Transforming Education Strategy

Following the County Council elections held in May 2022, the Council has reviewed and updated its Strategy for Transforming Education, and has published a Work Programme for Wave 2 of the programme, which will run from 2022 to 2027.

These are available below:

• Strategy for transforming education in Powys 2020-2032 (PDF) [331KB]
• Work Programme - Wave 2 (2022-2027) (PDF) [115KB]

The Strategy was originally launched in April 2020 following a period of engagement with stakeholders which was carried out in response to Estyn's inspection of Powys Education Services in 2019.

The ambitious strategy to transform education in Powys includes a vision and guiding principles, and sets out the council's priorities to transform education in Powys, which will focus on four strategic aims:

• Improve learner entitlement and experience
• Improve learner entitlement and experience for post-16 learners
• Improve access to Welsh-medium provision across all key stages
• Improve provision for learners with special education needs / additional learning needs.

The strategy also includes a commitment to a capital investment programme to ensure that schools in Powys have inspiring, environmentally sustainable buildings that can provide opportunities for wider community activity.

Background to developing the Strategy

In the autumn term 2019, the Council carried out a strategic review of education in Powys, in response to concerns raised during Estyn's inspection of Powys Education Services.

During the autumn term 2019 and spring term 2020, the council carried out two phases of engagement as part of its Strategic Review of Education in Powys.

Phase 1

During the autumn term 2019, the council engaged with a number of stakeholders, including headteachers, governors, school staff, county councillors, Schools Service staff and town and community councils, to identify the challenges facing education in Powys. This engagement exercise included sharing data about the Powys schools infrastructure.

View our latest data here.

The findings of the engagement exercise carried out in the autumn term are outlined in the documents below:

• Schools Conference Report (PDF) [3MB]
• Engagement Report  (PDF) [1MB]

Based on these findings, the Council prepared a Case for Change document, which outlines the key challenges facing education in the county. This is available below:

• Case for change (PDF) [4MB]

These documents and a draft document outlining the vision for education in Powys were considered and approved by the council's Cabinet in January 2020.  The Cabinet approved carrying out further engagement on the vision document.

Phase 2

Between February and March 2020, the council carried out a second period of engagement on its emerging vision and guiding principles for education in Powys. This engagement period was based on the following document:

• Vision for Education - Full version (PDF) [19MB]
• Vision for Education - Young people's version (PDF) [345KB]

The responses received during the engagement period were analysed, and an engagement report has been prepared which summarises the responses received. This is available below:

• Engagement Report - Phase 2

The 'Vision for Education' document was also updated based on the feedback received, and evolved to become the 'Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030'.

This was approved by the Council's Leader via a Delegated Decision in April 2020.