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Education secretary tells Senedd to ‘move on’ from poor PISA results

Published

8 months ago

October 25, 2025

WALES’ education secretary has dismissed the Conservatives’ focus on the nation’s poor 2022 PISA scores, telling the Senedd it was “time to move on” from the worst-ever results.

Lynne Neagle accepted Wales needs to do better in the worldwide study of education systems as she accused the Conservatives of “harking back” to the record-low results.

In the 2022 cycle, which was delayed due to Covid, Wales’ scores decreased in mathematics, reading and science to the lowest since first taking part in 2006.

Blaming the pandemic, Ms Neagle told the Senedd it was “time to move on” – with 15-year-olds currently sitting the latest PISA tests which are held every three years.

She said: “I am disappointed by the relentless focus on challenges within the system, rather than ever taking the opportunity to celebrate achievements.”

Defending her record during a Tory debate on Wednesday (October 22), she celebrated a rise in school attendance as well as improvement in GCSE and A-level results.

But the Conservatives painted a far bleaker picture, accusing the Welsh Government of “systemic failure” with the lowest PISA scores in the UK for five consecutive cycles.

In a fiery opening speech, Natasha Asghar – the party’s shadow education secretary – warned the Labour Welsh Government had “failed our children” for “far too long”

South Wales East MS Natasha Asghar, Welsh Conservative shadow education secretary

“Classrooms are overcrowded, teachers are under ever-increasing pressure, school violence is through the roof and standards are slipping, whilst ministers just make excuses,” she said. Too many pupils are being left behind.”

Tom Giffard, a fellow Tory, criticised the call to “move on”, saying: “We look at the worst PISA results anywhere in the UK… yet we have a minister who says, ‘It’s time to move on’. It is a system that is fundamentally broken, with a minister who is absolutely complacent.”

The motion called on the Welsh Government to adopt a “zero-tolerance” approach to restore discipline, demanding the automatic exclusion of any pupil who brings a weapon into school.

Other proposals – which were also ultimately rejected by the Senedd – included establishing academy schools, following in England’s footsteps, and mandating the teaching of phonics.

The Conservatives were not the only party to attack Labour’s record. Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell warned Wales is paying a painful price for “over 25 years of Labour failures”.

But he rejected the Conservatives’ proposed solutions, arguing Wales should not simply copy policies from England because education is devolved.

Laura Anne Jones, who defected to Reform UK, agreed with much of the Tory motion, warning the additional learning needs system was “fundamentally flawed”.

In her response to the debate, Ms Neagle set out the context of Wales’ PISA results.

She said: “This was a time when our learners and teachers were emerging from two years of the pandemic and all the challenges that caused, and a period when few learners were taking structured exams in the same way as previous PISA cohorts.”

The education secretary, who was appointed in March 2024, pointed to improvements in reading and numeracy made by primary schools last year.

She told Senedd members the Welsh Government would ensure the systemic teaching of phonics through a new £8m project and a new national body, Dysgu.

On behaviour, Ms Neagle pointed to progress following a summit in May with work under way on mobile phones in schools, exclusions and detentions.

She concluded by raising a report published by education inspectorate Estyn that day. “Today Estyn have published their interim annual report,” she said. “I am pleased with the positive messages that are emerging around well-being, learner engagement and how schools are supporting their learners with additional learning needs.”

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

15 minutes ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

3 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)

Community

Cabinet to review recent decision on crematorium services at special meeting

Published

10 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A RECENT decision by senior Pembrokeshire councillors on a review in the way crematorium services in the county will be delivered is to be revisited following a ‘call-in’ by members of the Conservative group.

At a special meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet to be held on June 22, members will consider a May Cabinet decision on crematorium services in the county.

A report for members says at the March meeting of the council’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee it was resolved to recommend that Cabinet undertake a review of fees and charges at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, with particular regard to the cost of direct cremation, and that Cabinet commission a comprehensive review of the crematorium’s future operational model, with the findings to be reported to the committee for consideration and scrutiny prior to any final Cabinet decision.

At the May meeting of Cabinet, members agreed to review fees and charges at Parc Gwyn along with a review of service delivery, efficiency and value for money, excluding alternative operating models, the report says.

An extraordinary meeting of Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee was held in response to a call-in from 11 councillors, all member of the council’s Conservative group, saying the Cabinet report materially altered the original scrutiny recommendation, the decision was not supported by sufficient evidence or benchmarking, financial considerations relating to “surplus” and “profit” were improperly weighted, alternative operational models were prematurely excluded, and that further scrutiny is required.

That committee agreed the matter be referred back to Cabinet for reconsideration.

The report for Cabinet members says: “Members who requested the call-in were dissatisfied with the way the issue was presented to Cabinet in regards to the second recommendation, which although was presented in full in the Cabinet paper, the officer recommendation removed the element relating to the review of the operating model.

“Members queried if Cabinet were given a fair opportunity to consider the merits of a full operational review. It was suggested that the officer report led Cabinet towards their conclusion by recommending against the operating model review.

“Whilst referral was made to the call-in not being in relation to privatisation, members in the previous services overview and scrutiny committee meeting had discussed this as a potential future option which resulted in the recommendation to review the operating model.”

The report says there “are well-established and unavoidable cost factors associated with any change in delivery model,” adding: “Should Cabinet now agree to include this aspect of the recommendation, Members should be aware that this will require the commissioning of an external consultant to carry out the review, expected to cost an estimated £30,000, financed from existing crematorium reserves.”

Members are recommended to review the previous decision.