Denbighshire County Council says a decision to wind-up an independent recovery board set up in the wake of a 2007 Estyn inspection report is a signal of the confidence in the progress made to improve education in the county.
The Board was established by Jane Hutt, the former Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, to report and advise her on the performance of Denbighshire’s education service and whether improvements were being made.
During the Board’s lifetime, the Council reported on a frequent basis on progress with an action plan drawn up in response to the original report.
The Board’s final report highlights:
- Strong and effective leadership at political and officer level and planning at strategic and operational level is much improved
- Communication and consultation with schools, parents and the wider community are much improved.
- There have been a number of initiatives designed to improve school performance.
- Education is being accorded priority in resource allocation within the Authority.
- The early stages of the modernising education programme have been managed effectively.
- Better collaboration between Lifelong Learning and Social Services.
The report highlights that the recovery process is not complete and progress has been greater in some areas than others. It also highlights that the authority will face continuing and fresh challenges over the next few years, particularly relating to school reorganisation and funding levels.
It also states that there are a number of areas for improvement, with the need for more consistency across subjects, schools and key stages; the need to continue improving achievement in areas where there is evidence of under-achievement; the need to modernise education and schools and develop bilingualism in the county’s schools.
The report states: “Denbighshire has responded vigorously and positively to the Estyn reports and to the Cambridge consultants’ report. The Authority faced a considerable challenge in retrieving a situation where serious shortcomings in the education service and significant barriers to improvement, including poor communication and understanding between the Authority on the one hand and schools, parents and the wider community on the other had been identified.
“The Board applauds the progress and consolidation that has taken place over the last year, but recognises that many of the key outcomes can only be achieved in the longer term… It also notes that the Authority has articulated a clear and realistic strategic direction for the future and is positive about meeting the challenges ahead.”
Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans, said: “This is a good day for Denbighshire. The fact that the Recovery Board is to end is a true reflection of the progress made in the county to improve standards in education and to forge a far greater working relationship with schools.
“The initial Estyn report made very uncomfortable reading and from the outset, councillors from all political parties agreed that improving schools and education was going to be our top priority. Children and young people in Denbighshire deserve the best and we have put greater investment into our schools at a time when councils are tightening their belts.
“Great amount of progress made since the original inspection. That is down to on-going effort from councillors, officers, headteachers, school staff and governing bodies to improve education.
“The Board has provided officers and members with a degree of additional focus and the positive relationship the council had with board members assisted the recovery process.”
Councillor Eryl Williams, Cabinet Lead Member for Lifelong Learning, said: “Our performance in many areas of work is now comparable to many authorities across Wales and in some instances the rate of improvement has been greater in Denbighshire than other authorities.
“However we will not be complacent. We recognise that there is a great deal of work to do to improve standards and schools, parents and the wider community can rest assured that education remains a key priority for us in Denbighshire and we are fully confident that further improvements will be made.”
