Data and information to support learning and improvement: impact assessment

Background

We recently published our statutory guidance on 14 to 16 learning under the Curriculum for Wales to support practitioners to design, implement and review an inclusive curriculum for learners in Years 10 and 11 as part of the 3 to 16 curriculum. The guidance outlines ‘The 14 to 16 learner entitlement’, wherein a school’s curriculum offer in Years 10 and 11 must provide learners with a broad and balanced profile of learning and experiences designed with reference to 4 components:

• Qualifications in literacy and numeracy
• Qualifications to encourage breadth
• Wider learning and experiences across the curriculum
• Reflections on learning and progress and post-16 planning

The guidance references a reformed ‘information ecosystem’ and expresses our intention for supporting information requirements and reporting arrangements that align with the priorities and aims of the 14 to 16 learner entitlement. We committed to consulting on these proposals to provide clear direction on our expectations for the use and publication of relevant data at a school level.

Data and information play a crucial role in evaluation, improvement and accountability processes. However, to truly support improvement in learning, they must be both appropriate for use and used appropriately. We often refer to the interplay between the what and the how of using data as the ‘information ecosystem’.

We recognise that the Welsh Government needs to set clear expectations for the use of data and any specific requirements. This will help cultivate an appropriate and proportionate use of data across the school system, focusing on what is important and where it can be impactful in driving improvements for our learners, supporting our policy aspirations.

Recent research commissioned by the Welsh Government into developing a new data and information ecosystem is informing our approach. The report, published in early 2023, has guided the development of our proposals alongside engagement with our partners.

We aim to promote a balanced approach that uses quantitative data alongside other sources of information, both quantitative and qualitative. This includes intelligence from partners and experts, focussing on identifying and understanding issues and underlying factors to address the diverse needs of our learners and schools. We want data and information to be used in a way that supports efforts to achieve the best for our learners and citizens and which enables our workforce. We also aim to improve public understanding of learning by providing a more meaningful and comprehensive picture of schools in an accessible way. Our focus on data should support understanding without placing additional burdens upon the workforce. As the Curriculum for Wales embeds, we want our reformed approach to data and information to be sustainable and ensure long-term balance across the system. 

Proposed Action

We have developed a list of principles that underpin our approach to using data and information as part of a reformed Information Ecosystem and, through application of these principles, produced a 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework (LEIF) outlining the information that will be made available publicly. This includes:

• the entries, awards and attendance data Welsh Government will routinely publish, including which qualifications and how the information will be presented and broken down
• the wider information schools will be expected to publish

This aligns closely with the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement, comprising a mix of information on plans, requirements and expectations relevant to each of the four components of the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement that will support an understanding of breadth, depth, level and scale of learning in a school and across different groups of learners.

The proposals are designed to improve transparency, improving understanding of parents, carers and citizens through providing a more meaningful and comprehensive picture of schools in an accessible way. 

The 14 to 16 LEIF also outlines plans to continue reporting more comprehensive datasets to schools and local authority (LA) audiences, allowing for further interrogation to aid self-evaluation and improvement processes.

These proposals integrate with the Programme for Government, supporting the wellbeing objective to ‘continue our long-term programme of education reform, and ensure educational inequalities narrow and standards rise’ in addition to commitments related to supporting schools and teachers, reducing unnecessary burdens and supporting the role of LAs. 

The proposals have been designed in accordance with the sustainable development principle and the 5 ways of working. At its core, the underpinning principles ensure a learner-focused approach where learner needs, progress, and wellbeing guide all decisions. This minimises the probability of our approach having a detrimental effect on the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The proposals reflect the ongoing collaboration with stakeholders and take into account available research, including the developing a new data and information ecosystem research. They integrate with the ethos of Curriculum for Wales and our supporting National Improvement Framework, while also supporting other areas of strategic policy, including our equity ambitions, Cymraeg 2025 and the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

The proposals are designed with prevention in mind, aiming to prevent some of the unintended consequences seen in elements of the current system. For example, they set clear expectations around data use, including a commitment to being descriptive, not Judgmental in the use of data, and the approach outlined in the LEIF for publishing examination outcomes data is designed to achieve this. We are clear that, whilst information is important to helping schools understand their learners and support self-evaluation and collaboration, we do not wish to return to a performance and accountability-driven system. Our focus on data should support understanding without placing additional burdens upon the workforce.

Consultation

The proposals will be subject to a public consultation to seek views of stakeholders on how well these proposals align with the various policy aims.

8.1 How have people most likely to be affected by the proposal been involved in developing it?

The Information Ecosystem Principles and proposed 14 to 16 LEIF take into account and build upon the research into developing a new data and information ecosystem. This included engagement with a range of stakeholders through a combination of interviews, focus groups, surveys (including to parents, carers and schools) and webinars. To engage with as representative a sample of schools as possible for this research, sampling criterion included sector, governance, Welsh/English medium, percentage of pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), religious character, and location, which was used when designing all school engagement strands.

Ongoing engagement has taken place in shaping both the high-level principles and proposed 14 to 16 LEIF, and the next step is to consult on these, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to provide their views. We will carry out a consultation over two versions. The first is aimed at those working within the school system such as practitioners, leaders, local authorities, regional consortia, and school system partners such as Estyn, Qualifications Wales, WLGA. The second will consist of a shorter and more accessible version aimed at the general public including parents and carers.

8.2 What are the most significant impacts, positive and negative?

The proposals outline a list of principles that underpin our approach to using data and information as part of a reformed Information Ecosystem, supporting the ambitions of our Curriculum for Wales and the statutory 14 to 16 Learning Guidance. These principles have guided the development of our proposed 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework (LEIF), which outlines the information that will be made available publicly in relation to each of the four components of the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement ( Qualifications in literacy and numeracy, Qualifications to encourage breadth, Wider learning and experiences across the curriculum, Reflections on learning and progress and post-16 planning). In supporting the ambitions of the Curriculum for Wales and its four purposes, the proposals support many of the positive impacts identified in the range of impact assessments published in July 2020 in relation to the Curriculum for Wales.

Whilst many of the proposals are high level, their principles and approach are expected to lead to positive impacts across a range of areas assessed as part this Integrated Impact Assessment. 

At the forefront of these proposals is a learner-focused approach where learner needs, progress, and wellbeing guide all decisions. We outline clear expectations for the use of data and information that are designed to help cultivate an appropriate and proportionate use of data across the school system, focusing on what is important and where it can be impactful in driving improvements for our learners.This is expected to result in a positive impact on learners, through improved teaching and learning.

The proposed 14 top 16 LEIF is closely aligned with the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement, covering a range of data and information relevant to each of its four components in which schools need to ensure all learners can demonstrate and communicate their learning, progress and achievements, when they complete compulsory education at age 16.

The LEIF is designed to support schools in providing a comprehensive offer to learners, balancing provision across the components without overly focussing on one aspect. This addresses some of the issues seen in past approaches, where a disproportionate focus on one specific ‘measure’, grade range, and (or) group of learners has led to unintended consequences.

A positive impact is anticipated for parents, carers and interested citizens related to the outlined approach to publishing data and information that is accessible and understandable in context. The intention here is to provide transparency in an equitably way to aid informed choices regarding schools. This builds on an existing approach where information is available publicly via the Welsh Government’s My Local School website as well as Official Statistics reports on gov.wales and data on stats.wales. However, unlike the current approach, the 14 to 16 LEIF confirms that qualifications data will not be converted into average point score, which are not easily understood, nor composite indicators, which can mask variation. It is also proposed that reported data and information is not presented in a way that suggests success or failure but will be contextualised and, in this way, be able to convey where value has been added to provision for learners.

The 14 to 16 LEIF’s inclusion of information relevant to each of the four components of the 14 to 16 learner entitlement is expected to lead to positive impacts across a number of areas in terms of providing an improved understanding and providing relevant information to support ongoing evaluation and improvement. For example, related to the component ‘Qualifications in literacy and numeracy’, the 14 to 16 LEIF sets out reporting requirements for qualifications in Welsh, which is a mandatory part of the curriculum for all school years, including Years 10 and 11. This includes reporting on entries and outcomes in Welsh, including the suite of Made-for-Wales Cymraeg qualifications. English, Mathematics and Numeracy are also included as part of this component.

8.3 In light of the impacts identified, how will the proposal: 

• maximise contribution to our well-being objectives and the seven well-being goals, and (or)

• avoid, reduce or mitigate any negative impacts?

The proposals integrate with the Programme for Government, supporting the wellbeing objective to ‘continue our long-term programme of education reform, and ensure educational inequalities narrow and standards rise’ in addition to commitments related to supporting schools and teachers, reducing unnecessary burdens and supporting the role of LAs.

The proposals contribute broadly across the seven well-being goals, most specifically towards a Prosperous and More Equal Wales through helping support a skilled and well-educated population and a society that enables learners to fulfil their potential no matter what their background or circumstances are. The proposals set out clear expectations around the use of data and information that will help cultivate an appropriate and proportionate use of data across the school system, focusing on what is important and where it can be impactful in driving improvements for our learners. Ultimately this is about giving learners the best possible learning experiences and outcomes, whatever their background or circumstance, in order to give them the opportunities and support needed to progress and achieve their full potential.

Action from this is expected to lead to consequential positive impacts on multiple other areas such as businesses and the economy, by helping to create a well-educated workforce, and in terms of the Welsh language, diversity, social-wellbeing and impacts on rural schools.

As outlined in the previous section, the proposals have been designed with prevention in mind, learning from the unintended consequences on individuals’ provision brought about by previous approaches, and taking steps to actively avoid them. This is demonstrated throughout the underpinning principles and in the approach to publishing information about schools. For example, by seeking not to use one metric to define ‘success’, by being descriptive, not judgemental, ensuring that data and information is accessible and understandable, and promoting a proportionate and appropriate use of data to support learning and improvement.

8.4 How will the impact of the proposal be monitored and evaluated as it progresses and when it concludes? 

The next step is to carry out a public consultation on the proposals. Following the close of this consultation we will consider responses and confirm arrangements and next steps in the summer term of 2025. Following this, we will work with our partners to refine proposals, establish the underlying details, and develop reporting systems to support self-evaluation and public accessibility to school data. We will implement reformed arrangements as the first Year 11 cohort under the Curriculum for Wales reaches the end of their statutory schooling and the reformed qualifications are first awarded.