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Education

New strategy to support looked after children

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A NEW strategy and action plan that will help looked after children in Wales to fulfil their potential at school and beyond has been launched by the Welsh Government.

Raising the ambitions and educational attainment of children who are looked after in Wales’, which is jointly led by Education Minister, Huw Lewis and Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford, identifies key areas in which the Welsh Government and its partners will work to better support children in care in achieving better academic success.

While the primary focus is on supporting looked after children of compulsory school age, the strategy also looks at supporting children as they make the often tricky transition from school to further education, higher education and employment.

The strategy sets out how the Welsh Government and its partners will:

  • Raise educational aspirations and attainment of looked after children and the ability of those who care for them (i.e. foster carers) to support their educational development;
  • Reinforce collective accountability for looked after children and effective leadership across the Welsh Government, regional education consortia, local authorities, schools and further and higher education institutions;
  • Make education a priority and point of focus and stability for looked after children, especially during periods of upheaval and uncertainty
  • Ensure necessary support is in place to enable positive life and career choices and reduce the chances of looked after children entering the youth justice system;
  • Identify data to aid practice, policy making and monitoring of educational outcomes,
  • Ensure excellent practice is identified, promoted and shared wherever it exists.

The strategy is supported by a detailed action plan and the Welsh Government will monitor delivery against the plan on an annual basis.

Education Minister, Huw Lewis said: “Every single child in Wales – including those who are looked after – has the right to expect an excellent education.

“We know that good educational attainment can provide the gateway to future stability and can help to secure an independent and fulfilling life, however we also know that outcomes for looked after children rarely compare favourably with other children.

“In developing this strategy we have worked closely with partners such as the Fostering Network, Voices From Care, and Cardiff University’s Research Centre, Cascade to ensure it reflects the views and experiences of both children in care and foster carers.

“Their input has been invaluable and I would like to thank them for their hard work and contribution.

“The publication of this strategy is just the first step in our work to ensure sustained improvements in outcomes for looked after children and we will continue to work closely with our partners to make this ambition a reality.”

Minister for Health and Social Services Mark Drakeford said: “We are determined as a government to do all we can to support looked-after children and care leavers to reach their full potential.

“This strategy is the first step in a concerted effort by the Welsh Government to ensure sustained improvements in all outcomes for looked-after children, which will impact positively on all aspects of their lives. We are developing a national approach for looked-after children which will help reduce the number of children entering care, improve outcomes for children already in care and provide better opportunities for care leavers.

“A good education with successful exam results may not prevent children who are looked after from making the wrong life choices but having a flying start in life and a strong foundation in education will stand them in good stead for the demands of modern life. It will also help open up opportunities and inform better life choices.”

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Education

Don’t miss out on help with school essentials

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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

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Charity

Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter

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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.

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Education

Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024 

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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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