Plaid Cymru councillors have called on Labour to spell out how it plans to help improve standards at schools in the Caerphilly County Borough, prompting a furious response from the ruling group.
The call comes after the Welsh Government’s colour coding system showed that 11 of the area’s 14 secondary schools were in need of improvement, with St Cenydd, St Martin’s and Heolddu in need of greater improvement.
Twelve of the county borough’s primary schools were rated green, 45 yellow, 16 amber and two red.
Councillor Phil Bevan, Shadow Education spokesperson, said: “The Labour-controlled council needs to say what it is doing to support teachers and improve outcomes for pupils at our schools.
“We need to see an action plan on how improvement is to be achieved. We must ensure the education of our children is of the highest standard, whichever school they attend.
“It is also essential that parents are given information from their schools on how standards are to be improved, and we will be pursuing this.”
Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said its councillors intended raising theissue at future meetings until a plan was produced.
He said: “The cabinet had the opportunity earlier this month to discuss school performance but merely nodded the report through. They need to spell out to parents what they are doing.”
Councillor Rhiannon Passmore, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “This is an absolutely spurious attack, I think it is meant to deflect attention from their disastrous budget proposals where they argued to increase the cost of meals on wheels to pay for a few grit bins.
“They’ve had every opportunity to put their views across at scrutiny meetings and Cllr Bevan has not done that to date.
“They are using this to score party political points.
“Estyn recorded that they think Caerphilly is making sound progress and is moving consistently in the right direction. The progress is profound and consistent.
“This is not an attack on the council and Labour, it is an attack on teachers across the county borough.”
The council has rejected claims that Caerphilly schools are sub-standard and Cllr Passmore said the categorisation has been misunderstood.
She said the “system is designed to identify the level of support individual schools require in order to become self improving and reflective”, starting by considering “the school’s own self evaluation processes and their capacity to improve”.
Cllr Passmore said: “We are ambitious for our schools and our pupils and it is important to stress that last year the rate of improvement in performance across Caerphilly schools was greater than across Wales for nearly all key performance measures. This is due to key processes being in place to provide support to our schools.
“Performance in the Level 2 threshold, inclusive of English/Welsh first language and mathematics, increased by 3.7% compared with an increase of 2.7% across Wales, whilst the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals increased by 2.3% for this indicator, compared with 2.0% across Wales.”
But Cllr Mann said Cllr Passmore’s criticism of his party was “ill-judged”.
He said: “Cllr Passmore claimed that this party was trying to score party political points. All Plaid councillors were trying to do is to ask Labour to spell out its plans to improve standards at schools in the county borough.
“She is keener on having a go at the opposition than recognising the extremely poor bandings of the majority of Caerphilly County Borough Councils secondary schools. What is she doing to justify her position?”
A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “Our schools continue to work closely with the Education Achievement Service and the Welsh Government to ensure that appropriate support is provided where needed.
“This collaborative approach will help raise standards and deliver clear benefits for all our pupils across the county borough.”
Can the Council give the educators ” Common Sense” please. My grandson went to school in a St Martins “Hoody” and it was taken off of him in the cold and wet because it was the wrong St Martins colour .. dull or what. If he goes down with the cold or flu it will be St Martins fault but they will still moan about his attendance .. get some common sense and try working with people instead of being mini dictators ….
The school uniform is the school uniform. If you do not like it send your grandson to a different school. I have no sympathy for people believing they can get away with not obeying the rules clearly stated when you join the school.
Common sense should prevail not leave a child out in the cold. The top taken by a teacher was a St Martins top … duh!
There was a very good reason why he didn’t have the right St Martins colour but some people will not listen ..
The only mistake in the handling of the situation is the teacher leaving the child out in the cold. The child should have been allowed to keep the wrong top but put in internal isolation, be told to take the hoodie off and then be allowed to continue in classes but be given one from lost property if wearing a hoodie was essential, or be asked to return home to change.
Wow . You really like interfering don’ t you …..
Good God, a uniform is a uniform, a St Martins Hoody is a St Martins Hoody, what really is the problem?
,
Unfortunately St. Martins has different colours of uniforms for different year groups. “The uniform is not uniform.” A simplified uniform code might be a solution.
Sounds like this poor child was handled insensitively and I hope no ill effects were suffered.
This school is now under new management following the poor leadership of the prior headmistress and the restoration of discipline and uniform appears to be a high priority going forward.
“Poor leadership of the prior Headmistress”? well that is a revelation to me.
I have attended various meeting in the Town Community over recent years, sometimes listening to debates about the various problems in the Community.
I have heard local Councillor after Local Councillor only heap praise and satisfaction on the leadership of this School. I have heard the Chair to the Board of Governors extolling lyrical and with delight at the sucess and continued management of `his` School. Whilst now you say this was not always the case, the plot thickens.
Perhaps there is more merit in your previous suggestions about education managment and politics than I originally thought, but, perhaps the concentration should be on selecting or electing the `Right` people to form the Board of Governers of our schools, I know of cases in Caerphilly whereby local people have been `appointed` to Boards of Governers simply based on their political party membership and support. Perhaps a huge part of the problems as you see it can be down to poor management by the Board of `Management`,? the Governors.?
Trefor,
Having a child a this school I can only wish it had not recently received the lowest possible rating – Hence the recent changes in leadership. Under the prior head the PTA ceased to function which should have set off some alarm bells.
I think you are correct about the problems of having people appointed based on their political affiliations and addressing that would help the situation.
Can the Council give the educators ” Common Sense” please. My grandson went to school in a St Martins “Hoody” and it was taken off of him in the cold and wet because it was the wrong St Martins colour .. dull or what. If he goes down with the cold or flu it will be St Martins fault but they will still moan about his attendance .. get some common sense and try working with people instead of being mini dictators ….
The school uniform is the school uniform. If you do not like it send your grandson to a different school. I have no sympathy for people believing they can get away with not obeying the rules clearly stated when you join the school.
Common sense should prevail not leave a child out in the cold. The top taken by a teacher was a St Martins top … duh!
There was a very good reason why he didn’t have the right St Martins colour but some people will not listen ..
The only mistake in the handling of the situation is the teacher leaving the child out in the cold. The child should have been allowed to keep the wrong top but put in internal isolation, be told to take the hoodie off and then be allowed to continue in classes but be given one from lost property if wearing a hoodie was essential, or be asked to return home to change.
Wow . You really like interfering don’ t you …..
Good God, a uniform is a uniform, a St Martins Hoody is a St Martins Hoody, what really is the problem?
,
Unfortunately St. Martins has different colours of uniforms for different year groups. “The uniform is not uniform.” A simplified uniform code might be a solution.
Sounds like this poor child was handled insensitively and I hope no ill effects were suffered.
This school is now under new management following the poor leadership of the prior headmistress and the restoration of discipline and uniform appears to be a high priority going forward.
“Poor leadership of the prior Headmistress”? well that is a revelation to me.
I have attended various meeting in the Town Community over recent years, sometimes listening to debates about the various problems in the Community.
I have heard local Councillor after Local Councillor only heap praise and satisfaction on the leadership of this School. I have heard the Chair to the Board of Governors extolling lyrical and with delight at the sucess and continued management of `his` School. Whilst now you say this was not always the case, the plot thickens.
Perhaps there is more merit in your previous suggestions about education managment and politics than I originally thought, but, perhaps the concentration should be on selecting or electing the `Right` people to form the Board of Governers of our schools, I know of cases in Caerphilly whereby local people have been `appointed` to Boards of Governers simply based on their political party membership and support. Perhaps a huge part of the problems as you see it can be down to poor management by the Board of `Management`,? the Governors.?
Trefor,
Having a child a this school I can only wish it had not recently received the lowest possible rating – Hence the recent changes in leadership. Under the prior head the PTA ceased to function which should have set off some alarm bells.
I think you are correct about the problems of having people appointed based on their political affiliations and addressing that would help the situation.
I think this sort of political discussion about the local education system is a clear example of why responsibility for primary and secondary education should be removed from the remit of all County Councils. What are needed are entirely separate “Independent School Districts” with directly elected boards. Political parties like Labour and Plaid have neither the competence nor long-term focus required to administer something as precious as the education of our children and it is the children that suffer when education is used to score political points.
This really is a suggestion which is nebulous, who on earth would have the expertise, which, the local politicians who have guided local education for donkeys years?. You have already said that those who have done so, at least in Caerphilly, are `incompetent`, I presume you mean, as you`ve mentioned both Labour and Plaid Cymru, That means the Councillor Passmore, Labour and Councillor Phil Beven of Plaid Cymru , both who have held or hold Cabinet portfolios for Education in Caerphilly are incompetent?
Who do you think would make up the `boards of Education` that you suggest?, and, would your suggestion mean that the board members were `appointed` or elected? if you propose they should be appointed, By Whom? ( I bet it would have to be by politicians) in which case, what would be new in the expertise of those who would be politically appointed?.
If they are elected as you suggest, how would that possible alter the political bias of those elected. particularly if they were The Passmores and Bevens of the education world? Both of whom already stand for election and are duly elected by the parents of the children to be educated. If there is a problem with this process, or these Caerphilly Education movers and shakers, then potential `Board` members under your suggestions should stand for the Council, and make a contribution towards towards it and if necessery, change it.
Agree with you or not the `State` do have the responsibility for education, and the `state` is politics.
Trevor, first of thank you for supporting and making my point. Based on their past performances the Labour and Plaid Councillors have proven their inability to manage the education of our children.
I have been fortunate to have experience living and working overseas in a different local government structure where education is not the responsibility of county or city governments. My point is that County Councillors are not specifically elected on the basis of their expertise in the area of education or for that matter any specific experience. They are elected as generic representative of the electorate and are not judged on their specific experiences, educations and qualities for any particular role.
What is needed are specialized Independent School Districts or Education Authorities where Board Members are elected not on a party political basis but based on their specific education experiences and skills. It can be done!!
It seems that it is time for some serious changes to the way things are being done here in Wales and maybe as some one who has seen alternatives system I am just more fortunate than most.
I think this sort of political discussion about the local education system is a clear example of why responsibility for primary and secondary education should be removed from the remit of all County Councils. What are needed are entirely separate “Independent School Districts” with directly elected boards. Political parties like Labour and Plaid have neither the competence nor long-term focus required to administer something as precious as the education of our children and it is the children that suffer when education is used to score political points.
This really is a suggestion which is nebulous, who on earth would have the expertise, which, the local politicians who have guided local education for donkeys years have?. You have already said that those who have done so, at least in Caerphilly, are `incompetent`, I presume you mean, as you`ve mentioned both Labour and Plaid Cymru, That means the Councillor Passmore, Labour and Councillor Phil Beven of Plaid Cymru , both who have held or hold Cabinet portfolios for Education in Caerphilly are incompetent?
Who do you think would make up the `Boards of Education` that you suggest?, and, would your suggestion mean that the board members were `appointed` or elected? if you propose they should be appointed, By Whom? ( I bet it would have to be by politicians) in which case, what would be new in the expertise of those who would be politically appointed?.
If they are elected as you suggest, how would that possible alter the political bias of those elected. particularly if they were The Passmores and Bevens of the education world? Both of whom already have the courage to stand for election and are duly elected by the parents of the children to be educated. If there is a problem with this process, or with these Caerphilly Education movers and shakers, then potential `Board` members under your suggestions should stand for the Council, and make a contribution towards towards it and if necessery, change it.
Agree with you or not the `State` do have the responsibility for education, and the `state` is politics.
Trevor, first of thank you for supporting and making my point. Based on their past performances the Labour and Plaid Councillors have proven their inability to manage the education of our children.
I have been fortunate to have experience living and working overseas in a different local government structure where education is not the responsibility of county or city governments. My point is that County Councillors are not specifically elected on the basis of their expertise in the area of education or for that matter any specific experience. They are elected as generic representative of the electorate and are not judged on their specific experiences, educations and qualities for any particular role.
What is needed are specialized Independent School Districts or Education Authorities where Board Members are elected not on a party political basis but based on their specific education experiences and skills. It can be done!!
It seems that it is time for some serious changes to the way things are being done here in Wales and maybe as some one who has seen alternatives system I am just more fortunate than most.