How Did Wrexham’s Schools Rank in Annual ‘Colour Coded’ Banding?

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This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Jan 31st, 2017

The Welsh Government’s annual ‘colour coded performance data’ has been published – with many of Wrexham’s primary and secondary schools falling into the ‘Green’ or ‘Yellow’ categories.

The colour coding system, which is released annually as part of the Welsh Government’s National Categorisation System was been introduced in 2014 to help identify those schools in need of support to improve.

Schools are placed into one of four colour-coded support categories to demonstrate the level of support they need.

Each school’s category is determined by a range of factors including its performance data and capacity to improve in areas such as leadership and teaching and learning.

Local authorities and their regional consortia play a central role in the process which triggers a bespoke package of challenge and support in each school.

Under the system there are four categories – green, yellow, amber and red. Schools in the green category are deemed to be in need of the least support while schools in the red category are those identified as needing the most support.

This year’s results show that there are fewer schools in Wales in need of the highest levels of support when compared to last year. Similarly, there are more schools categorised as needing lower levels of support. In summary:

– The proportion of green schools – those needing less support – has increased by 5% in the primary sector and 7% in the secondary sector.

– The proportion of red schools – those identified as needing most support – has reduced by 1% in the primary sector and 2% in the secondary sector.

– 41% of special schools have been categorised as green, and needing less support, with only 8% being categorised as red and in need of most support.

In Wrexham a total of 10 primary schools were categorised as green, including one secondary school and one special school.

A green rating means that a school has a ‘track record in sustaining high level of learner outcomes, demonstrates resilience at all levels and challenges to move towards or sustain excellence’.

Two secondary schools in Wrexham were categorised as red – meaning they are ‘experiencing a decline in key aspects of their performance, statutory powers may be used by LEA and subject to intervention by LEA and regional consortium’.

The schools classed as red will also ‘receive intensive support’.

Speaking on Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams said: “This system is not about grading, labelling or creating crude league tables but about providing support and encouraging improvement in our schools. It is about putting schools into a position that helps them to identify areas they can strengthen and what they need to do achieve further improvements.

“The figures we have published today show that 84.4% of primary and 64.6% of secondary schools are now in the green and yellow categories. This increase is to be welcomed, as these schools will have a key role to play in supporting other schools, sharing their skills, expertise, and good practice.

“In this way they will be making a vital contribution to our national mission of driving forward improvements in Welsh schools and moving us towards a self-improving system.”

However Plaid Cymru Shadow Education Secretary Llŷr Gruffydd has warned that a lot of work still needs to be done to reverse years of decline and to improve school standards across Wales.

Speaking about Tuesday’s results, Llŷr Gruffydd AM said: “Today’s results reveal some welcome signs of improvement, with a greater number of our schools being placed in the green category and fewer placed in the red.

“Of course, this categorisation is just one part of the wider evaluation of schools and it certainly should not be viewed as a way of ranking or labelling schools.

“We need to see an increase in the number of schools placed in the green category but also make sure that the support given to schools in the red category bring about a tangible improvement.

“The Welsh Government has presided over years of educational decline so any sign that the tide is being turned is welcome. But now is not the time for the Welsh Government and regional consortia to rest on their laurels. The focus must still be on supporting all schools to raise standards, and ensure that schools in all categories see similar rates of improvement.”

A full list of Wrexham’s results can be found below…