SCHOOLS in Torfaen have been “given a chance” through funding received from the borough council, its leader has said.
Councillor Anthony Hunt was speaking after the full council received the latest update report on its education service.
Education inspectors Estyn found in March 2022 Torfaen Borough Council required significant improvement to its education service and a result made it subject to special measures with increased scrutiny before removing the education authority from the category in November last year.
As a result of being placed in special measures the council revamped its education department, including appointing Andrew Powles as director of education, as part of an improvement plan and agreed to provide quarterly updates to the full council.
Mr Powles presented the latest report at its December meeting, at the Civic Centre in Pontypool, and said individual schools had “some really pleasing positive Estyn inspections lately”.
But he also acknowledged Abersychan Comprehensive has been found, by Estyn, to require significant improvement when its inspection was published in August.
But the director of education said Croesyceiliog Comprehensive has been invited to submit an effective practice case study on ‘Building Respect and Relationships Together’ following its positive inspection in the autumn.
School attendance has also improved, but Mr Powles said it remains, below pre-pandemic levels but said: “Torfaen is now sixth out of 22 Welsh local authorities.”
Council deputy leader Richard Clark, the cabinet member for education, praised Mr Powles’ leadership, and on improved attendance said: “We were languishing somewhere around 18th or 19th and are now sixth. We do aim higher but it’s a pleasing achievement on where we were.”
The council’s Labour leader, Cllr Hunt, said the education service and schools have worked together and that had been supported by councillors in prioritising education in in the council’s budget.
Cllr Hunt said Torfaen had “consistently” moved up the “league table” in the amount of funding it provides to schools which he said has a “real consequence of more staff in schools.”
The Panteg councillor said: “I think schools would say position hasn’t made it easy but it gives them a decent chance of moving forward and improving.”