Teaching quality in Wales is weak, says watchdog

Welsh education watchdog Estyn has said the quality of teaching in Wales is the "weakest aspect" of education across most areas of Wales in its annual report.

Teaching was "good" or "better" in only a minority of secondary schools inspected.

Chief inspector Meilyr Rowlands said school heads needed to create better opportunities for teachers to develop their professional skills.

The report also found in about a third of primary schools inspected this year, more able children underachieved because their work was not challenging enough.

The report said younger children's literacy and numeracy skills are improving. Standards were good or better in about seven in 10 primary schools inspected.

The report found secondary schools continued to have greater variability than primary schools with "more excellence but also more unsatisfactory practice".

Estyn also said schools' expectations of their more able pupils just are not high enough.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: "This report provides us with valuable evidence about performance in our schools which can help us continue to drive up standards in education.

"We will study the report in more detail before formally responding in March."