Secondary School Governing Bodies in Newport in the Autumn term 2014 / early Spring term 2015.

At least one Governor at many Schools in Newport (86%) attended a training session in the previous academic year (2013/14).

All Schools in Newport purchase the Governor Support Clerking Service SLA on an annual basis, in the EAS 2014 Headteacher survey, many (86.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that the Governing Body is well supported by the Clerk to the Governors.

An audit of the outcomes of Leadership (governance) are routinely analysed by the GSO following an Estyn inspections. Most schools have been graded Excellent or Good and very few over the past 3 years have been given a recommendation where governance needs to improve.

No schools were prioritised as ‘critical’ to receive GB Self Evaluation training in 2013-2014 based upon the overall categorisation for leadership, although one school received additional support. Following categorisation in Autumn 2014 however, 4 schools were identified as in need of additional support for governance and Support Plans are in place via CA and Governor Services visits and activities.

Governing Bodies continue to be encouraged to undertake the Bronze Award accreditation scheme, and the numbers making an application have increased during the last year.

There were 44 Governor Vacancies in Newport (PLASC data January 2014), which is approximately 5.2%, less than the EAS area average of 5.7% and the National average of 5.6%.

Where Governing Bodies have faced particular difficulties in recruiting sufficient Governors who have relevant experience, the GSO has liaised with the school and Governors from other Newport schools. Independent Governors are sometimes drafted in to sit on non-statutory Panels such as Complaints, if there are insufficient ‘untainted’ Governors from their own GB.

Where a Governor has a disability and or any specific needs (where known / declared), these have been addressed.

All Governing Bodies have a Finance Committee with terms of reference in place.

Governing Body Chairpersons are involved in the annual target setting arrangements and are required to attend formal Cabinet Member meetings with the Headteacher to discuss school progress in implementing action plans following inspection.

Officers attend governor meetings in schools where particular concerns exist and where necessary a meeting is held between the Chief Education Officer, Challenge Advisers, Headteacher and Chairperson to clarify the causes for concern and the expectations for improvement.

There is regular monitoring of governing body vacancies and attendance at training which is shared through School Secure. The LA works with schools to ensure that governing bodies reflects the diverse communities of Newport.

Robust and effective recruitment procedures are in place for all senior appointments. This is supported by an in-depth knowledge of individuals, schools and their contexts.


Continue to identify and develop new leaders through working with schools to develop their middle leaders.

Continue to develop governing bodies’ capacity to lead and be accountable for their schools and pupil outcomes through developing awareness of and use of data.

Further develop programmes of leadership development across South East Wales Schools.

Develop work with secondary schools both individually and collectively to strengthen leadership at all levels to improve outcomes.

Develop and strengthen school to school support, both within the LA and across the region.

2.2 Support for additional learning needs and educational inclusion

2.2.1 Statutory obligations

The LA meets its statutory obligations in respect of children with additional learning needs (ALN).

There were a total of 1004 active SEN Statement’s during the year 2012/13, 1018 during 2013/14 and 1077 during 2014/15. During the period 2012/13, a total of 154 requests were made for Statutory Assessment, with 190 in 2013/14 with approximately 153 in 2014/15. The LA issued a total of 110 new Statements of SEN in 2012/13, with a reduction to 95 in 2013/14 and a further reduction to 84 in 2014/15.

A Criteria for Assessing (CFA) pupils in relation Additional Learning Needs was devised by the LA in partnership with schools in 2008. This continues to be used by AENCos as part of their AEN Handbook, which provides written advice and support for all aspects of AEN. Following feedback and continued liaison between Schools and the SEN Team, the CFA request form was updated by the LA in 2013. The new form reflects the information required by the SEN Panel to clearly identify the advice, support and provision received / implemented by the Schools to date in order to meet the pupil’s needs as well as providing an opportunity for schools to present a “wider” view of the pupil.

The LA has worked proactively to extend the scope, expertise and experience of members of the SEN Panel. The standard representatives of Panel, who meet weekly to discuss all aspects of SEN work, consists of the SEN Manager; Senior Educational Psychologist; an Advisory Teacher; a Head teacher; a lead of a Learning Resource Base; a primary AENCo; a secondary AENCo and a representative from SNAP Cymru. In addition, representatives from both the Early Years and Flying Start teams have also agreed to commence attendance in February 2016 to provide a diverse scope of professionals across the Education arena. This has been developed in conjunction with Headteachers and enables closer working relationships, and a rise in the quality of interventions and referrals.

Representatives from the LA continue to attend the Managed Move Panel. This Panel was set-up by the secondary Headteachers, to discuss pupils causing concern or those disaffected by Education, in order to minimise the risk of permanent exclusions. This further enhances the partnership working, information sharing and liaison between the LA and Secondary Schools to effectively identify where additional intervention is required and meet the needs of pupils.

In 2012/13 the number of Tribunals registered at SENTW against Newport LA increased to 20, with a reduction to 11 logged in the period 2013/14. This further reduced in 2014/15 to 9 appeals, of which 7 related to the LA’s decision not to commence formal Statutory Assessment on a pupil. Eight of these nine appeals were rescinded following successful mediation between the SEN Team and parents. The remaining case proceeded to a tribunal hearing with the LA successfully defending their position.

This reduction was achieved despite the loss of the Parent Partnership Officer post within the SEN Team. This has effectively been absorbed by the officers within the team with more productive liaison noted with Parents at an earlier stage. This is also a direct outcome of more robust decision making by the SEN Panel and closer working relationships with schools.

All pupils with a statement of SEN are provided with the additional provision to which they are entitled. The LA strives to maintain pupils within their mainstream, catchment schools where possible, with additional support provided via a Statement of SEN where applicable. For those pupils whose needs cannot be met effectively with full time attendance within mainstream provision, Learning Resource Base placements can be offered which provide generic small group provision with continued access to mainstream classes as appropriate. Termly training days are held for resource base staff, in conjunction with Maes Ebbw School. These are in addition to ALN INSET, to ensure staff have access to appropriate, focussed training and capacity building. The SEN team provides daily advice and support to schools as well as training sessions with direct links and liaison with the Advisory Service at Maes Ebbw School. The Educational Psychology team work consultatively with children and Young People, school staff and parents to bring about positive change and recognise the importance of both pupil and parent voice.

All young people contribute towards their statutory assessment where possible. This is received either via the School’s advice and / or Educational Psychology report. The LA continues to develop materials to extend the ‘Pupil Voice’ with pupil participation in review meetings and Person Centred Planning via Individual Development Plans (IDP’s) fundamental to this. The LA is also extending the documentation issued to pupils via appropriate means during 2016.

The LA continues to maintain a robust decision-making approach in relation to pupils who are transitioning between KS2 and KS3. This is achieved via attendance by SEN Officers at all Year 5 transitional reviews held in the summer term prior to the school paperwork, which includes Pupil and Parental preference for secondary placement, being discussed at the LA’s Phase Transfer Panel. The decisions of the Phase Transfer Panel are issued in writing to Parents as part of Proposed Amended Statement of SEN by December as per the SEN Code of Practice with any representations received discussed by a Panel in January. Amended Statement of SEN are issued to Parents in February detailing the LA’s decision as well as information on Parental right of appeal to SENTW. The LA continues to issue all decisions within the prescribed timeframes and works towards providing all formal decisions to pupils in an appropriate manner during 2016, as per the ‘Pupil Voice’.

High quality safeguarding policies and procedures effectively promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils with ALN. All Central Education staff have received Level 1 Child Protection training, with front-line service trained or in the process of being trained to Level 2 or above. All teams within Education promote safeguarding procedures and this is discussed as a standard item in all monthly team meetings.

Very good pupil-focused support is provided to schools and families for the early identification, evaluation and intervention of pupils with ALN as evidenced in the minutes of link inclusion meetings. Link meetings continue to be held between schools, ALN team members and Education Psychology Team.

High-quality ALN training is provided for all school staff with pupil-focused clinics held on request to support schools and build capacity for early intervention. ALNCO meetings are held on a termly basis and induction training for new and returning ALNCOs is held on an annual basis

Through funding via the Early Needs budget, Wales Pre-School Providers Association (WPPA) provides an “Additional Needs Referral Scheme” for families in Newport, ensuring that pre-school aged children (2 years upwards) with diagnosed or emerging additional needs (physical or learning) are appropriately supported to access playgroup or early years provision via the scheme. The funding is also utilised to ensure that this support is continued so that children can access their Early Years nursery education entitlement at the age of 3 and up until they transition into either mainstream education of specialist additional needs education provision. Where appropriate, WPPA will also ensure that the early years and childcare settings are signposted to external agencies where additional specialist support is required. The SEN Manager and an Advisory Teacher attend this Panel to ensure a seamless transition for pupils identified as requiring additional support / formal Statutory Assessment either prior to or during their

transition into nursery and / or statutory education. This is also supported by an Officer of the SEN Team being a representative on the Early Years Panel alongside representations form Education, Health and Social Services.

Officers from the SEN Team are also part of a ‘Transitions Panel’ of professions who meet half termly to discuss pupils aged 16+ with additional needs who are due to leave statutory schooling / sixth form provision. This continues to ensure the seamless pathway for pupils out of statutory and into further education.

All Newport schools received training on the use of the PCP approach in the autumn term 2013 and following the evaluation PCP meetings are now implemented in all Newport Schools. Furthermore, there will be updated PCP training during the academic year 2015/16, and PCP champions trained to ensure sustainability.


Continue to increase mainstream school and cluster capacity to support pupils with ALN Regular INSET, advice clinics and projects arranged by ALN team and Newport Educational Psychology Service.

Further improve outcomes for Looked After Children.

Reduce the number of statutory assessment requests and the number of statements of SEN by enhancing capacity within both education settings and Early Years settings to meet a range of pupil needs through earlier identification and appropriate intervention.

Increase liaison between Early Years providers, ALN services and schools to improve transition for pupils with ALN.

Continue to roll-out training on SEN and wider ALN to all school staff, Flying Start, Health and Social Services teams.

Continue to develop child-friendly resources / letters to reflect WG’s Pupil Voice legislation.

Ensure all SEN advice booklets, guidance for schools, referral forms and contact details ate updated and accessible via the Council website.

2.2.2 Raising standards

Children and young people with additional learning needs achieve in line with Newport trends and

performance has improved over three years above Welsh averages at Key Stages 1-3. Standards need to

further increase for pupils at ALN at Key Stage 4.

Schools report that the support for ALN is highly effective. The service has made significant improvements since the last ESTYN inspection and is now working out of Maes Ebbw School with an increased focus on outreach. This is evidenced by the feedback at link inclusion meetings (minutes available). The service monitors the attainment of pupils with ALN and vulnerable groups annually at the end of all key stages, and discusses results with schools to identify future support needs. Data is used to monitor performance of individual pupils and groups and to target support and interventions where required (see 1.1.2 for learner outcomes.) Data sheets are available collating information for all vulnerable groups in each school. This will be discussed at link meetings to look for trends, focussed work and areas for challenge.

A web-based comprehensive ALN handbook is highly regarded by schools. This facilitates early intervention and clarity of support mechanisms, and has led to increased capacity within schools to support pupils. This has recently been enhanced by the development of an inclusion website which provides schools with web-based support and information. The Newport Inclusion website is updated regularly and contains all referral forms, contact details and Inclusion based information.

Following a review of the offer of education to pupils educated other than at school, all students accessing the PRU receive the equivalent of 25 hours education and pupils receiving home tuition receive 10 hours per week unless medical circumstances determine this to be inappropriate. Tuition is provided outside of the home where possible and is only provided where there is supporting medical advice, pupils accessing the tuition service receive six weekly reviews of progress and appropriateness of provision. Home Tutors access training alongside PRU staff.

Homework and after-school clubs support young people in a range of languages including Czech, Urdu and Romanian, improving standards and increasing young people’s confidence and social skills.

Coaching professionals have been assisting ALN Learning Resource Bases to develop fundamental skills with the aim of progressing individuals into mainstream physical education classes.

Sports Development is providing coaching professionals to assist Learning Resource Bases to develop fundamental skills with the aim of progressing individuals into mainstream physical education classes. Weekly multi-skill sessions are being delivered to support the development of participants. This is taking place in the Llanwern Nurture Unit and Maes Ebbw Special School.

Positive Futures has developed opportunities and has built a successful partnership with the Bridge Achievement Centre and Maes Ebbw School in helping to provide appropriate provision for pupils who are referred to the school with behavioural and social issues. The referred pupils can be supported in a group or a 1:1 context and will be assigned a trained mentor who will support them in working towards ASDAN or COPE qualifications.


Continue to increase mainstream school and cluster capacity to support pupils with ALN. Regular INSET, advice clinics and projects arranged by the ALN team and Newport Educational Psychology Service.

Increase joint working with PRU Outreach workers and LSC staff in mainstream schools to improve reintegration and joint exclusions.

Further improve outcomes for Looked After Children. Work with schools/social workers to maintain pupils educational placement when they become looked after or change foster placement, to ensure continuity in education and best chance of educational success. Support foster carers when problems at school make foster placements unstable.

Further develop the Learning Coach Network to ensure that good quality alternative provision is available to pupils as part of their Learning Pathway.

Positive Futures has developed opportunities for more vulnerable and at risk young people to access provision at NISV Tennis Centre ensuring that young people who are struggling in current education provision can engage in provision. Positive Futures offers group delivery and 1:1 support by mentors who are experienced at dealing with challenging behaviours. Sport is used as the engagement tool alongside key educational delivery.

2.2.3 Provision (including other agencies)

Services for children and young people with additional learning needs are good, with a focus on inclusive local

provision for children and young people.

A framework for support, challenge and intervention has been established between inclusion services and schools with positive feedback. A basket of data is used to identify levels of support for schools and link meetings are held with all schools every term to discuss levels of support at strategic and pupil level. This has been recognised as sector-leading practice within SEWC.

Newport has an inclusive approach to education for pupils with statements of SEN, with more pupils educated in mainstream schools than national averages.

All resource bases, both primary and secondary, have been reviewed, with their resulting reports and action plans being used to inform change and support school development planning. There are plans to move to a cluster based model for the primary sector to aid reintegration into mainstream and to introduce an assessment tool which will capture the progress of pupils with very low ability. This will be supported by Maes Ebbw School.

Newport currently has 111 pupil educated outside of Newport, which amounts to …….. % of the overall population. These placements have been made for pupils whose needs cannot be met currently within the city, where there is currently no capacity within existing provision or based on Parental preference for

mainstream placement within neighbouring LA’s. 11 of these placements are on a residential basis, with the remaining 100 being day provision.

There continues to be a review of in-house provision and planning for future placements undertaken by the LA. At present, there is an on-going LRB review which is evaluating the effectiveness of the current provision, their outcomes, entry and exit criteria and their geographical positions across the city. This is based upon uptake of placements in the preceding years and well as future demand as identified by mapping exercises. This is likely to result in the expansion of cluster provision with existing placements expanding / decreasing as appropriate and new LRB’s being established. In addition, Maes Ebbw Special School will expand with current scoping work being undertaken on the main site to establish the size of the expansion. This reflects an increase in need for special school placement for pupils with complex needs. The current Maes Ebbw Bach site which caters for pupils aged 3 -5 years with complex needs will be re-designated as post-16 provision for pupils at Maes Ebbw School, extending their experiences and the requirement for building of independence skills. A new ASD specific provision which will initially cater for 48 pupils will open in Newport in January 2017 with the Communication class provision at Kimberley Nursery expanding from 4 to 8 pupils as of January 2016.

Pupils with ALN accessing Welsh-medium education are taught in mainstream schools, with specialist support available from officers with experience of working in Welsh-medium settings, including a SpLD teacher and SpLD teaching assistant, educational psychologist, school improvement adviser with specialist ALN knowledge and the Communication Intervention Team. One Welsh-medium primary school employs a dedicated ALN Coordinator to support pupils with ALN. We are in the early stages of planning a Welsh-medium Outreach / LRB provision.

The GEMS service provides support for EAL pupils in Newport. The number of young people supported by the service is increasing year on year, and there have been 238 new arrivals since September 2015 to date. The number of pupils progressing through one or more language stages is increasing each year, as is the number of students achieving qualifications.

Gwent Music provides whole class activities that schools are able to offer free at the point of access and form the basis of inclusive work. These projects are delivered to 30 children at a time, and form the basis of curriculum music delivery and CPD for some schools

Gwent Music provides whole school singing and cluster projects provide regular and vital transition work with schools. As well as local opportunities to perform to family and communities, these also culminate in aspirational performances and experiences in concert halls across the UK, therefore assisting in closing the gap.

Music access funds now exist in all four authorities enabling pupils eligible for Free School Meals to benefit from tuition and activities regardless of financial means.

Learning Support Centres (LSCs) are in place in all secondary schools, funded from central resources. Annual evaluations indicate a reduction in fixed-term exclusions. A PLC has been established by the LSC managers. As part of the PLC work programme managers have an agreed package of assessments that are used to identify and plan programmes of support for young people who access LSCs. This assessment package forms one part of a continuum of assessment linked to the behaviour strategy for Newport including PRU provision. There is an extensive programme of training in place for LSC staff.

The Inclusion Service works closely with Social Services and other partners to support LAC and children with complex needs. New Corporate Parenting and Young Carers Strategies have been developed, with improved outcomes evidenced for LAC. This year specific work experience opportunities within the Council were made available to Y10 and Y11 LAC pupils. LAC tutors will also receive training trough the EAS Literacy and Numeracy advisors to keep them up to date with recent developments and these officers will also contribute to training for Foster Carers.

Independent schools based counselling is available for all pupils in Year 6 and above and in a reduced capacity for Year 5 and below across Newport. This service is provided by the University of South Wales and is overseen by the Principal Educational Psychologist. School staff report that counselling services are

beneficial to the school and that it equips pupils to better understand their emotions and gives them an opportunity to discuss their concerns and problems. They report outcomes of improved self-confidence and higher self-esteem with increased self-control.

School staff report that counselling services are beneficial to the school and that it equips pupils to better understand their emotions and gives them an opportunity to discuss their concerns and problems. They report outcomes of improved self-confidence and higher self-esteem with increased self-control. The inclusion service continues to develop effective links with other professional services, with improved planning and information sharing via multi-agency meetings as part of the WG work on PCPs, multi-agency working is being encouraged one Inclusion team member coordinated the Newport work for the WG robust trials and has been involved in the WG agenda for changes in SEN since 2009 and has been integral to the drive for Newport to lead the way in changes in Inclusion one Inclusion team member is part of the WG SpLD working party and leads the Newport SpLD Friendly School project all Inclusion team members work with numerous agencies in education, health, social services, voluntary groups and charities, providing representation at meetings, training, advice and joint project work.

Youth Support Services are fully engaged in promoting an inclusive environment for young people with ALN to engage in activities and programmes.

Communities First work in partnership with two of our Secondary Schools to provide an alternative provision for Year 10 and Year 11 pupils. Engagement levels are good, and in 2014/15 all Year 11 pupils left with recognised qualifications.

Positive Futures in partnership with a Disability Sport Wales officer deliver sports based provision to many young people including some from Maes Ebbw, the PRU and the Social Services Post 16 team. Positive Futures seeks to support vulnerable and at risk young people with engagement, volunteering and qualifications.


Further work required to ensure the utilisation of all support services in a co-ordinated manner.

Continue to develop the LSC’s and LRB’s through additional training, school to school working and increased Outreach support from Maes Ebbw and the PRU.

Continue to work with Alternative Providers to develop good quality provision for young people with ALN.

2.3 Promoting social inclusion and wellbeing 2.3.1 Promoting social inclusion and wellbeing, including behaviour, anti-bullying, preventing exclusion and

EOTAS

The Partnership, Education Service and Social Services provide a strong, strategic lead in promoting social

inclusion for children and young people.

Learning Support Centres have been established in all secondary schools, these are impacting positively on exclusions, attendance and learning outcomes.

School based counselling service is available to all pupils aged 5 - 16. This extends beyond the statutory requirement for provision for 10 – 16 year olds. From September 2013 the University of South Wales was awarded the contract to provide this counselling to all Newport Children and young people through a presence in all schools including the PRU and special school as well as provision of an out of hours service. This is co-ordinated by the Educational Psychology Service.

There are effective targeted interventions for groups of pupils and individual pupils through the inclusion service, e.g. GEMS and LAC education co-ordinators, as evidenced by improved outcomes for learners.

An Equalities Monitoring Group has been established to review the electronic reporting of incidents and bullying related to protected characteristics. This group will steer anti-bullying initiatives promoted by the Local Authority such as those delivered by GEMS.

Training has been provided to schools on reviewing their Strategic Equalities Action Plan and setting new objectives.

A bereavement support package developed by the educational psychology team, which includes suicide prevention awareness, has had positive verbal feedback from schools and recipients of support.

Training on SRE, sexual health and substance misuse has received positive evaluations from schools. Targeted programmes are in place to support reductions in crime and substance misuse.

The Positive Futures programme regularly delivers and works with young people from a variety of settings, delivering workshops based around social inclusion and wellbeing. These workshops are accessed as part of the mainstream education or as alternative education packages.

The programme utilises many partnerships to deliver specific and in depth training / workshops when required. Positive Futures ensures that staff are regularly attending training specific to the demands required. This enables for the full delivery to individuals and ensures that they can refer to the partner agencies when required. This work is most prominent in the mentoring programme in which staff members are assigned to an individual to provide on-going mentoring support to assist with the young person’s development.

All schools and PRUs are involved in Healthy Schools Scheme. 100% schools have achieved phase 3 of the Healthy Schools Scheme award, compared with 96% nationally. 5% of schools have attained the National Quality Award in Healthy Schools.

There is a partnership approach to developing all strategies that impact upon the social inclusion and wellbeing of young people in Newport, including the Corporate Parenting strategy, Young Carers strategy, NEET strategy, and Keeping in Touch Protocol. These strategies have supported improved school attendance and attainment, reductions in the number of NEET young people, improved information sharing, and supported schools to develop capacity to support pupils at risk of social exclusion. The Families First Children and Young Peoples Skills Project aims to contribute to the increase in the Level 2 achievement rate and a reduction in those claiming Job Seekers Allowance. The Excel project offers a long term alternative education provision for Year 11 students.

The Positive Futures Mentoring programme is a more targeted approach since September 2013. The structure supports referrals for young people who are struggling within educational settings or home life situations.

Learning Coach Meetings take place each half-term to share good practice across the city.

The Local Authority is jointly working with the EAS to quality assure Alternative Providers across the city.

A central register of all pupils attending Alternative Provision and data of the qualifications they gain is kept by the Assistant Head of Education (Inclusion).

A Learning Resource Base Steering Group has been established to develop a cluster-based model of practice. The group meets each half-term with representatives from the Local Authority and individual schools.

An Exclusion focus group has been convened to explore the function of the Pupil Referral Unit with a view to further reduce exclusions across the city.


Further work is required to ensure adequate and appropriate mental health support and services

Further co-ordination of family centred interventions through Team Around the Cluster (TAtC)

Review all school Equality Action Plans in the Summer Term 2016.

Support more schools to gain their National Quality Award in Healthy Schools.

Continue to work with the Exclusions Focus Group to reduce exclusions across the city.

2.3.2 Promoting attendance and keeping children and young people in education, employment and training

The LA places a high focus on promoting attendance and keeping children and young people in education,

employment and training. The reduction in the numbers of young people not in education, employment or

training forms part of an Outcome Agreement, is an Improvement Plan Priority and a priority within the Single

Integrated Plan. However, it is recognised that the latter remains an area for development as the number of

young people who are not in education, employment or training is unacceptably high.

An Attendance Strategy and Action Plan has been developed to be implemented over the course of the 2015/16 academic year. Progress against this action plan in monitored by the Every Child Group.

All Newport and school-based events to celebrate pupils achieving 100% attendance have been organised and supported by local businesses the Cabinet Member for Education & Young People and the Mayor of Newport.

The Education Service monitors primary and secondary school attendance data each month to identify trends and target support. This data is a standard item at the ‘”Every Child Group” performance management meetings. Headteachers attend the meetings to share good practice where there have been significant improvements in attendance, and to discuss support for schools where attendance has declined or does not match Newport trends.

The authority has a particular focus on monitoring the attendance of vulnerable groups. This is evidenced by monthly visits from the LAC Education Coordinator, YOS Education Coordinator and the Senior Education Welfare Officer to Newport residential units. A further example of support is that provided by the GEMS service to monitor and improve the attendance of groups of learners, eg., working with Lliswerry High School to increase the attendance of Gypsy Roma pupils by developing links with the families and implementing specific reward systems for pupils.

All young people in EOTAS provisions are offered 25 hours per week provision. All young people receiving home tuition are offered 10 hours of tuition per week unless medical circumstances indicate that this would be inappropriate.

GEMS and Coleg Gwent work in partnership to provide ESOL and Basic Skills classes to 16+ BME pupils with limited English and low levels of transferrable skills, eg., unaccompanied asylum seeker pupils, Roma pupils. This provision has been extended to two classes at Coleg Gwent.

Entertainment Licences are monitored appropriately and spot checks are undertaken to ensure compliance with requirements.

The Partnership has developed and implemented a NEET Strategy that details our approaches to increasing the numbers of young people within education, employment or training. This has led to the establishment of Pre-16 and Post 16 sub-groups made up of key partners. This is overseen by the Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Group, chaired by the Chief Education Officer.

The Pre-16 NEETs sub-group has developed a ‘Good Practice Guide’ with contribution from Schools, Careers Wales, Youth Service, GEMS and the Education Service. This tool enables education professionals to recognise the risk factors that can lead to young people disengaging with learning. This group now identifies young people through school data systems and using the Good Practice Guide Indicators, who are at risk of becoming NEET as early as Year 7.

The Youth Engagement and Progression Framework’s introduction into Newport supports young people to engage and progress in education, training and work. This Framework is focussed on reducing the number of young people aged 11-25 who are not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET).

There is a local action plan for the Framework and this is monitored by the strategic Young People in Education, Employment and Training (YPEET) group which is chaired by the Chief Education Officer of Newport City Council.

The YPEET also focuses on Youth Support Services for young people and a mapping exercise was undertaken to highlight the gaps.

From the strategic YPEET group, there are three operational groups. The first is the pre-16 NEET group which is chaired by the Assistant Head of Education (Engagement & Learning) who has a responsibility to secure positive outcomes for school attendance and NEETs in partnerships with schools and other stakeholders. The Youth Engagement and Progression Coordinator (EPC) supports this group and carries out the individual school visits regarding the early identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET, the action plan for the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework and the NEET data. The second group is the 16-18 Practitioner Group which is chaired by the Engagement and Progression Coordinator. A spreadsheet is compiled consisting of all young people (16-18) who are in tier 2 (those young people who are either unable to engage or are not ready to engage in education, employment or training). A number of internal and external agencies are members of this group and all young people are allocated a Lead Worker who then is accountable to this group. A separate tier 1 (young people who are unknown to us) meeting also takes place where Newport City Council agencies are assigned to try and locate the young people who are “unknown”. The third and final group is the Learning Provider Network which is also chaired by the EPC. This group consists of all Learning Providers including Rathbone, Learnabout, ACT and ITEC, and ensures that the EPC is working closely with all pre and post-16 providers in Newport to ensure learner engagement and progression.

A Young Engagement and Progression Officer is in place, seconded from Careers Wales, for 3 days per week and a SLA is in place.

A Local Authority project has been submitted for both pre and post-16 projects to reduce the number of people not in education, employment of training.

The Leader of Newport City Council has invested an additional £30,000 to the preventative NEET agenda as he recognises that this is a key area. The successful project is called Life Education and they are working with four schools in Newport with Key Stage 3 pupils. The overall objective of the project is to positively impact on a group that has been identified to be potentially NEET.

Newport has made a significant impact on the numbers of young people not in education, employment and training (NEET) over the past six years. In 2008, the percentage of young people leaving Year 11 and becoming NEET amounted to 10.4%. In 2013, the figure stood at 4.9% and in 2014 was 4.75%. Historically in Newport schools, four schools are above the average and four are below. Two schools are interchangeable but the other six are stable.

Anti-poverty programmes such as the Youth Service, Work Based Learning Academy and Community Development are under the Local Authority Service to aide coordination.

Following the publication of Careers Wales Destination Survey the Youth Engagement and Progression Coordinator visits each school to meet the Headteacher and senior management team to identify areas of improvement.

The Partnership has supported the development of the Learning Provider Network; this has been in existence since June 2010. This came as a result of a perceived lack of work-based learning placements for young people in Newport. The Work Based Learning Academy in conjunction with Community Learning has provided accredited basic skills courses to young people 16 years or over who are not in education,

employment or training. All courses are supported with a free mobile crèche for young parents requiring childcare.

The Pupil Participation Learning Network has been expanded, drawing on support from the Healthy Schools Scheme and Newport Young People’s Participation Officer.

A pupil voice survey around EOTAS has been completed in collaboration with the EAS.

Learning Coach meetings take place each half-term to share good practice across the city.


Further develop participation opportunities based on the changing needs of children and young people and develop strong mechanisms for younger children to have direct links to decision makers.

Develop a partnership-wide, annual training plan for participation including e-learning opportunities as well as practical methods of involving children and young people in decision making.

Further embed the National Participation Standards and the self-assessment process as good practice across the Partnership and schools.

Review the Attendance Action Plan in the summer term 2016 and develop a further plan for the following academic year.

Strengthen the “Team around the Cluster” model to improve young people’s social and academic outcomes.

European Social Fund Project – A Local Authority project has been submitted for both pre and post-16 projects to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training. The outcome of the bid is unknown but if successful, pre-16 and post-16 projects will be developed.

Further NEET work to be carried out with Key Stage 5 pupils, schools and the college for those at risk of disengaging in education, so early intervention can be made when necessary.

2.3.3 Youth support services and personal support

The Families First Children and Young Peoples Skills Project has seen 1,298 individuals being supported and 10,167 contacts made with young people during 2015/16 via schools, Coleg Gwent, local communities and the Information Shop.

The Alternative Learning Forum, otherwise referred to as ALF work under the curriculum team within the Youth Service, provides intensive one-to-one youth support to young people at risk of being excluded from mainstream education. The team comprises of a tutor to deliver real educational outcomes in addition to youth work staff to cater for their complex additional needs. This provides a holistic approach and ensures engagement throughout the academic year.

Newport Youth Service, working in partnership with Serennu Children’s Centre and Sparkle, provide a youth club provision for 57 young people with disabilities of developmental difficulties.

Newport Sports Development, working in partnership with all primary and secondary schools, provide regular sport and physical activity provision for all young people within education in Newport. 6446 young people were engaged in the 5x60 programmes across 8 high schools.

Positive Futures uses Sport as a tool to engage at risk young people. The education programme offers young people the opportunity to learn new skills, socialise, and improve team work and communication levels. Young people can gain qualifications and gain volunteering opportunities with the possibility of employment as a long term goal.

Throughout 2014 /15 Newport Live has registered 1590 individual young people within community, alternative education settings, targeted groups and 1:1’s. The programme aims to support and engage young people through Sport.

Street Games Doorstep Sports has developed 4 doorstep sports clubs across each Communities First cluster. A partnerships approach between Newport Sport Development, Street Games and Community First Clusters has been developed with the aim of increasing community based sport.

Through a partnership approach a BME Sports Forum has been established to support BME organisations to develop and grow. An annual refugee football tournament is run during National Refugee Week with the aim of increasing social inclusion and developing exit routes into mainstream football clubs.

Community Development and partners deliver work-based learning within community settings across Community First areas in Newport, targeting NEET young people 16 -19. The NEET programme has worked with 355 young people since 2008 in 11 communities. The project has a retention rate of 94.2 % and a positive progression rate of 86.8% with learners moving on to education, employment or training. Since December 2013 they have also set up the Work Based Learning Academy.

Careers Wales Gwent has a rigorous quality assurance process in place to ensure that staff members are trained, qualified and quality assured in accordance with our contractual obligations to the Welsh Government, who fund the service, and Estyn. The standards used to assess the guidance interviews are those used by Estyn under the new CIF. All careers advisers are qualified to NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance and frontline staff NVQ Level 3 in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Welsh-language youth support is provided for young people in Welsh-medium and English-medium settings by dedicated Urdd Welsh Language Youth Worker on a partnership basis between Newport and Blaenau Gwent. Increased opportunities for Welsh speakers and learners to use their Welsh in a relaxed and friendly environment. Social and volunteering opportunities on offer to young people, including volunteering on Urdd Residentials. Young people taking part in these volunteering activities achieve a YMCA qualification in “A Step Toward Youth Work”. A Welsh language Youth Forum has been set-up at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, which has representation from the 4 counties. As a result of these activities, Young people have reported an increased confidence and interest in using Welsh in social situations within the community.

Schools have been trained in National Participation Standards.

Newport Youth Service I Zone mobile provision has had 4,473 contacts with young people during the period August 2014 to March 2015 and continues to contribute to the reduction in reported ASB incidents across the city as well as contributing to the ASB Theme Group.

Positive Futures Street Team provides an outreach service for young people within hotspot areas across the city. From April 2014 to March 2015, 8,603 young people (1,403 participants registered for community engagement and 7,200 engagements throughout outreach) have engaged in sports activities within centre based evening sessions or street based community provision. Such diversionary activities support the reduction in ASB levels across the city.

In recent years, Careers Wales has merged into one national organisation, restructured and downsized.

Independent evaluation of the national service has demonstrated high levels of satisfaction with

Careers Wales amongst clients and stakeholders. Research has shown that 92% of schools are

satisfied with the careers guidance given to pupils, 89% of businesses are satisfied with the support

they receive in recruiting school leavers, 93% of colleges are satisfied with the advice given to

students and 100% of Job Centres are satisfied with the services we offer. Clients’ opinion of the

services they received from Careers Wales is very positive with nearly all clients surveyed (98%)

reporting that Careers Wales services helped inform their decisions about career and learning

choices, understood their needs (95%), were professional (98%) and treated them with respect (99%).

In the year 2014-15 Career Wales Advisers undertook the following volume of impartial careers information

advice and guidance interactions with pupils in Newport Schools:

2014-15 Mainstream Clients Transition Reviews -

Clients with a statement

Total

KS3 70 31 101

KS4 2396 96 2492

KS5 726 70 796

They were complimented by a variety of group sessions that were delivered to the following number of clients

2014-15 Clients receiving Group Delivery

KS3 918

KS4 904

KS5 106

In addition to this, a programme of capacity building has been developed through our Careers and the

World of Work Co-ordinators to support schools achieve the Careers Wales Mark (CWM). Two

Secondary schools have achieved the CWM and 4 are working towards. 2 Special Schools in Newport

have also achieved the CWM. This work is critical to developing each schools careers and the world of

work curriculum and building the careers family concept to best support pupils in readiness for

transition.

Partnership Agreements have been agreed with the 7 comprehensive schools and 1 special school.

Outcomes from the Welsh Governments 2014 Annual Destination Survey undertaken by Careers

Wales identified a higher percentage of 16 year olds returning to Education or Further Education than

in the 2013 survey (88.88% compared to 84.88% in 2013) and this trend continued for 17 year olds

where 88.76% returned to Education / Further Education compared to 86.25% in 2013. Unverified

data from the 2015 Destination survey sees this reverse slightly for 16 year olds to just under 88%

returning to Education or Further Education, however for 17 year olds, there is an increase to around

89% returning to Education / Further Education.

The improvement in data collection and analysis via the YEPF five tier model has lead to increased

collaboration across key partners within Newport. During 2014-15 Careers Wales advisers support

the following number of clients in Newport:

16-24 Unemployed 1727

16-24 in Education, Employment or Training 581

Over 25s 1445

16+ Made Redundant or under notice of

redundancy

879

Careers Wales delivered employability sessions for unemployed clients in Newport and introduced

Skills to Succeed (S2S) during 2014-15. S2S is an online programme of modules that can be worked on

at home in order to achieve employability units. During the 2014-15 year, 69 clients were registered

with S2S through Careers Wales and 29 of these progressed into a positive outcome of employment,

training or voluntary work.

Careers Wales continued to be the main referrer of clients into Work Based learning with 217 client

making the transition into training during 2015-15, 153 into engagement provision and 64 to Level 1.

Local protocols were in place with ITEC and Rathbone work based learning providers and a

Partnership Agreement was been negotiated with Newport Youth Offending Service

Education, Social Services, and Health partnerships are implementing a Families First as part of a city wide preventions strategy. The focus of this work will be to develop a continuum of prevention with a focus on a single point of entry for families, a lead professional to support families and improved outcomes for families and young people.

When developing the Single Integrated Plan there were good mechanisms in place to enable children and young people to have their voices heard, influence decisions and receive feedback. This has continued since, through an annual consultation exercise. Results of this are reported to the Family Support Services Board

50 members across the Partnership have engaged in Participation Training. The training provided practical advice on involving both 0-10s and 11-25s in decision making as well as raising awareness of the national participation agenda. Training has also been provided to Flying Start Staff, Family information Service and all Play staff

There are a wide range of opportunities for children, young people and their families to have a voice within their communities, schools, and services that they access. An example of this is the high priority given to the views of young people and parents during the Statutory Assessment process. Universal participation opportunities are offered as well as targeted sessions to ensure that the voices of special interest groups and hard to reach young people have their views represented. The Local Authority undertakes an annual consultation with children and young people, supports Newport Youth Council and in 2014 began a conversation with the public about what they wanted the council to look like in the future. Newport Youth Council is supported by a third sector organisation (Tros Gynnal) so that it is independent of the Local Authority.

Children and young people’s views were integral to the Unified Needs Assessment process across One Newport and this is an on-going process.

The Partnership has a Participation Promise to which partners are expected to commit identifying that the National Participation Standards and the self-assessment process are considered best practice when involving children and young people in decision making. There is a One Newport Engagement Strategy with action plan, although more work is required to ensure the Participation Promise is embedded in the work of partners


Further develop participation opportunities based on the changing needs of children and young people and develop strong mechanisms for younger children to have direct links to decision makers.

Develop a partnership-wide, annual training plan for participation including e-learning opportunities as well as practical methods of involving children and young people in decision making.

Further embed the National Participation Standards and the self-assessment process as good practice across the Partnership and schools.

Provide greater consistency of Learning Coach support, in line with the new national training programme, to be embedded within existing budgets and reduce reliance on grant funidng.

Implement the Families First Model for early identification of risk factors and implementation of targeted universal and bespoke services.

Develop further work to engage with young people who are not engaged with support services.

Further embed the Participation Promise in the work of the Local Authority and partners.

2.3.4 Safeguarding arrangements

Effective arrangements are in place to ensure the safeguarding of children, young people, and vulnerable

adults.

Clear lines of accountability exist at all levels across the council and the wider South East Wales partnership for safeguarding. The Council Leader has ultimate strategic accountability for child safeguarding and the Strategic Director People has operational accountability. The Head of Children’s Services and Assistant Head of Education (Inclusion) have operational accountability within their respective service areas

The South East Wales Safeguarding Children Board (SEWSCB) has the statutory responsibility to provide the strategic lead in the region in relation to the safeguarding of children and promotion of their welfare, as enshrined in the Children Act 2004 and Safeguarding Children: Working Together under the Children Act 2004 (2006). The South East Wales region incorporates Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. The Board is funded by the Welsh Government Collaboration Fund for the period 2013-2016 and the success of the merger of the five Boards will be reviewed on an annual basis and reported to Welsh Government.

The SEWSCB and its sub-group structure are supported by the SEWSCB Business Unit. The SEWSCB is underpinned by a number of effective sub-groups, overseen by the SEWSCB Business Unit. Sub-groups identify critical messages that are reported to the SEWSCB at each meeting. Reporting arrangements focus on performance management across a range of key indicators.

In order to ensure safeguarding is effectively profiled at a local level there is a Learning and Reviewing group in each Local Authority area – responsible for monitoring and auditing local practice and for sharing learning in their local area. The local groups are chaired by the Head of Children’s Services for that area. All groups are multi-agency and have representation from all member agencies.

Any critical messages identified by the Learning and Reviewing group are reported to the SEWSCB Case Review and Practice Development sub group (CRPD) and the SEWSCB chairs group.

All schools have up to date policies and procedures that follow WG and SEWSCB requirements. Recruitment and disciplinary procedures are in accordance with WG child protection guidance. The Overview and Scrutiny Forum has reviewed the SEWSCB strategic plan and closely monitors key performance indicators in respect of safeguarding and child protection.

There is a dedicated Education Safeguarding Officer who provides a strong link between schools, the Education Service, Social Services and Preventative Services. An effective web-site resource has been developed to enhance the capacity of schools.

LA staff and services commissioned by the LA receive comprehensive Child Protection Awareness and regular update training, with positive feedback received.

Guidance on safe recruitment is provided to schools by the Local Authority following national guidance.

The Safeguarding Officer is a member of MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference), this forum deals with Domestic Violence incidents. The Safeguarding Officer is part of the DACC, Domestic Abuse Conference Call system operated by the police. This process along with MARAC may be supported by Operation Encompass which formalises the contact with Schools via the Safeguarding Officer. This is a good practice because of its development and implementation of conference calling in regards to Domestic Violence referrals, ensuring immediate daily links with relevant agencies to ensure immediate effective support for the family, and ensuring that if any child is identified as being involved that this information is shared immediately with the school. The Safeguarding Officer links with the Senior Education Welfare Officer before and after meetings.

A database has been developed by the Safeguarding Officer that records all contacts with child protection designated school staff. This has improved communication between agencies and schools. A database has also been developed to record all incidents of physical intervention in Newport schools, with facility for analysis on a regular basis.

A policy has been developed to support schools in dealing with allegations against members of staff; schools report that this has been effective support when managing allegations. Minutes from professional strategy meetings indicate that schools follow procedures in line with statutory guidance and the supporting Newport guidelines. The Safeguarding Officer in conjunction with Human Resources maintains a data base record of all recorded allegations and actions taken.

A Children Missing in Education Policy has been developed by the Safeguarding Officer, Senior Education Welfare Officer and Head of GEMS. This has been implemented across all Newport Schools, with 100 staff from schools and the central Education Service trained.

Free training is provided by the Pan-Gwent Forced Marriage group and the VAWDASV to all Newport staff on Honour-based Violence (HBV)and an e-learning tool has been produced to provide further support.

The ICT curriculum team led the collation of e-safety resources for the ADEW ICT Group, resulting in all resources being shared nationally on NGfL Cymru. The team has published an e-safety pack to schools and led training with governors, staff and parents resulting in a strong culture of keeping safe online. A new innovative, online training resource was published during 2011 targeted at keeping staff safe, particularly in light of increasing use of social networking.

On-line safety training is being offered to all schools / governors in February / March 2016.

All Education Service teams have received Safeguarding Level 1 training as a minimum.

Each Families First project is required to have safeguarding arrangements in place and this is monitored through the SLA and monitoring visits. An audit is undertaken on an annual basis as part of the Service Level Agreement with all non-maintained education providers, all members of staff in the settings are required to attend regular child protection training. This is offered free of charge every term. The Families First Wellbeing Team has all received current training up to and above recommended standards.

Newport LIVE ensures that children and young people access safe facilities by ensuring that the services and clubs within those facilities adhere to safeguarding procedures as set out through the National Governing Body affiliation process. At the time of booking a facility, clubs are required to provide documentation including coaching certificates, DBS clearance and proof of insurance.

All Sports Development core staff have completed a Sport Coach UK Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop over the last 12 months. This is a nationally recognised course as indicated by National Governing Bodies and Sport Wales. Additionally all casual and voluntary staff have undertaken the training.

All Newport LIVE staff appointments follow Newport Live recruitment and selection policies which ensure the appropriately qualified staff with the appropriate CRB/DBS clearance are appointed to deliver safe activities for young people and vulnerable adults.

The Newport Sport Development volunteer programme continues to implement procedures that ensures all volunteers undertake disability awareness, safeguarding and first aid training as part of the volunteer policy.


Across the LA materials have been developed to raise awareness across all staff groups of their role and

responsibility for safeguarding. These materials have been rolled out across schools

Following the successful Child Sexual Exploitation seminar in September 2014 further events have been

developed to share with school staff. An audit has commenced and actions recommended will be

implemented. A Newport CSE Forum has been established and the Education service is represented at

this.

Neglect Awareness Training has taken place with schools and agency representatives This include inputs

from schools with good multi-agency practice and nurturing environments.

A safeguarding audit tool has been introduced to schools and all schools should have completed this by

July 2016.

Further training will be offered to all members of the central Education service via the SEWSCB.

2.4 Access and school places

2.4.1 Provision of an appropriate range and number of school places

Newport has an appropriate range and number of school places, with effective monitoring and planning for

future needs.

Newport schools have an overall surplus capacity of 7.8%, which is lower than the WG target of 10%. The primary school surplus is currently at 8.9% whilst the secondary school surplus is 6.4%. Allowing the oversubscription in some of our secondary schools, this brings our net surplus figure for secondaries down to approximately 2%. 1 primary school had significant surplus capacity. This is a Welsh-medium seedling school.

Two secondary schools have significant surplus capacity. However, both schools are hosting spare capacity in readiness for the development of 4,000 houses in the east of Newport.

Primary pupil numbers are expected to increase by approximately 11% between 2015 and 2020. Secondary pupil numbers are expected to increase by approximately 4% during the same period. This is due to an increasing birth rate and planned housing developments. One primary school accommodated an extra class of 30 pupils for a third time in September 2015 to meet the demand for Reception places this academic year.

The LA determines the capacity of schools in accordance with WG guidance. The LA works with schools to develop strategies for the reorganisation of school accommodation to meet current and future needs.

Pupil numbers are closely monitored and projections produced with 96.4% overall accuracy for primary schools and 97.15% for secondary schools. This is based on 2010 projections of 2015 numbers on roll compared with actual numbers. The variance in accuracy for individual schools ranges from -42.3% to 36.4% for primary schools and from -5.6% to 33.5% for secondary schools. This demonstrates the unpredictable nature of pupil movements both within and from outside Newport.

The LA is proactive in assessing demand for Welsh-medium education. In total, 4.7% of all reception age children are currently being educated in Welsh-medium schools.

A project to develop a Welsh-medium secondary school in Newport to meet regional demand continues.

A 16 place non-maintained setting continues to be registered with Newport EYDCP to provide early years education bilingually, through the mediums of both English and Welsh. This setting also offers wrap around childcare and links directly with the three welsh primary schools across the City.

The three-yearly parental demand survey was carried out in July 2015 and this captures demand for Welsh-medium education.

The Newport Welsh Education Forum continues to meet termly, working towards targets and actions, and publish the updates to the Welsh Education Strategic Plan on an annual basis.

The Council’s Nursery Reorganisation Programme is underway to provide 10 community-maintained nurseries on primary school sites where this facility is not currently available. This programme of investment will increase the sufficiency of nursery places across the City and is the key to the Council’s plans of creating 3-11 education on every school site and is due to be concluded by September 2017.

The Early Years Integration Team works in unison as members of the Education Resources & Planning Team. They are responsible for driving forward a comprehensive package of wraparound childcare on all school sites where this is possible, linking Breakfast Clubs, After School Clubs and Holiday Clubs, as well as development of new nursery classes and ensuring the continuation of high standards within non-maintained settings.

The Early Years Business Manager is an approved CSSIW Inspector, which is a strong platform for recognising development change and improved outcomes for children in all Early Years settings.

The LA makes good use of contributions from housing developers (Section 106 funding) to provide additional capacity by re-modelling school sites appropriately.

The Education Service has been proactive in ensuring that emergency planning and business continuity management are in place at service level. This has also been rolled out across schools with workshops, guidance and templates providing a framework for updating emergency arrangements and building resilience at school level for incident and risk management.


Ensure sufficient school places across the city.

Provide additional places for pupils with ASD to reduce out-of-county placements.

Continue to develop robust models of wraparound care to support parenting and the local economy.

Continue to embed the Nursery Reorganisation Programme to support the 3-11 seamless transition pathway.

Complete the tender process for all non-maintained settings to ensure that parental demand for early years provision can be met effectively across all areas of the City.

2.4.2 Admissions to schools

All admissions to maintained schools are processed within published timescales and adhere to the WG

Statutory School Admissions Code.

An effective School Admissions Forum is in place with representatives including the Education Business Manager, the Early Years Business Manager, the SEN Manager, the Head of GEMS and the LAC Education Coordinator.

The on-line admissions facility has been extended to accommodate Rising 3 nursery applications. Take up of the on-line admissions facility increased from 26% in September 2014 to 67% in September 2015. The implementation of the on-line facility for in-year admissions is being developed over the 2015/16 academic year.

The Council ensures that parental preference is met wherever possible. In doing this however, the School Admissions & Appeals Team is mindful of the requirements of the statutory code and the Council’s admissions policy. Where a school is oversubscribed, preference requests are considered, but the priorities set by the Council are applied.

Following appropriate consultation, primary school catchment areas were set with effect from September 2015, and transition links confirmed with denoted secondary cluster schools. Following this exercise, on-line catchment maps are now available.

The LA is committed to providing Welsh-medium education for all children whose parents indicate that this is their preferred choice.

The LA is committed to serving the interests of all children, particularly those identified as being vulnerable.

In accordance with the requirements of the statutory code, the Council affords highest priority to Looked After Children and previously Looked After Children. In-year applications from these children are prioritised and processed within 10 calendar days.

There is good liaison with the SEN Team to ensure that the admission and transfer arrangements for pupils with Statements of SEN are effective and that phase transfer for all pupils is effectively managed.

There are close working links with the Education Welfare Service who help identify any children not attending school, and who assist in securing applications for all relevant children within the phase transfer process.

The GEMS team provides effective support to parents for admission to nurseries and schools for EAL and GRT children.

A protocol is in place for the swift admission of children placed at the local Domestic Violence Refuge to the catchment primary and secondary schools.

Links have been established with the non-maintained sector and Flying Start provisions to assist in supporting transition arrangements to Nursery and Reception classes. This reduces the number of late applications and thus increases the likelihood of a successful application.

An agreed in-year transfer process is in place for instances where parents submit a request for the child to be admitted to a school during the course of the academic year. The School Admissions & Appeals Team endeavors to complete all in-year transfer requests within the limits set out in the statutory code (15-school days or 28 calendar days, whichever is the sooner). This is sometimes more difficult to achieve in relation to secondary school age pupils where factors such as the appropriateness of curriculum choices and the child’s school history need to be taken into consideration. During the 2014/2015 academic year, 302 applications were received from pupils wishing to transfer into or between Newport’s community secondary schools and 1,153 applications were received from pupils wishing to transfer into or between Newport’s community primary schools (including nursery provision).

The School Admissions & Appeals Team is a key partner in the weekly Managed Moves panel which, in certain circumstances and in the best interests of the child, is used to discuss the appropriateness of the pupil placement. The panel also monitors and supports managed moves and placements for young people who are facing exclusion, and ensures that there is robust dialogue and a clear exit pathway for the young people discussed, and that re-integration following short term interventions at the Pupil Referral Units are managed and monitored effectively to ensure success.

In all instances where an admission request is refused, parents are advised of their right to appeal the decision. All appeals are carried out in accordance with the statutory School Admissions Appeals Code. For the September 2015 phase admission round, a total of 135 appeals were heard in respect of pupils refused their first choice school. In 80% of these cases, the original decision of the Council was upheld and the appeal refused.


Further extend the online admissions facility to include in-year transfer requests.

Increase uptake of the online admissions facility across the City.

Reduce the number of late applications received in respect of the normal admissions rounds.

2.4.3 Coordination of early years and play to ensure sufficiency

Newport has a robust range of early years and play provision, which is effectively coordinated, monitored and

planned by the Council.

A total of 187 childcare providers are actively running childcare settings within Newport, providing 3624 places for children across the city. This represents an increase of 117 places but a decrease of 2 childcare providers. This figure includes Flying Start Settings and is provided by Newport Family Information Service.

There are currently five childminders (providing 26 places) registered but are not actively taking on children at this point in time for reasons including ill-health, career breaks and maternity leave. These are all due to return to active registration by December 2016. If these places are included, total childcare providers in Newport would total 213 (or 3,650 places), representing an increase of 24 providers and 143 places.

In the last year, the Council has registered four additional childminders, two additional Out of School Clubs despite a decrease of one registered holiday club, and have retained one registered Cylch Meithrin.

There are currently 18 Flying Start childcare settings across Newport, 15 of which are delivered by Newport City Council and three contracted provisions. An additional two childcare settings are due to come on board in the very near future to meet the demands of the Flying Start expansion. Planning is currently underway to meet the childcare demands for 16/17 with additional capital funding being sought.

Fifteen Flying Start practitioners have recently completed their Level 5 childcare qualification. 21 practitioners are currently undertaking a Cache Professional Development course to up-skill them in ALN practice. Take up of childcare in Newport for 2-3 year olds within Flying Start areas is high with over 85% take up. Newport featured as one of the highest authorities across Wales in recent statistical bulletins.

Roll-out of Elklan training is ongoing. All children within the Flying Start caseload (2712) are assessed using the Schedule of Growing Skills Assessment (SOGS) to enable settings to establish the developmental needs of young children. Those children whose SOGS scores are said to be deviating from the norm are provided with additional support. This support is developed via multi agencies and is developed through a Person Centred Planning approach.

There are approximately 1,108 high quality nursery places available within the non-maintained sector across Newport. These are available to children taking up part-time education sessions the term after their third birthday. During the autumn term 2015, 386 places were taken up by 3 and 4 years olds across the City. The remaining places will be taken up by Rising 3’s in the spring and summer terms during the academic year 2015-16. There are 25 non-maintained providers in Newport, and they are eligible to receive funding from the Local Authority to provide nursery education. The high quality of these providers is evidenced through reports by Estyn and CSSIW. The teaching and learning within these settings is supported by the 10% contact time given to each setting by the Early Years Advisory teacher employed by the South East Wales Education Achievement Service, as well as Early Years staff from within the Council.

Newport City Council became a pilot authority between January 2014 and August 2015 to develop and implement the Welsh Government Foundation Phase flexibility pilot scheme. Funding was awarded to develop and implement proposals for offering greater flexibility for accessing foundation phase provision the term after a child’s 3

rd birthday. Commissioned by Welsh Government, the outcomes of the pilot were

evaluated by Cardiff University. Six settings across the city were involved in ‘testing’ whether demand is increased by offering ‘shared provision’ ‘untypical hours’ and ’50 weeks a year’ provision rather than the typical 39 week academic year. The findings of the pilot are still being assessed and digested by Welsh Government and a series of presentations to Board members within Welsh Government are being delivered in order to consider the findings as well as the next steps.

Evidence from the demand analysis (within the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2014-15) suggests 81% of

children are taking up the entitlement of this part time ‘Rising 3’ place, which is an increase of 3% from

2013/14 and the take up rate of the places has increased by 13% over the last four years. This can be

attributed to the roll out of the ‘childcare’ element for two year-olds through Flying Start, through the

work of the Family Information service that provides information to Parents on pre-school providers and

also the increase in maintained provision across the City with the establishment of additional nursery

classes within LA schools.

Children within Flying Start areas are offered 12.5 hours of free quality childcare. There is an 85% take up of this entitlement. All Flying Start children are offered an intensive health visiting programme from 0-4 years which includes distribution of home safety equipment, nutritional advice and baby massage.

Language and Play is delivered in most Flying Start childcare settings leading to accredited Agored (OCN) units at appropriate levels in line with the adult basic skills levels. The “Tiny Talkers” and “Chatty Children” early language programmes are delivered in pilot Flying Start areas.

Parents in Flying Start areas are offered opportunities to improve their parenting skills. Family Links Nurturing programme, Incredible Years parenting programme and Brazelton neonatal programmes are offered to all Flying Start parents.

The Play Development Team continues to operate Playschemes and Play Clubs across the City, allowing children and families to access play provisions that best suit the needs of the family. Numbers attending the Playscheme provision during the last four summer holidays are as follows: 19,664 in 2012; 18,896 in 2013; 18,172 in 2014, and; 17,283 in 2015.

The reduction in attendance can be attributed to a number of older children being too old to attend the provision, the change of locations, increased venue hire charges and an overall reduction in the budget available to deliver the programme. This is set to reduce next year due to changes to Early Years, Childcare and Play Regulations, and the registration of all children up to 12 years which will be implemented in April 2016.

The Play Development Team currently operate four CSSIW registered Playschemes throughout the City (at

Pillgwenlly, Bettws, Ringland and Llanwern) providing all day play for 5-12 year olds. These sites are

inspected annually and commended on its service delivery (reports as evidence). This is currently under

review due to the changes to Early Years, Childcare and Play Regulations introduced by Welsh

Government, and the registration of all children up to 12 years which is due to be implemented in April

2016.

The overall attendance figures at the Play Clubs around the City has increased year on year since 2012. Attendance in 2012/13 was 4470 and in 2013/14 was 5,027. We have experienced a drop in attendance to 2,200 in 2014/15. There are many attributing factors such as the dark evenings and weather, closure of a site due to the building being unsafe, workforce development and the retention of casual and part-time staff. Wea re currently under a service restructure and potentially reviewing a model offering sustainability and continuity for staff and children.

In conjunction with Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids Clubs, Newport City Council has increased the number of Out

of School childcare clubs in Newport from 56 clubs in 2012 to 69 clubs in 2016 (which equates to an

increase of 220 childcare places in these four years). This increase has been facilitated by a variety of

funding sources, including Newport City Council’s Childcare funding and Welsh Government’s Out of

School Childcare Grant.

Newport City Council also offers Assisted Places (for Children from low income families) and ‘Extra Hands’

grants to enable all out of school clubs to be inclusive and access to all children and families can be

facilitated.


The Early Years team to continue to focus on ensuring the roll-out of the Healthy Early Years Pre-School Award to additional non-maintained settings.

To ensure a consistent approach in the early identification, support and transition of children with Additional Learning Needs through the consistent usage of Individual Development Plans (IDP).

Completion of Play Sufficiency Assessment 3-Year Plan due to be submitted by 31st

March 2016.

Play Development will be reviewing Workforce Development in line with Welsh Government legislation and changes to the National Minimum standards for Early Years, Childcare and Play, ensuring that all Persons In Charge (Managers) of CSSIW registered sites are Level 3 qualified and that 80% of all Playworkers at sites are Level 2 qualified from the Care Council for Wales current list of accepted qualifications for Early Years, Childcare and Play Workforce in Wales.

Continue to offer elements of the Foundation Phase flexibility pilot to parents / carers to maximise “take up” of the early entitlement offer of a free, part time place at the start of the terms following a child’s 3

rd

birthday.

Flying Start will be opening an additional Welsh-medium playgroup in September 2016.

Parents will be offered accreditation of parenting programmes within 2016/17.

2.4.4 Coordination of youth support services to ensure access to entitlements

Newport has a good range of Youth Support Services, delivered by over 60 services and organisations

coordinated by the Partnership, which support young people to access their entitlements.

The One Newport Performance Management Framework is used to monitor performance against the priorities within the Single Integrated Plan (developed from the Unified Needs Assessment).

The Partnership structure also coordinates the provision of Youth Support Services through the Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Group, NEET Sub Groups, Learning Provider Network, Young Person’s Accommodation Group (YPAG) and Prevention, Education and Training Group (PET).

The Partnership oversees the delivery and range of Youth Support Services through a Young People’s Entitlements Officer, Participation Officer and Children’s Rights and Complaints Officer who work within the partnership framework in Newport.

Community Development has successfully implemented a Geographic Information System (GIS) to map services and needs of communities (including young people). This has enabled the council and wider partnerships to provide services which meet community needs. The website to support the GIS system went live on 1st April 2011 and can be access via www.ourcommunityinwales.co.uk The Preventions Team have undertaken a service mapping exercise across cluster areas to support the development of the Families First model in Newport. This will reduce unnecessary duplication of services.

The Youth Service ensures youth work support is available to young people via community, school and mobile based teams.

The Youth Service Information Shop, as part of the Families First Children & Young People’s strand, caters for the needs of young people by offering training to improve their work opportunities. Specifically, they deliver both parts of the CSCS card provision to enable young people to work on construction sites. In addition, the staff will now be delivering Level 2 in Food Safety in Catering in recognition of the developments in Friars Walk. Both are nationally accredited qualifications administered through the British Safety Council.

Newport Youth Service works to promote the emotional and social wellbeing of young people 11-25 years old, via curriculum and project delivery within local communities, for example healthy living programmes, substance misuse groups and virtual parenting groups.

The Youth Service continues to deliver the C-Card Scheme which is designed to distribute condoms to young people and promote safe sexual health behaviour, and enable staff under the Fraser Guidelines to talk to young people to identify concerns and educate them to present STIs and pregnancy.

The Newport Live Sports Development / Positive Future Team “Young Volunteer Pathway” and Sport Leaders UK (SLUK) Assessment Centre has provided a range of Sports Leadership qualifications over the

http://www.ourcommunityinwales.co.uk/

year to a variety of young people. Sport is used as a hook to engage, motivate, divert and develop young people, and has proved extremely successful with many Young People now being employed in varying entry level and longer term officer positions across the City. Individuals are identified from within targeted communities and Newport secondary schools sports programmes ensuring that the young people are not disadvantaged by poverty and the area in which they live. Learning is structured but delivered in an informal setting to ensure engagement and retention.

Newport Live Sports Development / Positive Futures Team is very much engaged with Senior Leadership Teams in Schools and is delivering Welsh Bacc, BTech Sports, Volunteer Development Programmes for cluster approaches / play makers with primary school volunteer opportunities for peers, and is constantly developing new ideas and opportunities to support schools.

The Newport Live Sports Development / Positive Futures Team “Alternative Education Scheme” provides a wide range of ASDAN qualifications, SLUK courses and qualifications and a University of South Wales approved mentoring scheme for referred young people in 1:1 settings who are at risk of being excluded, NEET or going into or are currently in either the Bridge Achievement Centre or the Youth Offending Service. The team also delivers the same format, support and qualifications in Groups with workshops added (Wellbeing, Smoking, Alcohol, Drug Misuse, Prison Life, Sexual Health etc) and are an accredited ASDAN and SLUK Assessment Centre. Individual young people are referred by secondary schools, the Youth Offending Service, Preventions, the Bridge Achievement Centre, Caerphilly Include and other partners needing support for young people who might be “hooked in” or engaged in an informal setting using sport, fitness or physical activity.

The Newport Live Sports Development / Positive Futures Team “Alternative Education Scheme” is working with the 2

nd Chance Project and is delivering alternative education programmes in Parc Prison with

identified young offenders from Newport and Gwent, and also alongside Newport Gwent Dragons as part of the Princes Trust Programme.

Newport Live work across ONE Newport and with many Newport City Council services and partners as well as the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Communities First and Families First to provide young people in Newport with doorstep activity, local opportunity at unsociable times and in hard to reach communities that is accessible and in the right style for young people in order to attract them. Many of the young people do not access existing voluntary sports club provision or stay in schools long enough for activities or go to leisure centre provision, and therefore are at risk of not being fully engaged in healthy living and physical activity. Over the last three years, participation on these communities has developed and activities are now being led by locally trained volunteers. This is all delivered in partnership with Communities First, Youth Services and Newport City Homes.

Newport Live is also the consortium lead for the Families First Health and Wellbeing strand, managing programmes of work through preventions and the single point of entry of Team Around The Family panels and allocation meetings with partners ABUHB (Community Dietician), Newport Mind (Family Resilience Workers) and GDAS / Kaleidoscope (Drug and Alcohol Worker). Through working with young people and their families there are many case studies and examples of referred young people who are progressing through support and intervention – often into sport and physical activity as a means of engagement. The team has also trained sports coaches and staff who work in Communities First areas and in all schools to provide a basic knowledge of Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs, Mental Health, Nutrition and Dietetics as they are in touch with thousands of potential early interventions per week. Further structures courses such as Funky Foods will be delivered in schools and communities in partnership with Communities First from January 2016.

Newport Live, in partnership with Play Development, has trained school teachers and also nursery workers through Wales PPA to be able to deliver Multi Skills and Physical Literacy to children across the City, allowing for a better platform of health and physical activity confidence in more workers and essentially more children as they grow older and take part in school at various ages.


Evaluate performance following the restructure of the Youth Service and Newport Live.

Develop more opportunities for young Welsh speakers and learners to gain accreditation through informal

learning by Newport Youth Support Services.

Further develop provision and co-ordination of voluntary sector youth support services.

Further improve the use of data to support the allocation of youth support services resources.

Further develop play service provision through the integration and implementation of physical literacy

development resources; specifically Play to Learn and Multi skills

KEY QUESTION 3: HOW GOOD ARE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT?

3.1 Leadership

3.1.1 Impact of leadership

Strong distributed leadership and succession planning across the council and its partners leads to improved

learner outcomes.

The Corporate Plan 2012-2017 sets out the council's strategic direction and improvement ambitions

Newport City Council’s Annual Improvement Plan 2015/16 , Summary and Annual Improvement Plan Welsh Version (PDF) and Welsh Summary set out the overall improvement objectives the council has for the city and for itself as an organisation.

The Single Integrated Plan links local public, private and third sector organisations work together to ensure services are effective, focused on local people and improve the quality of life in the city.

Strong regional consortia arrangements are in place for school improvement. The needs of Newport in relation to the whole consortia are considered and planned for in order to raise standards within the LA and across the region.

Regional Directors work in collaboration to ensure that strategic issues are developed in partnership in order to maximise outcomes, create mutual understanding and prevent duplication.

Senior Leaders, Elected Members and Head Teacher have a shared vision and understanding of regional and local improvement priorities and ensure that all strategic plans are coordinated effectively to maximise outcomes. Newport’s increasing population shows low net surplus places. Lack of sufficiency across all sectors primary, secondary and special schools) has resulted in the need to expand schools and plan new builds.

Leadership and management decision are always taken with a focus on the best outcome for learners. This is particularly true of school reorganisation decisions where schools have been amalgamated to improve standards and provide seamless learning pathways despite strong public opposition.

Welsh medium education provision is good. The Welsh medium demand survey considers and supports the planning of Welsh medium school places. Three Welsh medium primary schools have been established to meet and stimulate demand. Newport’s first Welsh medium secondary school will open in September 2016.

The Newport Schools Design Group is jointly led by Head Teachers to ensure that new buildings maximises the potential outcomes of learners and dovetails with 21st Century education strategy. In smaller scale re-modelling projects the Head Teacher acts as project manager to ensure the needs of learners are prioritised. Service delivery impacts positively on the standards of education throughout the city. Performance is strong in Foundation Phase and key stage 2. Outcomes are improving in Key stage three and four. Further work need to be developed in order to reduce the number of young people who are NEET.

All partners are supported and challenged to do their best. The local authority has a strong performance focus culture. Key Performance Indicators targets are challenging. The scrutiny of performance is cyclical, consistent and involves senior leaders, middle leaders and all officers. ‘Next steps for improvement’ and self-evaluation is structured into all performance arenas to ensure that there is an ambitious culture of improvement and change.

Good and effective performance management is in place for all staff. The regular completion of performance management is a Key Performance Indicator. There are clear links between service plans, team’s plans and individual ‘my reviews’. Training needs are identified and monitored by all leaders. The

Organisational Development Team plan and deliver a core skills set for all employees. Professional and technical CPD is in place to support specific roles. Compulsory and optional training arrangements are in place for leaders and managers across service areas. Bespoke training needs are also addressed. An aspiring leaders programme nurtures new talent and support succession planning across all service areas. Senior Management Forum meets quarterly to develop shared understanding and strong cultivate leadership practice.

Communicate with parents is effective. Website information is clear; giving key strategic aims and explanations of service areas and contact details for further enquiries. Public consultation sessions are carried out to discuss admission arrangements, school reorganisation, improvement and financial priorities. Service areas have a strong track record for addressing parental complaints in a timely way. Officers, middle leaders and ESMT meet with individual parents around complex issues to find resolution or develop a mutual understanding of key issues.

3.1.2 Strategic direction and meeting national and local priorities

The Education Service Plan has clear strategic aims and objectives that are focussed on meeting the needs of learners. This dovetails with the EAS Business Plan to ensure a seamless approach to supporting schools, governing bodies, children and young people.

There are clear identifiable links between strategic and service plans. ESMT quality assure team plans and monitor their progress. All targets are SMART and are reviewed in team meetings on at least a monthly basis to ensure the Education service Plan is on track. Team plans feed into the cycle of self-evaluation and team plans. This will be further enhanced through the introduction of FADE.

A clear corporate planning cycle is followed to ensure plans and reviewed and re-developed in a timely way Service Planning is shared and accepted by the Cabinet Member and Chief Executive Service Plans and reviews are part of the scrutiny agenda.

Key Performance Indicators are agreed monitoring through corporate SLT, Performance Board and the ‘Every Child Group’ Key Performance Indicators at risk or not being achieved are a key focus. Subsequent action plans to address underperformance are written by middle leaders and agreed by Senior Leaders. Middle and Senior Leaders are held to account by the ‘Every Child’ peer monitoring group. SLT and Performance Bard (Chaired by the Leader of the Council).

There is a clear council wide performance calendar which ensures timely monitoring and reporting of agreed outcomes The Corporate Senior Leadership Team meets on a weekly basis to lead and manage all service area priorities and planning. Heads of Service communicate service risks, service priorities and successes.

Newport City Council’s Annual Improvement Plan 2015/16 set out the overall improvement objectives the council has for the city and for itself as an organisation: This plan is reviewed in SLT to ensure timely improvement across the city.

The corporate structure includes a Strategic Director for ‘People’ and ‘Places’. This ensures that services are working together effectively for better outcomes. The Strategic Director for People leads Social Services and Education.

Good cross service area planning arrangements are in place to achieve successful outcomes. These include Safeguarding, Team Around the Cluster, Looked After Children Education Coordinators and Youth Offending Team support.

SLT consider the future needs of each service area in a timely way. A City of Newport 2020 vision has been established to consider changing customer needs and the future landscape of services . Medium Term Financial Plans are constructed and agreed by SLT to ensure financial cuts are linked to those services which present the lowest risk. Staffing structures are revisited regularly to ensure that adequate staffing

resources are in places to address service area priorities. Key Performance Indicators identified as ‘at risk’, trigger discussions around the level of staffing as well as the effectiveness of job roles.

A recent Education Service Senior Leadership restructure took place to re-define roles. Job descriptions are clear and linked to the Performance Management system. All staff have a focus on specific Key Performance Indicators and understand how their work directly or indirectly affects their outcome. KPI’s, team performance and outcomes are discussed on a termly basis, at Service Events.

The Every Child Group focuses middle leaders on the achievement of KPI’s. All staff participate in regular team meetings to update team plans which feed into service planning and KPI’s.

Standard agendas have been established in SLT, ESMT and Team Meetings. This ensures key issues are discussed examples include; safeguarding , risks, business cases / schemes of delegations. Action logs are recorded and revisited in every SLT, ESMT and Team meeting to ensure that key issues are agreed and addressed with pace.

Data is used extensively to monitor performance. This is evident through Performance Board, Scrutiny, Cabinet, SLT, ESMT, Team Meetings, Every Child Group. Data is published through a ‘view’s dashboard. Data and performance is clear and transparent within the public, school and corporate domain. Regular snapshots (progress towards targets) are discussed in meetings to establish risks in not meeting targets and how resources may need to be re-assigned in order to secure improvement. All officers are held to account around their contribution towards agreed KPI’s. Current data is used to drive all future planning.

Clear and consistent messages are provided from senior leaders around establishing challenging and realistic targets. The corporate performance management team provide clear target setting guidance for setting National Strategic Indicators, Public Accountability Measures and Outcome Agreements. Targets are linked to Welsh average performance, historical data trends and an upward trajectory of improvement.

School targets are extensively scrutinised at all levels, taking in to account previous attainment, benchmarking history, FFTD data and pupil cohorts. All school and Local Authority pupil outcome targets are derived from individual pupil data. School level targets dissected and signed off by the Chief Education Officer within the statutory timeframe. School level and LA headline targets are shared with Scrutiny Members in order to develop a greater understanding of the process and potential outcome.

The Joint Executive Group (JEG) scrutinise and challenge regional and local authority performance data with the EAS in order to drive standards collectively across the five joint LA’s.

All stakeholders, including schools, partners, elected members and officers, are fully committed to achieving strategic and service objectives.

The Joint Executive Group (JEG) participates in the development of the EAS regional Business Plan which sets priorities for learners and key resources across each local authority. The Cabinet Member for Education challenges alignment of EAS Business Planning and Education Service Planning to ensure that there is a seamlessness of approach. The Chief Education Officer, Deputy Chief Education Officer and Cabinet Member construct and agree the ‘LA Annex’ of the EAS Business Plan to ensure that local priories are addressed.

Head Teachers and Governing Bodies are consulted with on all EAS Business Planning arrangements. This ensures that priories are accepted, understood and shared by all key stakeholders.

Heads Teachers receive regular key performance headline data in Newport Head Teachers meetings and within termly EAS Head teacher seminars. Presentations develop an understanding of how individual schools contribute to the headline data and determine future priorities and actions within schools and across the LA

One Newport is the city’s Local Service Board (LSB) where the leaders of local public, private and third sector organisations work together to ensure services are effective, focused on local people and improve the quality of life in the city. Need extra information here about SIP etc.

Relevant key National strategic documents are identified and used to build and shape all council strategy. Linked key documents are cited within all strategy documents. In addition local priorities are determined via service self-evaluation, ward profile information and public consultation. This is evident in the Council Improvement Plan and the Single Integrated Plan.

Education Service Planning and joint EAS Business Planning are developed following the strategic direction of the Schools Effectiveness Framework and the national purpose but also consider education reform set out in Successful Futures and new curriculum and qualifications changes. A clear plan is in place (via the Wave model and Pioneer school pilot) to ensure that effective and timely progress is made in securing equitable outcomes across the LA and region.

Strong regional working is in place across education service. This allows Newport to consider best practice, consistency of cross boundary issues and value for money in addressing education themes. A clear plan is in place (SEW Directors: ‘A New Way of Working January 2016’) to demonstrate how the five Local Authorities will jointly address Additional Learning Needs, Finance, Attendance, Safeguarding, School Improvement, 21st Century Schools and HR. A clear work programme is in place to consider issues which affect children and young people. This links to education, social services, look after children and addresses young people that are NEET.

3.1.3 Elected members and other supervisory boards

Elected members have a good track record of bringing about improved learner outcomes

All elected members sit on at least one Governing Body within the local authority. All elected members undertake mandatory Governing Body training. This ensures that there is a common understanding around the ‘challenge and support’ model within education. Elected member are well informed around attainment data. Further work is currently being progressed to develop questioning techniques

Overview and scrutiny have begun to develop ‘pre-briefing’ sessions for scrutiny members before scrutiny committee. This ensures that committees have a sharper focus and there is a planned approach to addressing challenging question with officers.

Scrutiny committee are keen to develop workshop events with key stakeholders to consider their views around policy. Scrutiny Committee successfully raised the profile of Child Sexual Exploitation across the council through a scrutiny led workshop with third sector and statutory organisations.

Scrutiny Committee have played an active part in influencing the prevention of funding cuts in education and social services.

The Cabinet Member for Education consistently demonstrates strong leadership and visibility within the LA and across the region. The Cabinet Member interacts with school leaders on a weekly basis and is the ‘Attendance Champion’ for the city of Newport. The Cabinet Member attends all Academic Performance Reviews and meeting linked to ‘Schools Causing Concern.’

The Cabinet Member for skills and work has fostered effective links with schools and local businesses to promote apprenticeships and bursaries for university to proactively reduce the number of NEETs within the LA.

Services linked to children and young people give good quality and regular information on the performances of associated services. A clear schedule is in place linked to education and school improvement issues (this includes EAS working arrangements). Additional information is shared with scrutiny members via email (for example school level target setting linked to LA Headline targets). This ensures that scrutiny member have adequate time to consider each set of targets. Officers address individual member queries in a robust and honest way.

Education performance is always delivered with contextualised data. This ensures that scrutiny members can consider how well the city performs in relation to the wales average and in relation to Newport’s deprivation ranking. School data is always accompanied by benchmarking. All data is published with a historical overview to demonstrate improvement or decline.

Members hold officers to account regularly through Performance Board (where full cabinet and the Strategic Directors and Chief Executive is present). This focusses on NSI, PAMs, OA and all service plan targets. Good practice is also identified and shared.

A range of Elected Members sit on the EAS Joint Officer Group and EAS Company Board. This ensures that there is wide scale understanding of partnership arrangements and scrutiny of outcomes.

Decreasing budgets and the ambition to drive standards have contributed to difficult decision making linked to post 16 transport and amalgamations. Decisions have been made in a timely way despite varying support


Further improve the links between the Unified Needs Assessment, Single Integrated Plan and all Service

Plans

Once released utilise the Ward Profiles to target provision

Ensure that Scrutiny is enabled to challenge the work of the partnership and its members more

frequently.

To develop and integrate the FADE approach to self-evaluation and planning

To progress ‘New Ways of Working’ across the SEW Directors Group

To develop a quality assurance system to ensure a KPI are linked to ‘My Reviews’.

3.2 Improving quality

3.2.1 Self-evaluation, including listening to learners and others

Newport places high importance on rigorous self-evaluation and feedback from learners and stakeholders. It

uses this to inform its forward planning.

Within the council, rigorous mid-year and end of year service delivery reviews take place. The latter involve service teams in evaluating their performance against their team plan targets. Summarised self- evaluations are shared with Headteachers, Governing Body chairpersons, One Newport Partners including voluntary sector representatives, and representative groups of learners and parents, who add their evaluative comments and the priorities they would like to see developed during the next year. E.g. the further development of sector-leading numeracy and literacy intervention programmes which have raised standards.

The Strategic Director meets on a scheduled basis with groups of Headteachers, school governors and wider groups of partners. They meet with the Newport Youth Council and with school councils and groups of learners during their programme of visits. Many successful strategies have developed from these meetings. One example of a strategy that has had a positive impact on learners and their families is the preventative services programme.

The Assistant Heads of Education (Inclusion) consults with parents, young people, Headteachers and SENCos in the development of the annual team plan and evaluation of previous strategic developments. These meetings take place throughout the year and an example of impact is the implementation of the ASD Friendly Schools programme in response to parental concerns about the confidence of school staff to support pupils with ASD.

The council is proactive in the way it approaches underperformance in schools. This has led to significant improvements in schools and in key performance indicators. The Cabinet Member rigorously reviews all school inspection reports and post inspection action plans and holds meetings with the head and

governing body chairperson of each school inspected to discuss these. He also sees and challenges the outcomes and action plans attached to LA school reviews.

Scrutiny challenges the Cabinet Member and senior officers on standards of attainment and school performance. Systematic monitoring by scrutiny has focused attention on relentless improvement.

Elected members scrutinise self-evaluation reports and the implementation of its plans both in Cabinet and in Scrutiny Committee.

The Partnership encourages a wide range of learners, stakeholders and partners to provide evaluative feedback through a range of mechanisms including consultation workshops, events and surveys.

The Youth Council effectively contributes to the development and challenge of policy proposals e.g. re-organisation of Youth Services and the EAS integrated improvement services.

However, the Youth Council does need more support and structure if it is to be truly reflective of the views of young people across Newport. Currently the Council commissions Tro Gynnal to support the Youth Council, Children in Care Council and Safeguarding Children Board. By working with the third sector, it was hoped that more resource would be accessed to support the participation of children and young people within decision making. However, this has not yet happened and more focus is required in the following year.


Enhance the level of support for Newport Youth Council and enable youth representatives to develop a structure and purpose that meets the needs of young people in Newport through the third sector accessing additional resource to build capacity.

3.2.2 Planning improvement

Data informs decision making, target setting and self-evaluation. Planning is carefully matched to resources.

The Unified Needs Assessment for Newport clearly identifies the areas of improvement required within Newport. This has translated in to a series of Priority Themes where partnership work can have an impact. This is recorded through the Performance Management Framework and monitored by the Single Integrated Plan Board. Highlight reports are then considered by the LSB.

The One Newport Local Service Board produces an Annual Report against the priorities is has been working to address. This shows performance against a range of population indicators, performance against a range of interventions and gives recommendations for action for the following year.

One Newport undertakes an annual evaluation of the partnership structure and provides an opportunity for the wider partnership to contribute to the evaluation of current performance and setting of priorities for the coming year.

Teams work well to evaluate performance and ensure that service developments are owned by all members of staff. Exception reports evidence how the performance management process follows up on priorities and targets that are at risk of falling behind. The drive to improve performance and outcomes for learners is evident in all service areas and has led to improvements in many different areas, e.g. literacy and numeracy at each key stage, increased provision for excluded pupils and pupils at risk of exclusion.

Central education services continue to face budget and staff reductions, plans focus on dedicating resources to schools for raising standards of literacy and numeracy and reducing the impact of deprivation and other vulnerability factors on attainment. In particular, further work on raising standards of attainment and attendance of FSM pupils and vulnerable groups and plans to deploy resources closer to the point of impact where appropriate as part of continuous improvement.

Improvement was secured against all recommendations made in the 2008 Estyn inspection report. For example, new support, monitoring and intervention frameworks have been introduced by the School

Improvement and Inclusion services, improvements in key stage 4 results, increased analysis of data for vulnerable groups to target support to secure improvements in outcomes.

Good progress is being made in implementing the recommendations of the 2011 Estyn inspection report on local authority education services for children and young people. For example, primary and secondary attendance have continued to improve, a Unified Needs Assessment has been conducted to provide population level data and analysis to all partners to aid strategic planning, resource allocation and operational targeting and the EAS for south east Wales has been established, with a key focus on the use of intelligence data to improve outcomes for learners. The PIAP is regularly reviewed and updated.

One Newport Local Service Board has piloted a neighbourhood working model in the south east of the city, focusing on joint planning, resourcing and delivery of services on a community or neighbourhood basis. The findings of this pilot have supported the development of the Team Around the Cluster model.

Newport Live is using an online monitoring and evaluation toolkit called VIEWS that allows projects to capture evidence – qualitative and quantitative – and measure the impact the provision such as Positive Futures and Families First has had on a young person. VIEWS have developed an app called Sportworks where the data captured from projects can be converted into a social cost saving figure. Regular questionnaires are carried out to evaluate the delivery of the programme and ensure it meets the needs of the individual.

Termly online monitoring and evaluation takes place for Sport Wales initiatives (Dragon Sport & 5x60) via the MI Tool. This data is used to collate engagement, participations, retention rates and training. Newport Live also lead on the delivery of the bi-annual School Sport Survey this provides a national picture as to the participation and engagement in Sport and Physical Activity in school, community and club based sport.

The Newport LIVE has a point of sale system, Gladstone, that enables exact leisure bookings and attendances to be programmed into the system. The reporting mechanism, Cascade, allows for detailed analysis of the usage of all facilities and programmes within Newport LIVE, allowing for informed facility and programme planning.

Alongside the Gladstone system, Newport LIVE administers an Active Newport Leisure Membership card. As at 3

rd July 2015, there were 55,697 Newport residents with an Active Newport Leisure Membership

card, either Pay and Play or Monthly Membership, allowing for an encompassing monthly leisure access. This equates to 38% of Newport’s population. This data allows for detailed analysis of individual attendances.

Each year the data compiler within each team carries out a Self-Assessment of its Performance Management procedures. This process reviews current practices and highlights any shortfalls, ensuring a robust procedure and correct data collection and collation.


All planning will focus on raising standards of literacy and numeracy and the attainment of FSM pupils and those who are part of vulnerable groups. It will also focus on further refinement of support strategies for the more able.

Newport’s Families First model has created a single point of entry for families at risk, a joint assessment framework, lead professional role and multi-agency teams. The focus is on early intervention and prevention and ensuring that families and family members are able to engage with and benefit from universal service provision. The model in Newport is based on the eight school clusters and supports the Team Around the Cluster model of delivery

The One Newport Local Service Board has evaluated the changes to the partnership structure and has made amendments to that structure based on feedback. It is continually evolving. The development of the Family Support Services Board has enabled the partnership to better align the work of key programmes (Families First, Flying Start, Integrated Family Support Services and Communities First) and drive forward the changes needed to improve the life chances of children, young people and their families. However, more work is required to make this truly effective

3.2.3 How are we involved in Professional Learning Communities?

All Newport schools are linked to Professional Learning Communities and use this model to improve standards within and between schools across the LA and region. The Pioneer Schools Programme is an action research based project which will support curriculum planning for all schools in the next decade of education. Local Authority staff contributes and support PLC’s to improve well-being (Restorative Justice, SRE, Pupil Participation Network and Effective Playtimes).

The corporate ‘Aspiring Leaders’ programme includes action research with an aim to changing and improving the system we work in.

School to schools working has provided extra support for schools which require it supports the shared vision of a self-improving school system. Many Newport schools promote, offer and accept this style of working. An effective peer review programme for green schools has been developed and will be evaluated shortly.

The EAS has worked works in partnership with the LA in developing a school leadership programme designed to support succession planning. Head Teachers induction is a priority area for improvement. Bi-annual Head Teacher seminars support leadership development and secure a shared vision across the region. There is currently a gap in quality CPD progression opportunities for Head Teachers.


To ensure a regular and effective Head Teachers induction programme is in place followed by further continued professional development for Head teachers.

3.3 Partnership working

3.3.1 Strategic partnerships

Strategic partnerships within Newport have evolved since the restructure in 2012/13. An annual evaluation is

undertaken and this suggests that the changes have been positive, although concerns continue to be raised

regarding the inclusivity of the new arrangements. As a result regular engagement events are held, there is an

engagement action plan and a revised communication strategy.

The revised Partnership Structure has brought together resources previously within the LSB, Health Social Care and Wellbeing Partnership and Community Safety Partnership. There is a systematic and comprehensive approach to the identification and development of partnership planning evidenced by the Unified Needs Assessment and the Single Integrated Plan.

Newport Live (previously Sports Development) has strong links with local and national partners that have joint objectives and outcomes. The department has established partnerships with the Gwent Police Crime Commissioner, Communities First and Street Games which has allowed for the development of activities aimed at engagement, participation and reduction of Anti-social behaviour in targeted communities across Newport. Established links within mainstream sport and education support the development of regular physical activity in educational community settings and supporting the development of sporting clubs across Newport. This work is co-ordinated through the ASB Theme Group, chaired by Newport City Homes. Work is assisted by the use of on-line Shared Portal for ASB intelligence. Children and young people’s planning in Newport is implemented effectively through focused operational team plans for each service area and each Priority Theme within the Single Integrated Plan. The plans follow an agreed template and are linked to SMART targets for teams and partners that have directly led to improved learner outcomes (see 3.2.2).

There is a strong partnership between the education service and Newport schools. Schools are clear about the challenge and support categories into which they fit. The overwhelming majority of schools buy into

the council’s SLAs. Partnership continues to be the foundation for the improvements in pupil attainment and wellbeing outlined in 1.1 and 1.2.

The Preventions Team works with pupils from 95% of schools using a multi-agency approach to assist pupils and their families in achieving their potential. The project is managed by the multi-agency Family Support Services Board. Case studies support the evidence of good practice and successful outcomes.

The Learning Provider Network and Post 16 NEET group contributed to the effective reduction of the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training in Newport to 4.9% in 2013. However, the rate of reduction has slowed over the past two years and is not keeping pace with other parts of Wales.

The Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Group (YPEET) is a multi-agency group which oversees the strategic planning and implementation of initiatives to improve youth support provision, reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment and training, and implement the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework. Unverified figures showing the numbers of young people NEET for 2015 suggest that this has had significant impact.

The YPEET reports in to the Family Support Services Board which has a broad remit for ensuring the wellbeing of children, young people and their families. This Board oversees and co-ordinates the activity from the Team Around the Cluster, Integrated Family Support Services, Families First, Flying Start and Communities First.

Providers worked hard to ensure that a common post 16 option menu and timetable across all city providers is operating. Quality assurance and value added monitoring procedures have been set in place by the Executive Steering Group. This has increased the number of options available to students, and increased retention rates.

Newport has played an active role in the development of the EAS. The EAS strategic plan is informed by the Single Integrated Plan of each participating authority. There is a clear commitment to work that adds value, raises pupils’ achievement and improves services to learners with ALN.

Positive Futures has a formal grant agreement with the Gwent Police Crime Commissioner to ensure all allocated funds are spent on the specific aims of the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan for Gwent.

The Team Around the Cluster Board is effectively embedding the cluster based early intervention model across Newport, with a view to reducing the numbers of children and families being referred into acute services.


The strategic leadership across partnerships enables a comprehensive and successful approach to early intervention and prevention (see 3.1.1 above). This is now being further developed in the Team Around the Cluster work, reflecting a commitment from the Local Authority and partners to provide a single point of access for families. It will focus on removing the barriers to educational attainment, promote financial independence and commission local services to support identified needs.

Ensure that the Team Around the Cluster model supports strategic developments and decision making, clearly identifying issues and areas for improvement.

Further develop the intelligence around youth support provision and commissioning ability to meet identified needs.

3.3.2 Effectiveness of joint planning, resourcing and quality assurance

The Partnership structure is ambitious with a strong performance management framework in place and

tangible improvements evidenced for children and young people.

The Partnership has a strong Performance Management Framework in place based on detailed data analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of joint planning. Plans are monitored by the SIP Board through a process of quarterly reports highlighting both achievement and risk. This is then reported to the LSB and

Scrutiny. This process has allowed the Partnership to concentrate on areas for improvement, e.g. secondary school attendance and preventative services.

The Partnership ensures appropriate multi-agency governance arrangements are in place for the anti-poverty programmes (Families First, Flying Start and Communities First) through the Family Support Services Board.

Partnership working across EAS is well-developed, with key delivery areas identified to embed school improvement strategies and improve pupil outcomes. The major part of this is a pooled CPD system for school based staff.

The Partnership has commissioned a Quality Assurance Framework from the voluntary sector to ensure

quality and safeguarding within projects and programmes run by the third sector. The first third sector

organisations have gone through this process and been awarded the One Newport Quality Mark.

3.4 Resource management

3.4.1 Management of resources

Budgetary change is effectively managed at a corporate level through the Medium Term Financial which is developed and agreed by SLT and Cabinet.

Regular Cabinet Members briefings ensure that there the financial needs of each service area are understood and challenged.

Budget increases and reduction business cases are clearly mapped for all stakeholders to recognise and understand how the proposal will impact on services and the fairness and equality if all.

Schools Forum meets regularly to discuss all aspects of school funding in a transparent way. All involved generally reach a consensus. The sufficiency, suitability and performance of service level agreements are reviewed annually and reported via schools forum, nearly all schools buy into the full range of LA SLA’s. Newport is working towards refreshing its mainstream and special school funding formula. The post 16 funding formula has recently been reviewed.

The local authority has met the Welsh Government delegation targets and the minimum funding commitment.

Schools with deficits are required to seek approval from the Section 151 Officer and the Head of Education Service for any managed deficit which will include the development and approval of a recovery plan, supported by the Education Finance Team. The delivery of the recovery plan is closely monitored with any issues identified and mitigating action taken as necessary. The LA has used its statutory powers to intervene where finance is regarded as a cause for concern. Official Warning Notices have been served and additional governors have been appointed to support and challenge the schools.

Schools with excess surplus balances are consistently challenged regarding the justification for the level of contingency they hold and under the Scheme for the Financing of Schools the LA has the power to direct schools to spend reserves or claw-back funds, which are considered to be excessive.

The Schools Resources Team has developed a financial categorisation tool, in consultation with schools, to identify areas of concern where additional support or intervention is required. The Schools Resources Team provides financial benchmarking information to schools and is working with colleagues in SE Wales to develop regional financial benchmarking.

The Schools Resources Team provides training to head teachers, governors, aspiring head teachers, business managers and school finance officers throughout the year.

The Education Service has developed a cashless catering system in secondary and a successful pilot is operating in a selection of primary schools

Cabinet has agreed changes to the post 16 Transport Policy that will generate substantial financial savings over time.

Significant additional resources are attracted by working with Community organisations and partners. Resources follow corporate and service priorities appropriately. There are a number of collaborative arrangements operating across South East Wales and beyond that Newport are partners in.

There is evidence of the Council making targeted investments and building the capacity of other partners to enable prevention and continuous improvement in important policy areas such as NEETs and Team Around the Cluster and the Seamless Learning Pathways Leader.

A sufficiency and stability condition survey of all schools in Wales was commissioned by Welsh Government in 2010. This allows funding to be directed to worst first and acts as a direct enabler to develop digital environment and 21st Century learning environments. This is the basis of the 21st Century capital strategy for Newport. In addition Newport will benefit from 5 new primary schools on housing developments via section 106 money. A benefits realisation report carried out on completion of each major redevelopment scheme, by a qualified teacher to test the learning benefits have been implemented as required.

3.4.2 Value for money

The LA is effectively managing additional grant income. Grant funding is fully utilised and meets grant terms and conditions. All schools provide impact reports to demonstrate value for money linked to Education Improvement Grants and Pupil Deprivation Grants.

Sport Development (Positive Futures) is using a social cost saving tool to allow the programmes to evidence their impact in relation to the cost on society for social issues such as Education, Crime, Substance misuse and Wellbeing.

Newport Sports Development is solely externally funded but currently sits within Newport LIVE (Leisure

Trust).


Working with the EAS, support and fund systematic school to school support opportunities to share good practice.

Develop a new model of distributing SEN funding across the LA

RE-develop the funding formula for mainstream and special schools

Embed the system of financially categorising schools to consistently assess financial performance and allocate LA financial support.

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