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Education

Education Secretary announces plan to tackle recruitment challenges in schools

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The Education Secretary, Lynne Neagle MS, has announced plans to develop a Strategic Education Workforce Plan aimed at addressing recruitment and retention challenges, reducing workload pressures, and improving conditions for education staff in Wales.

In a statement, the Secretary highlighted the importance of the education workforce in raising standards across schools and colleges. She acknowledged the dedication of teachers and support staff, which was reflected in last year’s 5.5% pay increase, raising the starting salary for new teachers to £32,433.

Neagle acknowledged the significant challenges facing the sector, including the implementation of the Curriculum for Wales, enhancing additional learning needs support, and improving school performance. She also drew attention to the growing demands placed on educators, with societal changes, the cost-of-living crisis, and increasing health needs of learners requiring schools to take on additional responsibilities.

According to the Education Secretary, these pressures have reshaped the role of teachers, school leaders, and support staff. She noted that rising workload concerns are limiting time for professional learning and administrative tasks, ultimately affecting teaching and learning outcomes. This, she warned, is impacting the appeal of teaching as a profession.

The planned Strategic Workforce Plan will initially focus on schools and early years settings, aiming to establish a clear vision for leaders, teachers, and support staff. It will also address key issues such as workload balance, experience, pay, and conditions.

The Welsh Government intends to develop the plan in collaboration with local authorities, governors, unions, education staff, parents, carers, and learners. Neagle emphasized that the initiative would be guided by transparency, with an update to be provided to the Senedd in due course.

This initiative comes as part of a broader effort to ensure that schools are equipped to meet the needs of learners while supporting the wellbeing and professional development of education staff across Wales.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS has criticised the Labour Government’s announcement of a “Strategic Education Workforce Plan,” calling it a belated and inadequate response to an education workforce that has faced mounting pressures over the past two decades.

Over 26 years in power, she said, Labour has failed to address systemic issues in education, leaving our teachers overworked, under-supported, and struggling to meet growing demands. Our education workforce has endured decades of neglect under Labour governance. The Welsh Conservatives have consistently called for proactive measures to tackle recruitment and retention challenges and provide meaningful support to our educators, yet Labour’s lack of foresight has left the profession in crisis.

Commenting on the announcement, Natasha Asghar MS, said: “Labour has had 26 years to fix the problems they have created in education, yet their failure to address the recruitment and retention crisis in our schools is a glaring indictment of their incompetence.

“Under Labour’s watch staff remain overwhelmed by the growing demands of the job. Instead of addressing these issues head-on, Labour has spent years tinkering with reforms that have done little to relieve the strain on our educators.

“Labour’s neglect has turned teaching from a respected vocation into an unsustainable career for many. Their last-minute effort to craft a ‘strategic workforce plan’ is too little, too late for the thousands of teachers who have already left the profession due to lack of support.”

Responding to the latest update on the update for the strategic education workforce plan, school leaders’ union, NAHT Cymru national secretary, Laura Doel said: “We welcome the Welsh Government’s recognition of the critical role the education workforce plays in raising standards. This workforce plan is a vital opportunity to tackle concerns over workload, wellbeing and recruitment and retention which have been raised repeatedly by school leaders and teachers.

“Society’s expectations of schools and colleges have shifted significantly, with families coming under more pressure, but support and resources have not kept pace with these demands. Leaders and practitioners’ time is being stretched more thinly than ever as they are called upon to deal with non-teaching issues including the impact of poverty.

“The Welsh Government must focus on getting the basics right – addressing the unsustainable workload pressures that undermine wellbeing and drive people out of the profession – even when these do not conveniently align with its priorities.

“NAHT Cymru took industrial action because these issues could no longer be ignored, which was only resolved with a clear commitment from the government to act. We need to see urgent progress in these areas, working closely with the profession, in order to avoid further disruption.”

Education

Welsh Conservatives trigger debate on school catchment areas

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CALL-IN OVER CABINET DECISION

WELSH CONSERVATIVE councillors Aled Thomas and Claire George have triggered an additional debate on school catchment areas for Johnston, Neyland, and Tiers Cross after calling in a decision by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet.

The Cabinet recently decided to maintain the current school catchment areas, despite significant community opposition. The call-in was supported by the entire Welsh Conservative group on the council.

Cllr Aled Thomas, who represents Johnston, said: “Thanks to the support of my fellow Pembrokeshire Conservative councillors, we have been able to continue discussions on this important matter, while the current administration is only concerned with kicking it into the long grass.

“Strong and safe education is the silver bullet in ensuring our next generation thrives, both at school age and beyond. Boundary changes were forced on Johnston’s residents against their will, and I will do everything I can to fight for their best interests.”

Cllr Claire George, who represents St Ishmaels, added: “It is a fundamental principle of education that children should feel safe and develop their independence, which means access to appropriate school transport—something that is not workable under the current catchment area arrangements for my ward.

“We must ensure that our children can travel to and from the school of their choice confidently and safely, giving them the opportunity to flourish in their education.”

An extraordinary Schools and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be convened by the end of February to review the matter further.

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Education

Haverfordwest pupils learn lifesaving skills with St John Ambulance Cymru

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MORE than 1,300 school pupils recently received defibrillator and CPR demonstrations with St John Ambulance Cymru trainers as part of the charity’s Defibruary campaign launch.

Pupils in years 7-11 at Haverfordwest High VC School in Pembrokeshire received key information about the annual campaign, which aims to raise awareness of these vital lifesaving skills and the importance of early intervention when someone has suffered a cardiac arrest.

The first aid charity for Wales is organising a range of events during February to help raise awareness of the importance of defibrillator and CPR skills, as a person’s chances of survival are reduced by 10% for every passing minute without action following a cardiac arrest.

The campaign will also be urging people to learn where the nearest defibrillator to them is located via The Circuit and ensure any they are responsible for are registered, so that emergency services can direct people to the nearest one in an emergency.

St John Ambulance Head of Response Operations, Darren Murray said: “It was a fantastic way to launch our annual Defibruary campaign and the pupils were keen to get hands-on and have a go at putting these skills to work in our demonstration sessions.

“As your chances of surviving an out of hospital cardiac arrest are just 5% in Wales, we are determined to help improve that by sharing these lifesaving skills and helping people be more prepared to act quickly in an emergency.

“We would like to thank the school for welcoming our team and helping us to share these important messages with the students, who will hopefully be more comfortable to act if they find themselves in an emergency situation in future.”

The Defibruary campaign is run because of people like Janice. A decade ago, Janice John suffered a cardiac arrest at home. Fortunately, her husband Keith knew how to administer CPR and put these skills to work until an ambulance crew arrived with a defibrillator.

Janice and Keith had both completed first aid training as they were St John Ambulance Cymru volunteers and volunteer first responders, but they never expected these skills would be needed so close to home.

Fast forward ten years and Janice is still an active St John Ambulance Cymru volunteer and also works to help others with the charity’s Welfare and Falls Rapid Response Service in the Pembrokeshire area, run in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Janice, who has since purchased a defibrillator just in case something like this should happen at home again, said: “It’s so important to learn these basic first aid skills and it’s vital to administer first aid as soon as possible to give people a better chance of survival.”

The event at Haverfordwest High is just one of the free first aid demonstrations in schools and community groups delivered as part of St John Ambulance Cymru’s partnership with EcoFlow, a global company, specialising in portable power products, solar technology and smart home energy solutions.

To find out more about St John Ambulance’s Defibruary campaign and learn how you can get involved, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk/defibruary.

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Education

Apprenticeship Week Wales: Free advice for people in Pembrokeshire

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AS APPRENTICESHIP WEEK WALES unfolds, Careers Wales is highlighting the support available to help people explore the different opportunities available to them. 

Apprenticeships are one of many routes individuals can take to develop skills, gain qualifications, and build experience in the workplace.

They offer people of all ages the chance to earn while they learn, gaining recognised qualifications and valuable hands-on experience.

Mature adult and young adult recycling coworkers wearing orange reflective vests standing in warehouse and discussing over clipboard.

In 2022-23, Wales saw significant engagement in apprenticeship programmes. Data gathered from the Medr Apprenticeship Learning Dashboard

shows that during that year, 22,880 apprenticeship learning programmes were started in Wales.  This was an increase of 14% from the previous year (202122).*

25% of these were in South West Wales, with 5,650  apprenticeships started. 1,045 people took up apprenticeships during the year in Pembrokeshire alone.

With opportunities in 23 diverse sectors, from creative industries to green skills, there’s something for everyone. The top 5 apprenticeship learning programmes in 2022/23 in Wales were:

  1. Healthcare and Public Services
  2. Management and Professional
  3. Construction
  4. Business Administration
  5. Engineering*

Apprenticeships are not only suitable for young people. Over 70% of apprenticeships taken up in Wales in 2022-23 were by people over 19 years old. Over 4,500 (or 20%) of apprenticeships that started in 2022-23 were taken up by people aged 40 and over.*

Nikki Lawrence, chief executive of Careers Wales said: “Apprenticeship Week Wales is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate apprenticeships, and the value they bring to learners, employers, and the wider Welsh economy.

“Apprenticeships provide a pathway for people to gain qualifications while working and earning a wage, and can be a valuable route for those looking to develop their skills.

“Our careers advisers can provide tailored support for people of all ages with exploring apprenticeships, as well as the full range of alternative options available to them.”

For those interested in exploring apprenticeship opportunities in Wales, resources are available, including the apprenticeship finder on the Careers Wales website, to assist in finding and applying for positions.

You can read more about the free services provided by Careers Wales and Working Wales, call 0800 028 4844 or email [email protected].

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