THE Vale of Glamorgan Council has made significant improvements in education since 2013 according to school inspectors Estyn.

The council was found have made the highest levels of progress possible towards the recommendations made by Estyn three years ago, receiving the top two grades - either "strong" or "very good" - for their work towards each of the six.

The authority oversees 59 schools across the Vale. Earlier this year many of these celebrated not only their best ever exam results but also some of the highest levels of achievement in Wales.

Following on from this, the council has now been judged to have made strong progress in raising school standards. In their findings it is noted by the inspectors that performance at key stages two, three, and four have all improved at a rate greater than the Welsh average and that GCSE performance is now the second highest in Wales.

Estyn also found that strong progress was being made in improving schools that are underperforming.

Councillor Chris Elmore, cabinet member for children’s services and schools, welcomed the report.

“I am nothing short of delighted at the progress that has been made since 2013," he said.

"The inspectors’ findings are the result of three years of very hard work by the council’s learning and skills team and a testament to their efforts.

“It is the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s ambition to make education outcomes in the Vale not only the best in Wales but on a par with any in the UK. This report shows that we are well on our way to making this a reality.”

A team of four inspectors had been tasked with reviewing the council’s progress against the six recommendations.

As well as scrutinising documentation the team visited the authority for a week in November to interview councillors, senior managers and staff, as well as groups of headteachers and governors. Following the review the Council will no longer require monitoring by Estyn.