GALlL
Deilliannau a gwasanaethau addysg
Lle mae awdurdodau lleol yn cefnogi ysgolion yn effeithiol, maent yn defnyddio ystod eang o wybodaeth i nodi ysgolion y mae angen cymorth arnynt a sicrhau ansawdd gwaith swyddogion a phartneriaid gwella ysgolion yn effeithiol.
Beth sy’n mynd yn dda
- Mae gan swyddogion awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid gwella ysgolion berthynas broffesiynol gref ag arweinwyr mewn ysgolion. Yn yr awdurdodau a arolygwyd, maent yn aml yn gweithio’n fuddiol ag ysgolion i gefnogi prosesau sicrhau ansawdd.
- Mae awdurdodau lleol yn casglu ystod eang o wybodaeth am ysgolion, gan gynnwys gwybodaeth am gyllid, adnoddau dynol, presenoldeb a gwella ysgolion. Yn aml, maent yn defnyddio’r wybodaeth hon yn bwrpasol i nodi ysgolion y mae angen cymorth arnynt.
- Yn yr enghreifftiau gorau, mae gan awdurdodau lleol systemau clir i sicrhau ansawdd gwaith swyddogion a phartneriaid gwella ysgolion er mwyn sicrhau cysondeb ac ansawdd.
- Yn yr awdurdodau lleol a arolygwyd, mae systemau i gefnogi ysgolion mewn categorïau gweithgarwch dilynol Estyn yn aml yn gadarn ac, yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, yn arwain at welliannau amserol.
- Mae pob un o’r pedwar awdurdod yn gwneud cynnydd da o ran gwella eu gwasanaethau ADY ac yn darparu ystod eang o wasanaethau i gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc ag ADY, eu teuluoedd, ysgolion a lleoliadau.
- Mae pob awdurdod a arolygwyd yn datblygu gwaith canolfannau trochi yn dda i gefnogi hwyrddyfodiaid i addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg.
Beth sydd angen ei wella
- Nid yw partneriaid gwella ysgolion yn canolbwyntio’n ddigon da ar y cynnydd a wneir gan ddisgyblion mewn gwersi a thros gyfnod, bob tro, wrth gasglu tystiolaeth uniongyrchol ar ansawdd addysgu a dysgu.
- Er bod awdurdodau lleol yn datblygu eu darpariaeth i liniaru effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol, nid ydynt bob amser yn ystyried sut y byddant yn gwella dysgu, cynnydd a chyrhaeddiad disgyblion sy’n byw mewn aelwydydd ag incwm isel.
- Mewn un awdurdod, roedd gwaith i leihau gwaharddiadau yn llai effeithiol ac mae gwaharddiadau am gyfnod penodedig a gwaharddiadau parhaol yn rhy uchel.
- Er bod presenoldeb wedi gwella yn ystod blwyddyn academaidd 2023-2024, mae cyfraddau presenoldeb, yn enwedig mewn ysgolion uwchradd, yn is na chyn y pandemig o hyd. Nid yw ymyriadau i fynd i’r afael â diffygion wedi cael digon o effaith ar wella lefelau presenoldeb hyd yn hyn, yn enwedig mewn ysgolion uwchradd.
Arwain a gwella
Mae arweinwyr yn rhannu ymdeimlad cryf o ddiben moesol ac yn sicrhau bod staff yn cydweithio i gyflawni eu blaenoriaethau.
Beth sy’n mynd yn dda
- Mae gan bob un o’r pedwar awdurdod weledigaeth glir ar gyfer addysg ac ymdeimlad cryf o ddiben moesol.
- Mae’r awdurdodau lleol a arolygwyd gennym yn deall y pwysau ariannol y mae darparwyr yn eu hwynebu yn dda ac yn gweithio ag ysgolion a lleoliadau i reoli hyn.
- Yn gyffredinol, mae aelodau etholedig yn craffu ar waith gwasanaethau addysg yn briodol.
- Yn gyffredinol, mae staff mewn gwasanaethau addysg yn cydweithio’n effeithiol i gyflawni eu blaenoriaethau. Mewn dau o’r pedwar awdurdod lleol a arolygwyd gennym, gofynnom am astudiaethau achos ar weithio trawsgyfarwyddiaethol.
Beth sydd angen ei wella
- Nid yw agweddau ar werthuso a chynllunio gwelliant yn ddigon miniog ac nid ydynt yn helpu awdurdodau i nodi’n union y meysydd i’w gwella. Er enghraifft, mewn un awdurdod, nid oedd gan y gwasanaeth anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ymagwedd systematig at sicrhau ansawdd ei wasanaeth.
Trosolwg o’r argymhellion o arolygiadau
Arolygwyd gwasanaethau addysg pedwar awdurdod lleol yn ystod 2023-2024.
- Cafodd dau awdurdod lleol argymhelliad a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar wella presenoldeb.
- Cafodd pedwar awdurdod lleol argymhelliad i gryfhau agweddau ar eu prosesau gwerthuso a gwella. Fe wnaeth hyn ganolbwyntio ar werthuso effaith gwaith yr awdurdod lleol ar ddeilliannau dysgwyr.
- Rhoddwyd argymhelliad i un awdurdod lleol i wella’r prosesau a’r strategaethau i gefnogi a herio ysgolion i leihau cyfraddau gwaharddiadau am gyfnod penodedig a gwaharddiadau parhaol.
- Rhoddwyd argymhelliad i un awdurdod lleol wella ansawdd a defnydd gwybodaeth am addysgu a dysgu mewn ysgolion i alluogi’r awdurdod i gyfeirio adnoddau yn y ffordd orau at feysydd i’w gwella.
How well does the local authority support its schools and settings to improve teaching and leadership?
The authority’s data team provides comprehensive data about pupils’ performance in external examinations, including how they have performed when answering individual questions. This item-level data is used to inform analytical discussions in post-14 subject network meetings. This enables subject leaders to identify strengths and areas for development in pupils’ performance and, by doing so, identify where there is strong practice and aspects of teaching that needs to improve. As a result, the sharing of effective practices and beneficial school-toschool work is facilitated.
How effective are the local authority’s arrangements for developing the Welsh language?
The expertise of members of the Welsh Language Support Team and the culture department is used very effectively to support schools that change their language medium. They provide very beneficial professional development for staff through their website, ‘Câr-di-Iaith’, in addition to ensuring helpful support that responds very successfully to the specific needs of the schools’ stakeholders. Officers work purposefully with local partners, such as Learn Welsh Ceredigion and Menter Iaith Ceredigion (Cered), to provide opportunities for parents to learn Welsh and take part in fun creative sessions. This contributes very well to preparations to change the language medium of foundation learning within English-medium primary schools.
Leadership and management
The authority welcomes and gives careful consideration to the views of stakeholders, such as headteachers, parents, children and young people and residents to reinforce its understanding of people’s views about the quality of its work and, in particular, to tailor services for the future. A good example is the way in which the authority is very active in seeking the views of pupils and including them in decisions. The Chief Executive, senior officers and elected members take pride in, and encourage, the contributions of the children and young people of Ceredigion and, as a result, they influence the authority’s strategic direction in specific aspects, such as post-16 education and the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan. Members of the Youth Council demonstrate a high level of understanding of what is going on within the education services in Ceredigion. They are confident when exemplifying how their comments have influenced the improvement of services.
Leadership and management
The Chief Education Officer inspires the team she leads, providing strategic, empathetic yet firm leadership. She sets high expectations for all and models exemplary professional behaviours. The senior team in the education service skilfully supports the Chief Education Officer and together they embody the ‘Team Caerphilly’ approach. They forge strong relationships with schools, settings and PRUs, where leaders feel well-supported, yet challenged to achieve their shared ambitions for success for learners. A notable cultural strength of the service is the way in which the Chief Education Officer leads by example in prioritising the wellbeing of staff in schools and within the service, whilst always ensuring that the needs of children and young people are at the heart of every decision. The Corporate Director for Education and Corporate Services trusts the service to deliver against their priorities and sets out to remove any barriers to success. As a result, staff throughout the service feel valued and responsible, and are proud to promote the important message that no one should be constrained by circumstances.
Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili
How effectively does the local authority plan for school reorganisation and federation arrangements?
When vacancies arise for school leaders, local authority officers encourage governing bodies to consider collaborative arrangements led by an executive headteacher. Currently, a third of primary schools across Caerphilly work together under the leadership of an executive headteacher, either as a federation or as a collaboration. There is a shared appreciation across the authority, including in schools, of the value and benefits of this strategy. In addition to the financial efficiencies, it promotes good working relationships between the authority, school leaders and governors, and provides worthwhile professional development opportunities for staff. The approach brings stability to schools and supports their sustainability, which has a positive impact on their pupils and their communities at a time of uncertainty. The use of executive headteachers has also been used effectively to support schools causing concern and secure swift improvements where necessary
Leadership and management
There is a culture of working creatively and meeting challenges resourcefully within the authority, with innovative responses at times. Leaders are willing to trial new ideas and are keen to create an organisation that is progressive when it comes to important issues that align with their core priorities and principles. Good examples of these innovations include the development of an internal system for tracking information about pupils and their robust and measured response to the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the whole, leaders encourage their staff, schools and key partners to use their strengths and expertise to create unique solutions to deal with local issues, which demonstrate the principles and willingness of leaders to try and to take sensible risks.
Lles, gofal, cymorth ac arweiniad
Awdurdod lleol Conwy
Astudiaeth achos: Cefnogi pobl ifanc fregus trwy weithio mewn gwasanaethau integredig