AUDIT COMMISSION SCHOOL SURVEY 2007

2007 Survey response rate: 55% (40 out of 73)

Primary rate: 53% Secondary rate: 78%

2005 Survey response rate: 42%

The picture in Wales …..Highest rated services

Support for literacyPromoting healthy lifestylesTechnical support for ICTSupport for ICT in the curriculumSupport for using pupil performance dataSupport for numeracyChallenging schools to perform betterLeadership of senior officersQuality of financial information for schoolsSupport for child protection

The picture in Wales ……Lowest rated services

Support for gifted and talented pupils Building maintenance serviceSchools influence on Council plans and policiesEducational rationale behind the funding formulaTransparency of asset management planningRationale for the deployment of Additional Learning Needs (ALN) fundingEffectiveness of partnership workingSupport for the preparation of DDA access plansSupport of pupils with ALN in WelshSupport to schools in purchasing traded services

The picture in Wales …… Areas of significant improvement

Technical support for ICT

Behaviour Support

Opportunities for children and young people to make their voices heard

Quality of catering service

The picture in Wales … Areas of significant deterioration

Support for meeting the needs of pupils from minority ethnic groupsEffectiveness of communication with schoolsSupport for pupils with English as Additional Language (EAL)Support to develop leadership and management in schoolsExtent to which schools influence council policy and plans

Most highly rated aspects …

By Primary schoolsEducation Psychology ServiceChild protection for Governing bodies (GB)Support for ICTChild protection adviceSupport for literacyHealthy livingSupport for attendance

Pupil performance dataCleaning, caretaking etc.School transport

By Secondary schoolsChild protection for GBsLeadership of senior officersSchool meals serviceChild protection adviceCouncil priorities for ChildrenEducation Psychology ServiceSupport for Looked after children lead teacherListening to young peopleEarly yearsSupport for literacySpecialist learning support

UPWARDS (%)

Catering + 7

Technical support for ICT + 4

Support for teachers with responsibility for Looked After Children

+ 4

Leadership by Elected Members + 3

Support for ICT in curriculum + 1

Biggest Changes from 2005 SURVEY

Biggest Changes from 2005 SURVEY

DOWNWARDS (%)

Support for ethnic minorities /Travellers/Refugees

- 34

Support for English as an additional language - 29

Council’s knowledge of schools and their communities

- 23

Council’s communication - 21

Strategy for school improvement - 20

Changes since 2005

Secondary schools

Aspect Better

Score

Worse

Score

No change / new

A Council strategy 9 4 7

B School improvement 7 8 4

C Access to services 6 2 2

D Access 3 4 1

E Inclusion 4 1 5

F Additional Learning Needs 8 3 2

Changes since 2005

Primary schools

Aspect Better

Score

Worse

Score

No change / new

A Council strategy 0 16 4

B School improvement 0 17 2

C Access to services 1 7 2

D Access 0 7 1

E Inclusion 1 4 5

F Additional Learning Needs 0 13 0

Aspects graded overall as ‘BELOW SATISFACTORY’

A Council Strategy Quartiles % ChangeIn Scores from 2005

Primary Secondary

A2 Leadership by Elected Members

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 15 responses)

4 3 + 3

A7

Schools’ influence on Council

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 18 responses)

4 2 - 14

A8 Consultation on education budget (‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 17responses)

4 2 -11

A9 Rationale behind funding formula (‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 22 responses)

4 3 -15

A10

Transparency of grant distribution

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 10 responses)

3 1

A12 Recruitment/retention of school workforce (‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 14 responses)

4 1 -17

A20

Partnership work (multi-agency)

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 14 responses)

4 3 -18

B Support for School Improvement Quartiles % ChangeIn Scores from 2005

Primary Secondary

B11 Support for Welsh Language

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 10)

4 3 - 18

B12 Welsh medium curriculum

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 7)

4 3 - 13

B13 Support for Curriculum Cymreig

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 15 )

4 4 - 15

Aspects graded overall as ‘BELOW SATISFACTORY’

C Facilitating Access to Services Quartiles % ChangeIn Scores from 2005

Primary Secondary

C1

Quality of Service Level Agreements

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 9)

4 3 - 14

C6

Human Resources

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 19)

4 3 - 17

C7

Building Maintenance

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 15 )

4 2 - 5

Aspects graded overall as ‘BELOW SATISFACTORY’

D

Access Quartiles % ChangeIn Scores from 2005

Primary Secondary

D2

Asset Management

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 7)

3 3 - 10

D3

Support for disability access plans

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 12)

4 3

new

D5

Re-admission of excluded pupils

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 7)

4 4 - 15

Aspects graded overall as ‘BELOW SATISFACTORY’

F Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Quartiles % ChangeIn Scores from 2005

Primary Secondary

F3

Rationale for ALN funding

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 8)

3 3 - 9

F8 Gifted and talented

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 11)

4 4 - 7

F9

English as an additional language

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 10)

4 4 - 29

F10

Ethnic minority, travellers and refugees

(‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ – 9)

4 4 - 34

Aspects graded overall as ‘BELOW SATISFACTORY’

Examples of the variety of comments ….

“an improving picture ……”“effective and supportive with a clear understanding of

issues ….”“Many of the above areas are under review.”“A number of organisational changes at Council level

are yet to kick in although the signs are promising.”“Lack of appropriate funding is a factor in my above

responses.”“There is a need for a specific focus on schools.”“SLA does not appear to cover as many aspects of

support as previously.”“a more corporate vision is most certainly being

explored …”