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Progress, but significant concerns in Pembrokeshire’s schools

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A CLAIM in an online BBC news report that an Estyn inspection of Pembrokeshire’s schools found performance in literacy and numeracy is ‘poor’ is WRONG.

The fifteen-page Estyn report into Pembrokeshire County Council’s handling of education in our county does not contain that assertion, The Herald can confirm.

The Estyn report says that Pembrokeshire’s education is IMPROVING but that the rate of improvement is too slow, inconsistently achieved, and there is too much variation in standards in schools.

The report does, however, state that literacy and numeracy was something the County’s schools needed to improve upon.

Estyn has left the local authority with clear recommendations. These include:
• raising standards in literacy numeracy and Welsh second language.
• improving outcomes for learners eligible for free school meals.
• improving teaching and leadership
• evaluating its work and planning for improvement.

The Estyn report states that Pembrokeshire’s education service is causing ‘significant concern’. However, our Friday print edition will contain an interview with both Cabinet Member Guy Woodham and Acting Director of Education Steven Richards-Downes which suggests that concerns are being addressed and that the Council has been repeatedly reassured by Estyn it is on the right track.

There are significant challenges for Pembrokeshire’s schools which should not be downplayed. There is a significant disconnection between the performance of primary schools and secondary schools and a growing feeling that pupils in Key Stage 3 are let down by being in ‘a holding pattern’ between the end of their primary education and the start of their GCSE courses.
Strong progress has been made in child safeguarding and the report recognises a much-improved picture in that respect.

Pupils’ behaviour in ‘a minority of secondary schools is not good enough’, the report’s authors state. They also state that poorly-behaved students are the subject of a disproportionate number of short-term exclusions from school.

Councillor Guy Woodham, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, commented: “While there is recognition by Estyn of the progress made since 2012, the pace of change across the local authority has been inconsistent and has not taken place fast enough.

“In going forward it is important that all those involved in education now focus on urgently raising performance outcomes and improving the quality of teaching across all our schools.
“Our ambition remains the same that every learner achieves more than they thought possible.”
Our detailed coverage is in this Friday’s paper

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Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash

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THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.

Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.

The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.

Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”

The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.

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Firefighters tackle blaze at block of garages in Monkton

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ONE person was injured as a result of a sunday afternoon garage fire in a block of garages in Monkton.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service told The Pembrokeshire Herald said: “At 1.31pm on March 17, Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven crews were called to extinguish a fire in an alight central garage and were forced to use two breathing apparatus and two hose reels.

“The firefighters reportedly left the scene at 3.02pm after continuing to dampen the fire and check for fire spread.

“The casualty was treated by ambulance service personnel also in attendance.”

The police confirmed that a garage fire had been dealt with by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Ambulance Service attended.

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Air ambulance called following incident at Aldi Pembroke Dock

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THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE, along with the Welsh Ambulance Service and police were called on Monday morning to an incident at the Aldi supermarket car park in Pembroke Dock.

The Herald understands that the alarm was raised after a car hit a person in the car park after 9am.

We have been told that the incident involved a local taxi.

The emergency services have been asked for a comment.

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