CYPE(4)-24-15 – Paper to Note 6

In response to your emails of the 17^th and 29^th September 15, please find below the EAS response to questions posed by the Children Young People and Education Committee.

QUESTION: The committee would be interested to know if you employ outside organisations or consultants to undertake work on your behalf, can you please include this in your actions update.

We do commission outside organisations to deliver some services such as skill or technology audits, or training and development services in areas we do not cover.  We also engage some individual consultants to deliver the Challenge Adviser role, both through Schools Challenge Cymru and LA schools.

ACTION: EAS Consortium agreed to provide a note on the delivery and evaluation of the new pathfinder induction programmes which supports newly qualified teachers who are employed as short term supply teachers.

EAS is delivering, in partnership with Welsh Government, a pilot programme for Newly Qualified Teacher support based on use of the Host Schools for the Excellence in Teaching programme.  Not all NQTs will access this programme, but we expect around half of the cohort to be involved in the pilot with the new programme design being applied to all NQTs in September 2016.  A number of NQTs employed as short term supply teachers will also be given access to the pilot programme, though this number is limited by the resources being made available to support the programme.  In due course we intend to make elements of the programme available to all NQTs, including all of those employed as short term supply teachers.

UNASKED QUESTION: Your views on written evidence received from the Catholic Education Service that regional consortia should adopt a formal protocol outlining their partnership arrangements with Diocesan Authorities.

During the summer term 2015 the links with each of the Diocesan Directors have been improved.  This strengthening of relationships includes the allocation of the role of Challenge Adviser with specific responsibility of keeping abreast of developments within schools with a religious element and attendance at key Faith school events.  The implementation of a structured meeting schedule between each of the Diocesan Directors and the Assistant Director on a half termly basis has started.  Each of the Directors has been keep abreast of developments within the service and have been consulted on key documents and processes within their schools, this will continue through the year.  The Challenge Adviser training programme has included training from the Directors to ensure that all Challenge Advisers are aware of the distinct nature of schools with a religious elements and the statutory functions that the Diocese have.  The Directors will play a key role in the agreement of National Categorisation alongside the LA Directors of Education and the agreement of statutory pupil level targets.

Steve Davies

Managing Director / Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr

Education Achievement Service for South East Wales

Gwasanaeth Cyflawni Addysg i Dde Ddwyrain Cymru