MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Education: In November 2023 my predecessor made a statement
updating on work to reduce workload and bureaucracy for education
staff. I want to update members on the progress made since
then.
Refocussed and restructured arrangements commenced at the
beginning of 2024 with the establishment of the independently
chaired Strategic Workload Coordination Group (SWCG). Membership
of the SWCG is drawn from key stakeholders and includes
representatives from across the system. Their remit includes
providing a strategic review of progress to the Schools Social
Partnership Forum. Underpinning the Strategic Group are three
working groups focussing on finance; reporting and engagement;
and policy development and implementation. These working groups
comprise of, and are also independently chaired by,
representatives of education unions and school improvement
partners.
The Finance Working Group has been focused on simplifying
mechanisms for getting funding into schools. Over the last
year we have streamlined the monitoring and evaluation of our
grants to reduce workload associated with reporting. Reports
have reduced from approximately 50 in 2022-23 to just 8 in the
current financial year; this will see a significant reduction in
workload pressure on both local authorities and schools. The
outcome of this can be seen in the current year's grant awards,
where we have simplified and streamlined the funding to local
authorities and schools in line with the government's priority to
boost standards. Previously, funding was provided through various
grants with around 20 different funding streams, issued to
multiple recipients. To simplify national funding mechanisms
and reduce the bureaucratic burden, all grants are now issued to
local authorities, including the Education Improvement Grant and
Regional Consortia Grant. Further work on simplifying funding
arrangements is part of the School Funding Review.
Under the Reporting and Engagement Working Group, all partners
have proactively shared their own reporting requirements to help
the working group focus on high priority areas for change. There
has been discussion with partners on statutory reporting
requirements for schools, the School Development Report and
Governors Reports, as well as reporting requests from local
authorities and within schools. The emerging actions are focused
on providing clarity of requests and removing duplication.
As the group moves into improving the quality of engagement
within and between schools, local authorities and the Welsh
Government, it will develop agreed principles for positive
engagement and reporting. This work aims to facilitate a
culture which enables the principles of trust and collaboration
set out in the School Improvement Partnership Programme to grow.
I expect the new arrangements for school improvement to be less
burdensome and more impactful for local authorities, teachers and
leaders.
Work under the Policy Development and Implementation Working
Group includes progress on workload impact assessments. Since
2023, concrete progress has been made in embedding assessment of
new and revised policies across a range of areas, such as 14-16
Learner Entitlement. Moving forward it will include policy
developments such as the Welsh Language and Education (Wales)
Bill, changes to qualifications and the introduction of the new
Workload and Wellbeing Charter. A Teacher Reference Group has
also been established, comprising classroom teachers and teaching
assistants. The Group has already highlighted some key issues
such as more flexible approaches to working, supporting teachers
to address behaviour issues in school and looking at the workload
implications of marking and other forms of assessment.
Estyn has continued to work with its partners to clarify
expectations around workload and pre-inspection preparation. In
partnership with educational trade unions, they have developed a
media campaign to share these messages and to challenge the myths
that often arise about their inspection work and expectations of
providers. Estyn's work with local authorities on
supporting schools in a statutory category following inspection
is helping to ensure there is a closer link between the school's
post-inspection action plan and the local authority's statement
of action.
The professional development review (PDR) guidance (formerly
known as performance management) has been published following
engagement with practitioners and key partners. The
guidance brings the arrangements in line with developments in
school improvement and professional learning and aims to support
the profession to meet the current challenges and to ensure that
all learners achieve their potential. Schools will be able to
engage with the revised guidance at a time and in a way that will
be most effective for them.
I am also listening to workforce feedback on pressure from ALN
reform. I have set out the action we are taking on this in
a Written Statement,
including recognising the important role of ALNCO's
by accepting the
recommendations of the IWPRB's fifth report.
