06 February 2009
By Paul Dicken in Cardiff
Education provision in Wales improved last year, but more must be done to raise the achievement of pupils from poor backgrounds, the schools inspectorate has said.
In its annual report for 2007/08, Estyn said that standards in primary schools had improved over the past six years, with 84% of lessons judged to be ‘good’ or ‘very good’, and the further education sector had exceeded targets set by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Chief inspector Dr Bill Maxwell said his report contained positive messages, but problems remained. ‘Our first challenge is to make sure that all learners can reach their potential, particularly those who are underachieving as a result of poverty or social disadvantage. In so doing, we also need to ensure that our most talented learners have every opportunity to excel, whatever their background.’
The report, published on January 27, said the Raise initiative – targeted funding and learning support for looked-after children – had produced ‘clear benefits for the targeted pupils from socioeconomically disadvantaged households’.
But the initiative was predominantly targeting low-achieving boys, missing out moderately achieving girls from poorer households. The report said that schools should focus on pupils from socially disadvantaged backgrounds ‘as a vulnerable group, who are much more likely to underachieve compared with others’.
The report also criticised the ‘narrow view of multi-agency working’ often held by schools and local authority education departments, and called for more interaction with community health and social services.
Responding to data released on the same day by the WAG, the Welsh Local Government Association said it was ‘appalled’ to learn that further education funding for sixth forms and colleges was to be cut by 7.43% for 2009/10.
WLGA lifelong learning spokesman Peter Fox said the cuts would hamper efforts to raise the attainment of all young people. ‘If they go ahead, authorities will face the choice of subsidising provision and making cuts elsewhere or telling the most vulnerable young people in our communities that they cannot receive their full entitlement,’ he said.
Deputy skills minister John Griffiths said these were ‘difficult times of tight budget settlements’ but that the sector still received almost £300m a year from the WAG and there were strategies to make better use of existing resources.
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