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The Panel heard from Bishop Vaughan Catholic Comprehensive School about its approach to highly effective teaching, and from Partneriaeth, a support service shared by three councils, about its 2024-25 work and its 2025-26 business plan. The minutes record no decisions. The Panel said it would set out its views in a letter to the Cabinet Member.
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The minutes of the 26 June and 30 June 2025 were agreed as a correct record.
Letters from the 26 June and 30 June 2025 meetings were noted.
No public questions were received.
The Panel met with the Head and Deputy Headteacher and Chair of Governors from Bishop Vaughan Catholic Comprehensive School to discuss their work in relation to teaching, which has been highlighted by a recent Estyn Inspection as highly effective. The Panel heard: Bishop Vaughan Catholic Comprehensive School presented an overview of its approach to highly effective teaching, emphasising inclusivity, pupil voice, and whole-person development. The Panel heard that the school fosters a strong sense of belonging through cultural festivals, a rich super-curricular programme, and a peer-led entitlement charter. Literacy and oracy are central to its equity work, supported by partnerships with the National Literacy Trust and Voice 21. Professional learning is research-informed and impact-driven, with a clear focus on coherence between curriculum, staff development, and pupil outcomes. Estyn praised the school’s values-based education and its success in enabling pupils to exceed expectations regardless of their starting points. The Panel thanked the Headteacher, Deputy Head and Chair of Governors for attending the meeting and providing them with an excellent precise of their work in this matter. The Panel will put their thoughts on the session in a letter to the Cabinet Member following this meeting.
The Panel welcomed Ian Altman, Lead Officer at Partneriaeth for attending the meeting to outline progress made, referring also to the documents attached to the agenda, namely, Partneriaeth Annual Report 24/25 and the current Business Plan. It was noted: · Partneriaeth is now a commissioned service supporting the education workforce across Swansea, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. · Operates under a collaboration agreement between the three councils · Has two main priorities: • Supporting schools to design and deliver high-quality provision. • Developing career pathways for all staff, including teaching assistants, early career teachers, and aspiring leaders. · Swansea received 35% of total support days (714 days), aligning with its share of schools in the partnership. · A Net Promoter Survey showed strong satisfaction with Partneriaeth’s services. · A new “What difference do we make” section was added to sharpen evaluation of impact. · Continues with two priorities in to current business pla, with added emphasis on high-quality teaching and middle leadership. · Focus on in-school support tailored to individual school needs, rather than generic training sessions. · Development of strategy-on-a-page documents for each subject area to ensure alignment with local authority priorities. · Designed collaboratively with local authority officers and schools to ensure relevance and avoid duplication. Ian Altman (Partneriaeth) noted improved clarity and cohesion in service delivery. · Councillor Robert Smith and Helen Morgan-Rees praised the model for its flexibility, value for money, and responsiveness to local needs. · Helen highlighted the importance of Partneriaeth’s secondary specialists and its role in complementing Swansea’s internal capacity.
The latest work plan was noted.
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