The journey towards educational excellence is on the right track after education watchdog Estyn, confirmed that Powys will no longer be categorised as a local authority causing “significant concern”.
Powys County Council’s Cabinet members were delighted by the contents of an inspection follow up monitoring report on the education service which was published by Estyn at just after midnight on Friday, November 26.
It comes just over two and a half years following a disastrous inspection report in which Estyn categorised Powys as a “local authority causing significant concern”.
This means that over the last couple of years Powys have responded to the criticism and answered the five recommendations for improvement Estyn put to them in the original 2019 report.
At a cabinet meeting on Friday afternoon, November 26, council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris said that all councillors had been briefed on the contents of Estyn’s report that morning
Cllr Harris said: “We have been on something of an improvement journey for a while, and we’re absolutely delighted with the result.”
She went on to congratulate education cabinet member Cllr Phyl Davies and newly appointed director of education Lynette Lovell who had “steered” the authority to the “result we got today.”
Cllr Davies (pictured) said: “It was important to bring this to cabinet today as the report was published and made public at 12.01am this morning.
“It’s very pleasing to be able to read that leadership have worked well with stakeholders and partners to make strong progress against all recommendations.”
He added that that “robust” leadership had been provided that has “secured notable positive change” for education in Powys.
Cllr Davies went on to thank all the council staff that had been involved in the improvement
Cllr Davies said: “This has been very much a Team Powys response to what was a poor inspection report.
“The last two years especially with a pandemic to have turned the service around in the way it has been is something really quite unbelievable.”
The council’s director of education, Lynette Lovell pointed out that the report had said that on transformation “the cabinet had taken difficult decisions in a timely manner.”
“Today we can be really pleased and thankful with the report and puts the future of education here inn Powys on a positive footing.”
Finance portfolio holder, Cllr Aled Davies said: “This gives us confirmation that we are on the right track with our schools transformation programme, I know we have taken difficult decisions and not all have been welcomed, we have many more to take over the next few years.
“Cllr Phyl Davies has been exceptional and is recognised in this report, the leadership he has shown is exemplary.”
Cllr Harris said that a further in-depth presentation based on the Estyn report which will take place at a future date.