Education

Disabled children ‘denied’ school support

Published

3 weeks ago

June 19, 2025

DISABLED children in Wales have been refused additional support in Welsh schools due to claims their needs can be met through so-called universal provision, a committee heard.

Senedd Members considered a 1,454-name petition calling for a ban on the term “universal provision” – which refers to the support available to all pupils.

Parents warned councils are using the term to deny disabled children the person-centred, additional support they need in school to reach their full potential.

As part of a “transformation programme”, the Senedd passed a law in 2018 to bring in an additional learning needs (ALN) system to replace special educational needs (SEN) support.

The number of disabled children receiving support has fallen by nearly half since 2020/21 when roll-out began – with 40,000 fewer pupils receiving ALN or SEN support in 2023/24.

In 2017, then-minister Alun Davies assured the Senedd’s education committee that the cohort of pupils within the scope of the new system would be “broadly similar”.

Victoria Lightbown, who submitted the petition, cautioned “universal provision” continues to be used to deny pupils support to truly meet their needs despite guidance from ministers.

The petitioner wrote: “Despite this clarification, local authorities and members of Welsh Government continue to allow this term to be used to refuse a learner ALN status and provide additional learning provision.

“There can only be one solution and that is that this term is banned from use.

“While members of the Welsh Government still use this term when discussing ALN including during media interviews, it gives local authorities opportunity to follow suit and continue to deny ALN to learners.”

Lynne Neagle wrote to the Senedd’s petitions committee in response to the petition, apologising for a near-three month delay in replying to correspondence.

Lynne Neagle, cabinet secretary for education

Wales’ education secretary, who chaired the education committee as it scrutinised reforms in 2017, said: “I want to be clear that ‘universal provision’ should not be a reason to deny ALN.

“However, I am aware that the term ‘universal provision’ is widely used by schools and local authorities when describing the provision… generally available to all pupils of the same age.

“Estyn’s recent thematic review of the ALN reforms reports there is confusion in schools and local authorities around what constitutes ‘universal’ provision and what is ALP. This confusion is causing difficulties when determining whether a learner has ALN.”

Ms Neagle said ministers have launched a review of the ALN system amid concerns about “complex and unclear” terminology, adding that she will outline the next steps in July.

The education secretary, who was appointed in 2024, also pointed to research by the University of Bristol centred on the importance of “generally available” support in Wales.

Politicians discussed the petition during a meeting of the petitions committee on June 16, with members agreeing to keep the petition open until after July’s update.

Vaughan Gething, who appointed Ms Neagle as education secretary during his stint as First Minister, said implementation of ALN reforms has been “a real issue”.

“But… I don’t want the petition to take on a life of its own,” he said, cautioning the petition committee not to duplicate the ongoing work of an education committee inquiry.

He told Senedd Members it would be very unhelpful to take a “twin-track” approach, with the petitions committee commenting on the five-year inquiry into ministers’ education reforms.

Education

Wales to host WorldSkills UK National Finals for the first time

Published

15 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Record number of Welsh finalists as prestigious competition heads to the nation this November

WELSH venues will host the WorldSkills UK National Finals for the first time this November, marking a major milestone for skills excellence across the country.

The event—considered the UK’s premier competition for technical and vocational training—will see 417 top competitors from across the UK take part in 47 finals. This year’s contest, running from 26 to 28 November, will be held across five sites in Wales.

A record-breaking 120 Welsh competitors have qualified, making up 29% of the national finalists—an increase from last year’s already impressive figure of one in four. The success highlights Wales’ growing reputation for producing skilled young professionals in fields ranging from beauty therapy to aerospace engineering.

The Welsh Government announced its hosting partnership with Inspiring Skills Excellence and WorldSkills UK last September, following the successful international finals in Lyon. That collaboration paved the way for the UK finals to be brought to Wales for the first time.

Disciplines at this year’s finals will include 3D Digital Game Art, Aircraft Maintenance, Health and Social Care, and Culinary Arts. Top performers could be selected to represent the UK at the prestigious “Skills Olympics” in Japan in 2028.

‘Futureproofing the economy’

Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership Jack Sargeant MS said:
“These competitions show the real-world value and applications of apprenticeships and are invaluable in futureproofing our economy.

“I am proud Wales is hosting the WorldSkills UK Finals in 2025. We have a beautiful country, and I hope all visitors will take some time to explore it.

“I wish this new cohort of competitors pob lwc – I know you’ll do yourselves and us all proud.”

WorldSkills UK Competitions attract more than 6,000 registrations annually from across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The competition-based training is seen as a crucial part of the post-16 education and training landscape, helping schools, colleges, and employers benchmark performance against international standards.

Meet the competitors

Mark Wright, an apprentice at International Crusher Solutions Ltd, is competing in the Metal Fabricator category.
“I started out in Construction Metalwork competitions last year and won gold in the Skills Competition Wales with the highest score in the region, and silver in WorldSkills UK,” he said.

“I enjoyed them so much I decided to go for the UK qualifiers this year in Metal Fabrication too—and I’m over the moon to be heading to the finals. It’s a great experience—I just focus, get stuck in, and enjoy it.”

Elara Jones, selected for the Beauty Therapy Practitioner competition, added:
“Winning gold at Skills Competition Wales and now reaching the WorldSkills UK Finals shows all the hard work has paid off. It feels like everything I’ve done has been building to this—it means so much to reach this level.”

Bradley Claringbold is returning to the Industrial Electronics competition after competing last year.
“I didn’t place in the top three last time, but I’m back to show how far I’ve come,” he said. “The extra training has helped me learn so much—I’m excited to have another shot.”

For more information about WorldSkills UK and how to get involved as a competitor, tutor, or employer in Wales, visit: https://inspiringskills.gov.wales

Education

Top marks for Aberystwyth University in UK student survey

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2025

Staff Writer

ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY is the top university in Wales for student satisfaction for the tenth year in a row according to the latest survey of students’ opinions on the quality of their courses.

The 2025 edition of the authoritative National Student Survey (NSS), which is published today, has been compiled using over 357,000 student responses from across the UK.

With an improved and consistently high student satisfaction rate, 86% of Aberystwyth University students are satisfied with the quality of their course, 4 percentage points above the sector average in Wales.

Based on the higher education institutions featured in the latest edition of The Times / Sunday Times Good University Guide, 90% of the University’s students are satisfied with their teaching, putting Aberystwyth in the top 10 in the UK.

Aberystwyth also features in the UK top 5 for ‘Academic Support’ and ‘Learning Resources’ and in the top 10 in the UK for ‘Assessment and Feedback’ and ‘Organisation and Management.

Aberystwyth also outperforms the UK sector in all seven core themes that are featured in this year’s survey: Teaching on My Course, Learning Opportunities, Assessment and Feedback, Academic Support, Organisation and Management, Learning Resource and Student Voice.

Professor Anwen Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Aberystwyth University, said:

“This is fantastic news. Our University has a long-standing and enviable reputation for student satisfaction and today’s results underline that. They demonstrate that Aberystwyth University is rated by our students as one of the best universities in the UK, reflecting the dedication of our staff to provide the best possible learning experience.

“The survey results go to show that we are an excellent place to learn, and that our teaching is simply outstanding.

“Aberystwyth is an inclusive, welcoming and supportive place, located in one of the most inspiring locations to live and study in the UK. Our town is a friendly and vibrant community, and a safe and affordable place that welcomes staff and students from around the world.”

Undeb Aber, the Students’ Union at the University, said: “It is great to see the NSS once again backing up what we already know – Aberystwyth University offers students a brilliant experience. We are proud to work side by side with staff at the University to make sure that Aber students love student life. This result is testament to the amazing work that continues to happen right across the institution.”

The NSS is an annual survey of students in universities, colleges and other providers across the UK.

Final-year undergraduate students are asked to score their university across a wide range of measures of student satisfaction.

Students in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were also invited to express their overall satisfaction with their university.

The NSS is managed by the Office for Students on behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies – the Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland), the Scottish Funding Council and Medr.

Education

Milford Haven schools set for major redevelopment

Published

2 days ago

July 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

New Welsh medium school and combined campus approved by council

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S Cabinet has given the green light to a major investment in Milford Haven’s schools, approving a £141.6 million redevelopment plan that includes a new 3-11 Welsh medium school and a combined primary and secondary campus.

The preferred option will see a brand-new shared building constructed on the site of the current Milford Haven School. The facility will house both the English medium primary and secondary schools, with shared services such as kitchens and sports areas. It will also include a 40-place Flying Start centre and a 36-place Learning Resource Centre for secondary pupils.

This marks a significant shift from previous proposals, which had focused on refurbishing the existing Milford Haven School and Milford Haven CP School.

In addition to the shared campus, a Strategic Outline Case will be submitted to the Welsh Government for the development of a standalone Welsh medium primary school for children aged 3 to 11.

The total estimated cost of the scheme is £141,598,965, with £46.5 million to be funded through the council’s capital programme.

Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language, Cllr Guy Woodham, said at Monday’s (July 7) meeting: “The Milford Haven schools redevelopment represents the largest investment in the school estate ever undertaken by the Council. It will address serious concerns about the condition of the existing buildings and allow Milford Haven CP School to operate from a single site.

“The co-location of the English medium schools will deliver economies of scale through shared facilities and also opens the door to developing an ‘all-through’ school in the future, if that is what the community wants.

“The creation of a new Welsh medium school will meet growing demand in the Milford Haven area and allow Ysgol Caer Elen in Haverfordwest to extend its catchment area. This is a key step in delivering the aims of the Council’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan.”

Cabinet members voted unanimously to support the plans.

Local member and Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, welcomed the decision: “This is a great day. This has been such a long time coming. The redevelopment can’t come quickly enough.”