South West Wales and Mid-Wales regions agree to continue progress towards a Shared School Improvemen
18 April 2011
Local Authority Leaders and Chief Executives on the South West Regional Partnership Forum, together with the Central Wales Regional Board have agreed to continue progress towards a Shared School Improvement Service and a Regional Learning Partnership.
At a meeting on Friday 15th April involving the six authorities across south West Wales and Mid Wales, the leaders and Chief Executives reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a Shared School Improvement Service by September 2012.
The Shared School Improvement Service would cover both Mid and South West Wales and would be underpinned by a Regional School Improvement Strategy and the Regional School Improvement Partnership Board.
Leaders and Chief Executives also agreed to continue progress with the Regional Learning Partnership to cover Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Ceredigion.
The Regional Learning Partnership uniquely brings together the four local authorities across South West Wales with the five Further Education colleges across these local authority areas, four Universities, as well as the Open University, four County Voluntary Councils, the Workers’ Educational Association, the National Training Federation for Wales and South Wales Chamber of Commerce, Careers Wales West, Job Centre Plus and NiACE Dysgu Cymru.
By bringing together education and regeneration partners a dynamic forum has been created which will be of significant benefit to individual learners and the regional economy.
Both the Shared School Improvement Service and the Regional Learning Partnership are in line with local government’s stated commitment to raising standards in education and improving outcomes for children and young people in Wales. They are also in line with the Education Minister’s “20 actions” and the more recent Vivian Thomas Review of Education Services.
Following the publication of the last PISA study, local government leaders have made education their number one priority and have given a firm commitment to working with the Welsh Assembly Government to raising standards and securing improvement.
Editors’ Notes
1. The Regional Partnership Forum for South West Wales
• There are 22 Local Authorities in Wales, brought together through 4 Regional Boards to facilitate joint working and regional collaboration.
• In South West Wales, the Regional Partnership Forum for South West Wales brings together the 4 Local Authorities of Carmarthenshire County Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the City and County of Swansea.
• The Central Wales Regional Partnership Board brings together the Leaders and Chief Executives of Powys County Council and Ceredigion County Council to promote, direct, oversee and steer regional joint working where it adds value and results in more effective and efficient services.
2. The Regional Learning partnership Forum for South West Wales
The remit of the Regional Learning Partnership is to ensure publicly funded learning providers and associated organisations work collaboratively, effectively and efficiently to meet the demand needs of learners, the regional economy and society in South West Wales.
3. The Regional Partnership Forum for South West Wales received details of the Regional Learning Partnership (RLP’s) three key “pillars”:
• Partnership Brokerage and Development;
• a Regional Learning and Skills Observatory and a
• Regional E-Portal and its achievements.
In reviewing the progress of the RLP, the Forum endorsed its direction of travel and noted the pace of change required across the partnership to make a difference in responding to skills needs across south west Wales. The importance of Local Service Boards across the region being part of this development was also determined.