Carmarthenshire has been awarded £266,000 to support ‘school to school’ working by developing capacity and good practice within clusters of schools.
The funding will also be used to second head teachers and senior leaders to lead Small and Rural Schools Best Practice and innovation projects focusing on key areas of specific need.
Additional funding has also been shared with some 36 schools across the authority to enhance head teacher and senior leader capacity to focus on elements of strategic school improvement.
Local authorities across Wales have been applying for a share of £2.5m grant funding after the Education Secretary Kirsty Williams revealed the support package in November last year to encourage innovation and support greater school to school working.
This includes using digital technology to combat the issue of professional isolation, providing administrative support in schools where the head teacher has significant teaching commitment, supporting collaboration and federation of schools, and where opportunities exist and there is local demand, using school facilities for community purposes.
Executive board member for education and children’s services, Cllr Glynog Davies said: “We are delighted to receive this most welcome additional support for our small and rural schools. The funding will provide valuable opportunities to develop a wide range of partnership working through specific school improvement projects, wholly designed to support our Carmarthenshire learners.”
Kirsty Williams said: “Small and rural schools play an important role in our national mission to raise standards and extend opportunities for all our young people.
“This financial support will benefit pupils, teachers, and the wider community. I want to see rural schools working more formally together and across the country, forming federations and looking into the possibility of sharing buildings with other services to ensure school buildings remain viable.”
