Estyn decision to scrap headline gradings has ‘lifted a burden’ on schools

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

Estyn’s decision to remove gradings such as “excellent”, “adequate” or “needs improvement” from inspection reports has lifted a burden on schools, a committee heard.

Owen Evans, Estyn’s chief inspector, told the Senedd’s education committee that feedback from schools since scrapping the headline gradings has been overwhelmingly positive.

Giving evidence on Estyn’s 2022-23 report, Mr. Evans said the new approach has led to a far more professional dialogue with schools about what’s working and what’s not.

“I think that’s been incredibly refreshing,” he said. “There are several layers of pressure that come with an Estyn inspection of a school….

“The removal of summative judgements and the fact that you’re going to be labelled with that one word, has lifted a burden on the sectors that we look at.”

‘Outlier’

However, Mr Evans stressed that removing gradings must be seen as a trial.

He said: “We are a bit of an outlier. We are still the only inspectorate in the British Isles that has removed summative judgements and a lot of eyes are on us about how this is working.”

Mr Evans, who has been in post for two years, added that Estyn is likely to carry out a review to ensure the reforms have led to further improvements.

He said it was important to introduce parental reports given the removal of gradings, suggesting that reports for learners themselves could also be on the horizon.

Asked about Estyn’s funding, which has increased from £11.5m in 2021-22 to £16m currently, Mr Evans told the committee the uplift was due to the pandemic.

‘Backlog’

He told the committee the interruption created a huge backlog and Estyn needed to increase capacity to finish its six-year cycle of inspections by the end of the current academic year.

Mr Evans said 90%-plus of the uplift has gone on additional inspections and inspectors.

Arguing the additional funding should become a part of the inspectorate’s baseline budget, he told MSs that Estyn will start visiting schools twice every six years from September.

He explained that the main inspection has been slightly curtailed, so Estyn can afford to have an interim inspection after three years rather than a “big bang” every six.

“It’s imperative the budget stays at that or slightly higher,” he said. “But we realise there’s a lot of pressure on the system – we have to demonstrate the value of what we’re doing.”

‘Self-evaluation’

Laura Anne Jones, for the Conservatives, raised concerns about an emphasis on self-evaluation, saying: “I don’t think anyone’s going to mark themselves badly.”

Laura Anne Jones MS speaking in the Senedd — South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones MS is the Conservative shadow education minister

Mr Evans shared the shadow education minister’s concerns as he warned that self-evaluation is not yet strong enough within schools for Estyn to rely on it.

The chief inspector, who was previously S4C’s chief executive and a senior Welsh Government civil servant, warned that the pandemic continues to cast a shadow.

Mr Evans said variability between schools has widened, raising attendance as an example.

“Some are coping and some are not,” he told MSs: “I think the social contract between schools and parents has, to a degree, broken down.”

‘Stubborn’

Claire Morgan, a strategic director at Estyn, said average attendance is 87.5%, meaning pupils are missing 12 days of education in an academic year “which is far too much”.

She called for more to be done to tackle “stubborn” attendance issues, saying successful schools have a strong community focus.

Mr Evans said exclusions are rising while the number of children and young people going into pupil referral units has doubled since the pandemic.

He said pupil referral units are no longer helping learners return to mainstream education.

He said: “The wave of anecdote I hear – from everyone from headteachers to teachers and caretakers to support staff – is behaviour, particularly out of the classroom, has worsened.”

‘Relentless’

On Wales’ poor performance in the latest Pisa results, Mr Evans said he was disappointed but not shocked as he called for a “relentless” focus on standards.

He said the results reinforce Estyn’s previous annual reports, which have long raised concerns about numeracy, science and literacy.

Mr Evans suggested a focus on the new curriculum has taken away from subject specialism.

Asked about the impact of poverty on attainment, he said the pupil development grant can make a difference but he suggested the funding is being used to plug budget gaps.

The chief inspector also raised concerns about “great deficiencies” in recruiting teachers in terms of the Welsh language and secondary school subjects such as maths.

Primary school application deadline reminder

Published

3 days ago

December 1, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PARENTS or guardians of children in Pembrokeshire born between 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2022 are invited to apply for a Primary school place (Reception year group) for September 2026 by the closing date of 31st January 2026.

Applications received after this date will be considered late which may have a bearing on whether your child gets a place at your preferred school.

It is important to note that a school place will not be allocated unless a formal application is received.

The online application form can be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning under ‘Apply for a School Place’.

There is no need to re-apply if you have already submitted an application form. You can view your current applications by logging into your My Account and into the ‘Schools & Learning’ ‘School Admissions & Transport’ section.

For further information on the school admissions process, please view our Information to Parents

Parents/guardians will be informed of the allocation of places on the common offer date of 16th April 2026.

Crime

Former Swansea headteacher banned after exposing himself to staff

Published

5 days ago

November 29, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA primary school headteacher who repeatedly exposed himself to female colleagues – both on school grounds and during a school trip – has been barred from working in education in Wales for at least fifteen years.

James “Jamie” Richards, who led Cadle Primary School between 2011 and 2021, was removed from the Education Workforce Council (EWC) register after a professional conduct panel found numerous allegations against him proven. The panel described his behaviour as “harassing, abusive and predatory”.

Richards, a father-of-two, did not attend the four-day hearing, was not represented, and did not respond to the allegations. The panel therefore treated all allegations as denied but considered them on the evidence before them.

Staff left traumatised

During the hearing, several current and former staff members gave accounts of being left “shocked”, “numb”, and “frightened” by Richards’ actions.

One woman said she was summoned to his office and found him standing next to his desk with his trousers and underwear around his ankles. Another member of staff recalled him showing explicit images on his phone during a meeting, while others described a video he displayed of himself touching his genitals.

Five women in total told the panel that Richards had exposed himself to them. Some said they had been too scared to report what happened at the time. One recalled him saying he “can’t help myself” after an incident.

The panel heard that Richards did not return a school-issued laptop during an internal investigation in 2021 – the same device he was said to have used to display naked images of himself.

One complainant told the hearing she felt “silenced” and let down after Richards was allowed to resign while the school’s internal investigation was underway. She also described feeling “unbelieved” when South Wales Police later decided there was no criminal case to answer.

Concerns over dishonesty

The panel was told that Richards had refused to participate in an independent internal investigation at the school in 2021. He claimed, via his union, that ill health prevented him from being interviewed.

However, evidence from a Swansea Council fraud team contradicted this. Investigators filmed Richards driving and playing golf with friends at a time when he was claiming he was too unwell to co-operate.

Presenting officer Sara Lewis said Richards had abused his position of trust and had told frightened staff not to speak out.

Struck off until at least 2040

The EWC panel said it had no information about Richards’ current employment or whether he planned to return to teaching. However, it concluded that his behaviour amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and that striking him off was the only appropriate outcome.

Richards cannot apply for reinstatement until November 2040. He has 28 days to appeal the decision to the High Court.

Education

Pembrokeshire talent strike gold as Wales hosts WorldSkills UK finals for first time

Published

5 days ago

November 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WALES has hosted the WorldSkills UK National Finals for the very first time – marking a historic milestone for the nation and showcasing its largest ever team of competitors.

Following the Team Wales Torch Relay, which toured the country to celebrate skills and unite colleges and communities, the Finals brought together more than 400 of the UK’s top apprentices and learners who competed for the title of best in their trade.

From 26–28 November, events were held across five venues in South Wales, covering over 40 skill areas including engineering, digital, construction, hospitality and the creative industries.

The results were revealed during a medal ceremony at ICC Wales on Friday, 28 November, where Team Wales achieved an exceptional 57 medals in total.

Pembrokeshire College students excelled on the national stage, securing 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze and 2 Highly Commended medals. Competitors also delivered an impressive performance in Foundation Skills, bringing home 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Highly Commended – underlining Wales’ commitment to inclusive, accessible skills development.

This year’s Finals featured 122 Welsh competitors – the highest number Wales has ever fielded. Welsh entrants made up around 30% of all UK competitors, highlighting both the depth of skills talent in Wales and the impact of sustained investment in training and facilities.

Bronze medallist Mason Aitchison, who competed in Welding, said he was delighted with his achievement.

“After getting Silver at Skills Competition Wales, the WorldSkills UK National Finals felt like the natural next step for me.
I’ve put in so much practice to improve my welding skills, and competing has really helped me grow. Learning from trainers, tutors and peers has been invaluable – it’s all about building your skills through practice.”

Minister for Skills Jack Sargeant praised Team Wales’ performance.

“I’d like to extend a huge congratulations to Team Wales on their outstanding success at this year’s WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Hosting the Finals for the first time has been a proud moment for our nation, and the achievements of our competitors highlight their dedication and the exceptional quality of vocational talent we have here in Wales.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, added: “These exceptional young people represent the future of our economy. They are the new generation of highflyers who will give UK employers a competitive edge. Our competitions, based on global standards, play a vital role in developing the skills that will drive investment, create jobs and fuel economic growth.”

WorldSkills UK, the Welsh Government and Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales welcomed leading employers, global industry experts and representatives from across the UK’s education and training sector to watch the Finals unfold.

Skills competitions in Wales begin at regional level through Skills Competition Wales, before progressing to national and then international WorldSkills stages.

Medallists at WorldSkills UK may now be selected for Squad UK, with the opportunity to represent their country at future global competitions.

For more information on WorldSkills UK and SkillBuild, or to get involved as a competitor, tutor or employer, visit: https://inspiringskills.gov.wales
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