Last week the Education and Skills Minister informed us of a new improvement programme called Pathways to Success, forty secondary schools will be part of a multi-million pound, improvement programme to increase performance in Welsh schools.
Schools have been chosen using a range of performance data and information that highlights the challenges they face in terms of their circumstances and stage of development. They have been also been chosen as it is believed they have the potential to deliver swift and positive improvements for learners.
Working with their Schools Challenge Cymru advisor, each Pathways to Success School will be given the opportunity to access proven expertise, to deliver a package of support that is individually tailored to meet each school’s needs and the needs of their learners. This will be backed by around £20 million of Welsh Government funding.
The programme will also provide targeted support to participant schools’ cluster primaries in order to address challenges at the earliest opportunity and improve transition between these key stages of education.
Making the announcement the Education and Skills Minister Huw Lewis said:
“Today is a landmark day for Wales as we announce the forty schools which are going to be taking part in our Challenge. I’ve made no secret of my desire for a relentless focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning here in Wales. These schools have been chosen as we believe they have the potential to make swift and lasting improvements which will benefit learners in the short term and long into the future.”
Ebbw Fawr Director Graeme Harkness said:
“Our staff and students are working very hard now to achieve the highest standards possible and this is reflected in our improving results. Anything which gives us added momentum has to be good news. Just because a community is less well off than others does not mean that children will not be as successful as elsewhere. This initiative recognises that our students are already achieving and that with the additional support, we can accelerate their progress. It is especially helpful that our associate primary schools will be part of the programme.”