Estyn annual remit: 2024 to 2025

The specific advice required by the Welsh Government in 2024 to 2025

1a) Detailed reports and, where appropriate, other resources drawing on evidence from thematic inspections

The thematic reviews to be included in the remit to Estyn for 2024 to 2025:

Promoting positive behaviour in secondary schools

This review will consider how well secondary schools promote positive behaviour and manage challenging behaviour. The report will highlight effective practice. This review will consider relevant recommendations from our 2018 report on ‘Managed Moves’. The review will consider the protected characteristics of pupils involved in behaviour incidents.

Duration: standard review

Promoting positive behaviour in Further Education (FE) colleges

This review will consider how well FE colleges promote positive behaviour and manage challenging behaviour. The report will highlight effective practice. The review will consider the protected characteristics of learners involved in behaviour incidents, and how the impact of challenging behaviour on staff well-being and workload can be managed.

Duration: standard review

Curriculum for Wales: Teaching in the context of Curriculum for Wales

This review will be an update on Estyn’s ‘Improving teaching’ thematic report from 2018. It will consider how well schools are teaching Curriculum for Wales and supporting pupil progression.

Duration: standard review

Curriculum for Wales: Maths and Numeracy AOLE

This will be the first in a series of reviews of Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLE). This would focus on the full age range from 3 to 16 years. The review will cover curriculum planning, teaching, assessment, and learner progress. The report will highlight effective practice.

Duration: standard review

Review of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Training Schemes

This review of the Coleg’s current Welsh and bilingual training schemes for the FE and Apprenticeship sectors and their impact will inform the development of future strategy to ensure that the schemes meet the needs of the post-16 sector.

Duration: standard review

Basic skills in adult learning in the community

This review will focus on how well literacy, numeracy and digital skills are taught through adult learning in the community. This will take account of different partnerships’ approaches to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, including accreditation where appropriate. The review will consider dedicated basic skills interventions and those undertaken in other general occupational focussed courses. The review will also consider workforce development needs.

Duration: standard review

1b) Ongoing advice based on evidence from inspection, engagement work and other activity

Estyn provides advice to Welsh Government and support for decision making in a range of areas. During 2024 to 2025 Estyn will continue to gather information from inspection activity and engagement work to support the Welsh Government’s priorities for the education and training sectors. This will result in ongoing advice through meetings with Welsh Government officials and inform Estyn’s contributions to national working groups, the National Network Conversations, written advice, published guidance or reports. 

Based on evidence gathered from inspections, engagement work and other activity, Estyn will also provide updates and advice on:

• Curriculum for Wales
• the implementation of ALNET Act
• school attendance
• Welsh in English-medium schools
• anti-racism
• self-evaluation and improvement planning

Estyn may be asked to provide support to various working groups through representation, presentation of written evidence or discussions with senior Education and Tertiary Education Directorate officials. This would also include advice and support for those aspects of post-compulsory education and training within the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research’s remit.

1c) Continue to work with Welsh Government, local authorities, and regional consortia/school improvement services to support schools and PRUs causing concern

Estyn will continue to work with partners to ensure that their monitoring and support for schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) causing concern dovetails with the school improvement support provided by others. 

1d) Implement new inspection arrangements in most sectors from September 2024

In line with the recommendations in A Learning Inspectorate and the Welsh Government's school improvement guidance, Estyn are planning to deliver more regular inspections and engagement of schools and PRUs from September 2024. Estyn will also implement new arrangements in most other sectors of education and training from September 2024. Estyn will start undertaking regular inspections of youth work and of Welsh-immersion provision. 

1e) Support the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research 

Estyn should support the development of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, both before and after its operational date, including relevant secondary legislation and matters related to future Estyn remits and its relationship to the new Commission and Welsh Government. 

1f) Other areas on which Welsh Government may require advice and support regarding education and training in Wales

Estyn also provides ongoing support in the following areas:

• school closure and reorganisation proposals
• development of the revised National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) inspection and regular monitoring of all independent specialist colleges in Wales
• registration of independent schools, including material change requests
• inspection and regular monitoring of independent schools, including those registered to provide additional learning provision for learners with statements of special educational needs (SEN) or individual development plans
• development of qualifications and inspection arrangements for any proposed new initial teacher training and continuing professional development requirements for teachers, tutors, and trainers in the lifelong learning sector
• follow up work in respect of Local Education Authorities
• work with the Welsh Government Central Honours team to contribute any relevant intelligence as part of their process for validating honours citations for professionals within education and training providers
• background information for Ministerial meetings and visits to schools and other providers
• Senedd questions