Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 12th May 2026 be noted.
There were no apologies for absence.
There were no declarations of personal interest including any party whips.
The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the report be received.
The Committee received a detailed presentation outlining the Local Authority’s approach to quality assuring schools and Pupil Referral Units. The presentation highlighted the updated Welsh Government guidance, the principles underpinning school improvement, and the Authority’s strategic framework for supporting educational settings. Members were informed of how the School Improvement Strategy aligned with national expectations and Estyn inspection areas, and how collaborative improvement—both within clusters and across schools—had been facilitated through the work of Education Support Advisers. The Committee considered the mechanisms in place within the Authority to monitor school performance, share best practice to support schools in achieving coherent progression for learners across the 3–16 continuum. In presenting the report, the Committee was advised that collaborative improvement was the core approach undertaken to secure sustainable school improvement, strengthened teaching and learning, leadership, and equity, inclusion and wellbeing through shared practice and collective capacity. Officers responded to the issues/observations raised by the Committee. The main matters were as follows: · In response to concerns raised in regarding the impact of resource and capacity constraints, the Committee was appraised of the role requirements of Education Support Advisors (ESAs) within the Authority and the endeavours to strengthen the current provision against a backdrop of significant financial pressures. Concerns in terms of the wellbeing of officers and risks to the Authority due to capacity issues were being monitored by the division and alleviated where possible by way of purposeful collaboration between schools, the Authority and partnership working to create a culture of shared expertise, innovation and continuous improvement. The Committee was advised that school leaders, in the main, responded positively to improvement requirements, fostered by a relationship of trust and a commitment to promoting high‑quality education through collective responsibility, evidence‑informed practice and sustained system‑wide collaboration. · Reference was made to the role and responsibilities of Governing Bodies in addressing the urgent need to improve the unsustainable financial position of schools and striving for continuous improvement. The Head of Education Services appraised members of the challenges in attracting and retaining volunteers with the required skillsets to the role and explained that whilst an extensive training and development programme was in place, take up of such opportunities remained low. It was clarified that the situation in Carmarthenshire was reflective of the national position and discussions were ongoing with a view to exploring alternative models in future. · The Interim Principal Educational Support Advisor, in response to a query, provided an overview of the array of training and development opportunities available to teaching practitioners, with bespoke support aligned to individual school development needs, alongside a wider professional learning offer. Support was also provided by way of mentoring and coaching for staff to progress within leadership roles. The Committee was informed that the county encouraged teaching practitioners to proceed through its internal leadership programme in addition to gaining the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). · In response to concerns raised regarding behavioural issues of pupils, the Committee was advised of the Four Phase Model of Behaviour and Emotional Wellbeing Support had been implemented to provide consistent support services across the county. The strategy included upskilling schools and staff to meet the needs of learners and the provision of ‘in school’ support for staff and learners. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the report be received.
The Committee received for consideration a report which provided an overview of Estyn inspection outcomes within the county for the past five years. The report detailed the new inspection framework adopted by Estyn in September 2024 and provided a summary of the strong or effective practice identified by Estyn inspectors to be shared with others. The Committee reviewed the main themes which had emerged from the Estyn recommendations since 2022/23 which demonstrated the progress made by the division. The Committee was assured to note that all recommendations were analysed and used to inform the business planning and the strategic focus of the department. Officers responded to the issues/observations raised by the Committee. The main matters were as follows: · In response to a query, the Interim Head of School Effectiveness and Pupil Engagement noted that curriculum design, with effective teaching and learning experiences for pupils, together with self evaluation were considered areas of strength within the Authority, as reflected in the decrease in the number of Estyn recommendations in recent years. Areas for development included the need to embed core standards to better understand and identify progression within the new curriculum. · In terms of collaboration, the Committee was informed that school development priorities informed training packages which were then used to cluster schools according to requirements, along with the development of triad models to enhance the overall quality of education in schools to improve pupil outcomes. · Further information was requested on the measures implemented to assist the two schools currently within the ‘special measures’ category following Estyn inspections. In this regard an assurance was provided that a school’s trajectory would be known to the Authority prior to an Estyn inspection, with recommendations, in the main, having already been incorporated into a school action development plan; however, many actions required time to be fully embedded within a school. Capacity issues could also impact upon the pace of change required. In response to a request, it was agreed that further information on the recommendations made by Estyn be circulated to the Committee to enable a greater understanding of the themes set out in the report. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the report be received.
The Committee received a report which outlined the work that had been undertaken to improve school attendance in Carmarthenshire following Estyn’s 2023 recommendation to strengthen attendance levels across the Authority’s schools. It was noted that over the previous three years the division had focused on enhancing data capture and analysis, providing increased training, and engaging closely with schools, young people and families to address attendance concerns. The Committee was informed that Carmarthenshire’s attendance rate stood at 90% as of February 2026, marginally below the Welsh average, and that attendance data continued to be monitored through improved analytical systems and the sharing of Power BI tools with school leaders to support comparison and targeted intervention. Strategic oversight had been delivered through the Carmarthenshire Strategic Attendance Group, alongside Carmarthenshire meetings including the Exclusion and Vulnerable Learner Panel and the Team Around the Pupil, Parent and School meetings. The Committee considered the role of the Education Welfare Service, which had continued to support schools and families where attendance had fallen below 85%, implementing a tiered intervention model ranging from early support to statutory action. The Committee noted the range of operational work undertaken, including regular school attendance visits, casework and family support, updated legal and coding guidance, improvements to auditing mechanisms and support for the “Miss School, Miss Out” campaign. Wider partnership initiatives were also highlighted to the Committee, including work linked to vulnerable learners, Youth Engagement and Progression Framework activity, and strengthening the relationship between attendance, pupil engagement and curriculum design. The Committee acknowledged the forward work plan, which focused on improving transition points, addressing specific attendance codes, continuing training and collaboration and responding to forthcoming pupil‑voice findings to inform future strategy. Officers responded to the issues/observations raised by the Committee. The main matters were as follows: • The Committee was assured to note that Estyn had acknowledged the endeavours made to improve school attendance figures across the county and had accepted that the Authority was doing all that it could to address the issue. • In considering the impact of flexi schooling on attendance figures, the Committee was advised that a Task and Finish Group had been established to equip headteachers with pertinent information to enable them to make informed decisions on such requests. • Concerns were raised in respect of cyclical issues experienced by schools whereby attendance figures would improve following school intervention with families and then regress following a period of time. The Committee was advised that the Authority had processes in place to deal with such instances, with cases being monitored closely to address the issue. • The Committee highlighted the need to ensure that the Authority’s Messaging and Campaign Work was reaching its target audience. Accordingly, the Committee was appraised of the generic awareness raising mechanisms undertaken to date, which had received positive feedback, along with targeted personable and restorative intervention for harder to reach groups and welcomed any suggestions from members in terms of focussing its outreach work to areas of need. • The Committee considered the systemic issues which affected school attendance levels, including the financial situation of families, economic inactivity and other contributory factors such as the unavailability of school transportation and the inability of schools to meet the needs of neurodivergent children. It was recognised that a coordinated and flexible approach was needed across the council in order to tackle the wider issues affecting school attendance and to implement measures to support families and schools in overcoming these barriers. An assurance was provided that this was a priority for the council, as demonstrated by the close liaison between the education and children’s services divisions to provide support to families in need, however further work was needed streamline and prioritise resources across the county and focus collaboration to instigate meaningful societal changes. • It was clarified to the Committee that authorisation of term-time holidays was at the headteachers’ discretion, and the data indicated that these accounted for a very small proportion of the absence statistics within the Authority. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the report be received.
The Committee received for consideration a report which provided a progress update following the outcome of the Enhanced Estyn Local Authority Lead Inspector visit undertaken in June 2025. The inspection focused upon Authority’s provision of support to schools to enable pupils to progress to their full potential and the developments made to address delays by the Authority in respect of its plans to re-organise and modernise education in full. The report highlighted the progress made in respect of curriculum development and the support provided for schools. It was noted that the Authority had continued to deliver professional learning programmes focused on curriculum design, planning, evaluation and assessment. Collaborative structures, such as the Secondary Curriculum and Assessment Working Group had been established to support progression and consistency across secondary settings. In addition, the Authority used AI to support curriculum evaluation and professional learning and facilitated the first Carmarthenshire AI Conference in Spring 2026 to showcase emerging practice. In terms of the progress made regarding the Modernising Education Programme (MEP), it was noted that since 2023 the Authority had initiated several statutory processes aimed at reorganising and modernising educational provision. Significant developments included the Council’s decision to close Ysgol Llansteffan from August 2026 and progress with consultations initiated for other schools with low pupil numbers. The report confirmed that members had challenged proposals robustly while supporting the overall strategic direction. Reference was made to a letter received from the Chair of the Carmarthenshire Association of Secondary Heads (CASH) which outlined the Forum’s support for the Authority’s endeavours to modernise the county’s education provision. Officers responded to the issues/observations raised by the Committee. The main matters were as follows: • Concerns were raised regarding the directive to close small rural schools in light of their contribution to the Welsh language, culture, community and economy. • Reference was made to the introduction of “Stage 0” engagement discussions to gather early stakeholder views, whereby it was emphasised that the process should be followed correctly and transparently, ensuring that information was circulated to school governing bodies in advance to ensure that they understood the process and that correspondence included meeting agendas and minutes reflective of the discussions held. • In response to a query, the Director of Education and Leisure reported that the Cabinet’s approval of the Modernising Education Programme (MEP) strategy provided framework to drive forward the Authority’s plans to re-organise and modernise education in full. It was emphasised that a long-term vision was required going forward, utilising a measured, evidence-based approach in response to demographic changes. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
The Committee received an explanation for the non-submission of the following scrutiny report(s): · School Survey Questionnaire results UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 12th May 2026 be noted.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 12th May 2026. The Chair reported that an informal meeting had been scheduled for Friday 17th April 2026 whereby Committee would have an opportunity to develop its Forward Work Plan for 2026/27. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 12th May 2026 be noted.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20th January 2026 be signed as a correct record.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
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Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.