Education
An inspector calls


Awards praised: Gold Award aspiring Pembrokeshire youngsters.
An inspector calls PEMBROKESHIRE’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has been highly praised in a recent inspection. Assessors of the prestigious award scheme joined a group of 32 Gold Award aspiring Pembrokeshire youngsters while on a gruelling hike in a remote part of Scotland.
The 16-18 year old youngsters – from Greenhill, Tasker Milward, Sir Thomas Piction, Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Ysgol Dewi Sant and Pembrokeshire College – were taking part in a fournight expedition in the West Highlands when the inspector called. DofE youth workers and adult volunteers supervising the trip were given just one day’s notice of the inspection!
Reporting afterwards the report by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service said it had been a pleasure to meet the youngsters and that all aspects of the operation appeared to have been carefully planned and considered with appropriate controls in place.
“The Inspector noted the obvious enjoyment and satisfaction that the young people he spoke to were getting from taking part in their expedition,” the inspection report said. “Despite some days of indifferent weather and the challenging nature of their expedition they appeared to be revelling in the experience and had developed a strong supportive ethos within the group.
It was evident that the training and practice expeditions that the groups had completed had paid dividends in this respect. It was a pleasure to meet up with these young people. No blisters, no moans and lots of laughs.” Cllr. Sue Perkins, Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding said she was delighted at the Inspection report: “Both the youngsters and the Pembrokeshire County Council youth workers, who run the scheme are to be congratulated and praised for their hard work and dedication,” she said.
“Pembrokeshire has a large number of Bronze, Silver and Gold Award winners every year, which reflects hugely on the calibre of everyone involved.” Pembrokeshire has always had the highest number of Duke of Edinburgh award winners- as a percentage of the county’s youth population – than any other county in Wales. In 2013/14 there were 231 Bronze Awards, 72 Silver Awards and 32 Gold Awards.
Education
Young entrepreneur Jake launches media business

Pembrokeshire graduate focuses on weddings and live events
JAKE ALDRED, a former Level 3 Creative Media student at Pembrokeshire College, has successfully launched his own business, Jake Aldred Media, specialising in photography and videography.
With a strong focus on the wedding industry, Jake has quickly built a reputation for capturing life’s most important moments with professionalism and creativity. His expertise extends beyond weddings, having covered major events such as Ironman competitions, the Pembrokeshire County Show, Saundersfoot Fest, and promotional work for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, the Cardiff Dragons Women’s Netball Team, and S4C. He has also provided videography for live music events, showcasing his versatility across various industries.
Jake credits Pembrokeshire College for providing the foundation of his skills, particularly the support of his tutor, Denys.
“I’m incredibly excited to take this next step and build something of my own,” said Jake. “The Creative Media course really helped me develop the skills I needed as a videographer and photographer. While studying, I started doing social media work for local businesses, which led to capturing my first wedding. My tutor, Denys, understood that university wasn’t my path and helped me make connections, including with the Enterprise Team at the College, who put me in contact with the local council and helped secure funding for my business.”
Jake Aldred Media is gaining recognition for its attention to detail, creative approach, and ability to capture raw emotion. Whether covering weddings, sporting events, or community festivals, Jake’s dedication to storytelling through visual content is evident in his work.
For more information or to book services, contact jakealdred.media@gmail.com.
For details on creative courses at Pembrokeshire College, visit www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk.
Education
Conservatives criticise Welsh Government over persistent absence in schools

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have criticised the Welsh Government’s handling of pupil absenteeism in schools, highlighting that the number of persistently absent pupils remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Natasha Asghar, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, said that while the average attendance rate in Welsh maintained schools has slightly improved to 91% compared to 90.4% the previous year, progress remains “unacceptably slow”. She highlighted that persistent absenteeism, at 12% this year, has more than doubled from pre-pandemic levels (14.7% in 2018/19 compared to a peak of 30.4% in 2023/24).
She further emphasised the widening attendance gap between pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers, noting FSM pupils had an attendance rate of just 85.3% compared to 92.8% for non-FSM pupils.
“Labour’s record in education is dreadful, and absenteeism is just one area they consistently fail to address effectively,” Natasha Asghar, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, said. “Wales needs a change. Pupils eligible for free school meals are being left behind, and the Welsh Government is doing too little, too slowly, to bridge this gap.”
Illness remains the leading cause of absence, responsible for 4.1% of school sessions missed.
The Welsh Government noted the overall attendance rate for September 2024 to February 2025 improved to 91.0% and highlighted reductions in persistent absenteeism since last year as positive signs. It acknowledged that while challenges remain, especially post-pandemic, efforts are ongoing to support schools and pupils in improving attendance rates.
Understanding attendance trends and addressing underlying causes of absenteeism are critical priorities for policymakers, educators, and families across Wales.
Education
Welsh schools ‘facing £500m repairs backlog’

SCHOOLS in Wales face a total maintenance bill of more than £500m, with a £93m backlog of urgent works, a Senedd Member revealed.
Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary, raised concerns about the 22 councils in Wales facing an average backlog of £24m each.
He told the Senedd that 355 schools, 24% of all schools in Wales, require urgent maintenance, according to responses to freedom of information requests.
Questioning Lynne Neagle on February 19, Mr Campbell pointed out that in Torfaen – the education secretary’s constituency – 31 out of 32 schools require urgent work.
Mr Campbell said responses to his earlier written questions revealed the Welsh Government “did not believe it had responsibility to collect this data centrally”.
Ms Neagle pointed to the Welsh Government’s announcement of an extra £35m for school and college repairs, with £20m earmarked for maintenance.
She pledged that funding to undertake repairs would be prioritised, arguing investment in Welsh schools is in “sharp contrast” to that over the border in England.
She told the Senedd: “What Plaid Cymru fails to ever do is recognise that when you call for money for things, you never have to actually identify where that money has to come from.”
“It’s your responsibility,” Mr Campbell heckled.
Ms Neagle continued: “Every week you stand up here and you call for different pots of funding … without any concept of what we’re doing in terms of trying to prioritise the budget.
“I’m proud of our record on school capital … we’re continuing to invest in school buildings.”

Calling for a national survey of the condition of school buildings, Mr Campbell argued funding allocated so far “won’t touch the sides” of the estimated £500m backlog.
“You don’t even know the extent of the problem because you don’t collect the data,” he said.
The former lecturer added: “Students’ educational attainment is enhanced and improves in schools with better physical learning environments.
“Labour in Wales is clearly failing pupils by not providing them with a safe environment in which to learn. This also has an impact on teachers, a recent survey found that a third of them said that poor buildings and facilities disempowered them professionally.”
Ms Neagle replied: “I find this line of questioning a little puzzling given we are making record amounts of investment in our school buildings. Nearly £2bn since this latest programme started on new buildings and that’s aside from the money we provide for repairs.”
-
Crime4 days ago
Man to stand trial after abandoned Audi found in hedge
-
Crime4 days ago
Woman dies after violent incident on ferry from Fishguard
-
Health6 days ago
Delays in ambulance response ‘likely led to mother’s death’
-
Top News5 days ago
Drunk man jumps into Milford Marina, sparking multi-agency search
-
Crime4 days ago
Dairy farm worker caught drink-driving after whisky binge
-
Crime7 days ago
Man ‘covered in blue paint’ tasered and arrested in Milford Haven
-
Community3 days ago
Woman arrested in Johnston by armed officers following ‘disturbance’
-
Crime4 days ago
Son subjected mother to abuse and caused £700 worth of damage