Education
Cuts blamed for poor classroom behaviour
THE EIS teaching union have blamed poor classroom behaviour on staff cuts in schools. It also cited cuts in support staff and numbers of educational psychologists, and criticised a policy it says means some pupils are left in mainstream school when they should be in special schools, though they did admit that they were in favour of keeping children in mainstream education wherever possible. EIS general secretary, Larry Flanagan, said:
“Reductions in staffi ng – including a decline in teacher numbers, deep cuts to specialist support staff, and the fall in the number of professional educational psychologists – are exacerbating the problems that many schools face in supporting pupils who have displayed challenging behaviour. WWe must remember that over the years the evidence consistently shows that the vast majority of young people in schools are well behaved and eager to learn. With teacher numbers falling and class sizes rising, schools and teachers will face an ever-greater challenge in maintaining effective discipline in the classroom.
“That is bad news for staff, with indiscipline one of the key causes of stress for teachers, and bad news for the majority of pupils who are keen to learn.” The union went on to state that it believed the majority of pupils were well behaved, normally, but that a persistent minority were failing to behave in an appropriate classroom manner and said it was essential for schools to have strategies in place to effectively support teachers as they deal with indiscipline.
Mr Flanagan continued by discussing the issue of violence against teachers, saying: “Thankfully, serious disruption and violence continue to be a much less common problem than persistent low-level disruption such as talking out-of-turn or texting in class. “However, it is essential that when serious incidents do occur, they are dealt with swiftly and firmly – including police involvement where a teacher has been physically assaulted or placed under severe threat.”
Local authority organisation, Cosla, reacted to the EIS comments, with spokesman Douglas Chapman stating: “We must remember that over the years the evidence consistently shows that the vast majority of young people in schools are well behaved and eager to learn. We are always open to discussing the concerns of teachers.”
Education
Don’t miss out on help with school essentials
88% of those eligible have claimed their free School Essentials grant to help with costs like school uniform, shoes, bags, sports kit and equipment. Have you claimed yours?
Children of families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits, those seeking asylum and children in care can claim £125 per year to help with school costs. Because of the extra cost families might face when their children start secondary school, £200 is available for eligible pupils going into year 7. It could also mean extra funding for your school.
There’s still time to check eligibility and apply for this year’s funding now before applications close on 31 May.
You can apply every year for each of your children. Pupils from all kinds of education settings are eligible as long as they are aged 5-16. This applies to pupils in all schools and settings, including special schools and pupil referral units.
Headteacher of Ysgol Gymunedol Trimsaran, Steffan Jones, explained how the grant helps pupils at his school: “You want every child to be treated the same, and you want every child to have the same experiences. These grants do help, so that all children can get involved and enjoy their time at school, not just those who can afford it.”
The grant can be used to pay for:
- school uniform, including coats and shoes.
- school activities, like learning a musical instrument, sports kit and equipment for after school activities.
- classroom essentials, like pens, pencils and bags.
Even if your child already receives a Free School Meal, you still need to check eligibility to access the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school. To find out more about the Schools Essentials Grant and to check eligibility, visit Get help with school costs | GOV.WALES
Charity
Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter
THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.
Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.
Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.
The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:
- Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
- Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
- Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
- Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
- Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
- St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.
Education
Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024
THIS week, Milford Haven School celebrated the achievements of Year 11 pupils from the Class of 2023 at the Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening.
Chair of Governors Dayle Gibby opened the evening by welcoming past pupils, parents and carers and guests from the community as they joined together to proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of their past pupils. Mr Gibby said “Tonight is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate your achievements academically, and achievements that go far beyond the classroom like sporting, musical, through drama, enterprise, environmental and those that reach into the heart of community. Throughout your time here you have all showed, resilience, determination, and aspiration. With these attributes you have set yourself targets and goals to achieve, manage difficult problems and overcome unexpected events.”
The annual Aspire Celebration evening recognises the exceptional talents, dedication, and hard work demonstrated by these pupils throughout their academic journey. The evening was an enjoyable one that showcased the remarkable accomplishments of the young people, highlighting their academic excellence, leadership skills,and contributions to the school and wider community. Among the many accolades awarded were prizes for outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular participation, personal development and services to the community.
One of the highlights of the evening was the inspiring address from guest speaker and former pupil of the former Milford Haven Grammar School Ms Makala Jones. Pupils, staff and guests were captivated and inspired by her stories of cold water swimming and how joining the world renowned Blue Tits changed her life and played a big part in her accomplishments of recently swimming the English Channel completely solo. Her motivational speech, insights and personal anecdotes resonated deeply with the entire audience, encouraging them to pursue their passions fearlessly, love themselves completely and embrace opportunities that lie ahead.
As pupils received their well-deserved awards, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment filling the room. Headteacher Ms Morris said “This evening is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our young people. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they have made on our school community. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the prize winners. I have no doubt that you will continue to excel in whatever task you choose to do next. I am personally proud of each and every one of you and wish you continued success in your future endeavours.”
For more information and a full list of prize winners please visit: www.milfordhavenschool.co.uk/aspirecelebrationevening
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