Education

Overhaul of Welsh curriculum announced

Published

9 years ago

July 15, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Shadow Secretary: “Significant questions remain.”

ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT Education minister, Huw Lewis, announced this week that his government would be accepting the Donaldson report recommendations in full. Donaldson’s ‘Successful Futures’ proposed radical change in the Welsh curriculum, and after a consultation period with the public and academic bodies, the Welsh Curriculum is now set for a complete overhaul.

Speaking about the changes Mr Lewis said: “Successful Futures provides the foundations for an ambitious, engaging 21st Century curriculum shaped by the very latest international thinking. Together, we now embark on the next stage of the journey. I was heartened by how the people of Wales engaged with the Great Debate that followed the publication of Successful Futures. They understand how crucial this moment is for the future of education in Wales and there is enormous appetite for change. That’s why, after consulting with them, I am accepting Professor Donaldson’s recommendations in full. The teaching profession must now play a central role in delivering the new curriculum. Pioneer Schools will be asked to work closely with a range of partners but they will lead on the design and development of the new curriculum.”

He went on to state that the curriculum that embraces four key purposes, supporting children and young people to be:

Ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives;
Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work;
Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world; and
Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

He was keen to express what these changes would mean to the profession, saying: “I appreciate we are asking much of our teachers, lecturers, leaders and support staff. But I know the commitment exists within the workforce to deliver the very best for our young people and we will support them on this challenging, exciting journey. Our New Deal for the Education Workforce provides teachers with the opportunity to access high quality professional learning at every stage of their career. It has been developed with the requirements of the new curriculum in mind so it enables us to prepare the workforce for the changes that lie ahead. It’s crucial too, that we ensure new teachers are fully equipped to deliver the new curriculum. Professor Furlong’s report clearly and convincingly articulated the implications of the new curriculum on initial teacher training and I’m delighted he has agreed to support Professor Donaldson on the Independent Advisory Group.”

The Minister finished by saying: “Change on this scale is too important to rush but the process will evolve with purpose and momentum. We have a clear blueprint but I am not setting a timetable for implementation. We will take views from the Independent Advisory Group and others, as part of our continuing Great Debate and I will report back in the autumn.”

Commenting on his report’s acceptance, Professor Donaldson said: “I’m delighted the Minister plans to take forward the recommendations of Successful Futures but it is only one stage in a very long and important process. What we’ve done is to make clear what our aspirations are and set some sign posts for how we should move forward. The critical thing is to turn those aspirations into reality and that depends on everyone across Wales engaging in that process. We need to ensure the way in which the review was conducted, with a strong sense of inclusion and ownership of the direction we want to go in, is maintained.”

However, Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister, Angela Burns AM, added a note of caution, stating: “An overhaul of Welsh education is long overdue – but significant questions remain over its implementation.Those reforms will inevitably mean increased workloads for teachers. Given the amount of hours lost to stress-related illness, it’s absolutely crucial that appropriately training and re-skilling staff is top of the agenda. Labour has held the reins of Welsh education for 16 years – and standards have fallen dramatically. There are too many young people beginning secondary school unable to read and write properly – and too few who are sufficiently literate and numerate when they leave full-time education. I now hope to work with the minister on a system of implementation that keeps disruption to both pupils and staff to a minimum.”

Plaid Cymru’s Mid and West AM Simon Thomas said of the radical overhaul: “Plaid Cymru welcomed Donaldson’s recommendations for a more agile and flexible curriculum that sets out objectives rather than overly-prescribing content. While welcoming that the Minister has accepted Donaldson’s review in full it is disappointing that this was announced on the BBC rather than to Assembly Members in the Senedd. The Party of Wales has called for a simple and understandable curriculum that allows teachers to deliver the objectives set out by the government. We have called for more freedom for teachers to be flexible and to challenge pupils in the classroom. A less prescriptive curriculum allows teachers more freedom and gives them more responsibility. We therefore need to build the capacity of the education workforce. It is hoped that, following recent recommendations on teacher training, the Welsh Government will professionalise the education workforce and trust the education professionals to improve education standards.”

The Shadow Education Minister, was keen to extol the virtues of a skills-based curriculum, adding: “Schools need to enable young people to develop the skills they need in a competitive global economy and also the skills they need for life. We have long called for digital literacy to be given equal status to literacy and numeracy and for pupils to learn how to create as well as use technology. We welcome the recognition that young people need to be equipped to become lifelong learners and that, as well as being well-qualified when they leave school. They should have an understanding of citizenship, wellbeing and health. We have called for citizenship to be taught in schools; for the development of pupils’ social and emotional skills; and for ensuring that all pupils receive good-quality physical education that is relevant to their needs and interests.”

Education

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Education

Creative contributions in Operation Ivydene ASB poster competition

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

STUDENTS from across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to a poster competition run as part of the Dyfed-Powys Police Operation Ivydene initiative.

Over the past few months, primary and secondary schools across the four counties were invited to submit designs highlighting the impact of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the importance of promoting safer neighbourhoods.

Last week, the posters were judged by a panel of police officers and crime prevention specialists to come up with the winners.

A special prize-giving ceremony was held on Monday 18^th November, where the five winning students were honoured for their outstanding contributions.

‘Antisocial behaviour’ is a broad term which includes behaviour that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to a member or members of the public. Criminal and non-criminal behaviours such as littering, vandalism, public drunkenness, aggressive dogs, or noise nuisance may also be considered ASB.

Caryl Griffiths, ASB Hotspot Co-ordinator for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “The goal of this competition was to engage students in understanding the effects of anti-social behaviour on their communities, and to inspire them to think about how they can contribute to a safer, more supportive environment.

“Judging the competition was challenging due to the high standard of entries, but we ultimately selected five winners who showed exceptional creativity and thoughtfulness.

“A special thanks to Bethan James, our Schools Service Manager, for her role in bringing all the schools together.

Until March 2025, ten of the areas worst hit by antisocial behaviour across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Powys will receive additional dedicated ‘Hotspot’ police patrols through Operation Ivydene, thanks to an injection of cash from the Home Office, secured for the force by Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn.

The patrols focus on tackling these types of issues in the following areas:

Carmarthenshire – Tyisha, Elli / Llanelli town centre, Carmarthen town and Ammanford.
Ceredigion – Aberystwyth and Aberaeron.
Pembrokeshire – Haverfordwest town centre and Tenby town centre.
Powys – east Newtown and Brecon.

Inspector Darren Crockford said: “Operation Ivydene is a targeted initiative that uses a ‘Hotspot’ policing approach to address and behaviour that constitutes ASB and causes harm and alarm in the community.

“Hotspots have been selected as the areas experiencing the highest volumes of violence and antisocial behaviour (ASB) offences and based on local intelligence.

“The patrols aim to provide a reassuring presence to help people feel safe while also proactively disrupting crime and acting as a deterrent.

“An important element of the overall Operation Ivydene approach will be to engage with our communities having meaningful discussions about how ASB impacts the community, and encourage them to take an active role in creating safe and positive places to live.”

Bethan James, Dyfed-Powys Police Schools Service Manger added: “Our Schools Service offers crime prevention sessions to children and young people on topics such as ASB where we use bespoke films and real-life examples to reflect victims’ experiences and explore the boundaries between fun and fear.

“Sessions delivered by our team of Schools Police Officers are specifically designed to challenge mindsets and attitudes in a safe and supportive learning environment.

“The discussions between the officers and the learners explore the long-lasting, harmful effects of ASB, about crimes and consequences and where children can find advice and support.”

During national Anti-Social Behaviour Week, Dyfed-Powys Police is sharing information to help members of the public recognise, report, and get support for anti-social behaviour. Follow them on Facebook for more information.

Charity

‘Grave concerns’ over national insurance hike

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

SENEDD Members expressed grave concerns about the impact of the UK Government’s national insurance tax hike on GPs, universities and charities in Wales.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth warned the rise in employer national insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15% in April will have a disproportionate impact in Wales.

He told the Senedd: “Labour are quick to accuse others of fantasy economics whilst their own plans represent nightmare economics for thousands of employers and employees.”

Raising concerns about the impact on job creation and wages, he said employment levels are at their lowest for almost a decade – lower than anywhere else in the UK.

He accused Labour of breaking a manifesto pledge as he pointed to an Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) assessment that three quarters of the cost will be passed to workers.

Leading a debate on November 20, Mr ap Iorwerth called on the UK Treasury to fully cover the added cost to public sector employers in Wales.

He said: “It’s not the private sector only … bearing the brunt. Charities, GPs, universities – sectors already feeling the squeeze, to say the very least – have been taken to the brink.”

He pointed to “eye-watering” bills of £90,000 for some GPs, with the British Medical Association warning some surgeries could close as a consequence.

Mr ap Iorwerth said mental health charity Plattform faces a £250,000 annual bill and Welsh universities, “already crippled by financial challenges”, will face significant further pressures.

Plaid Cymru’s motion urged Welsh ministers to press the UK Government to apply a wider definition of the public sector workforce to include universities, GPs and charities.

Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, similarly accused Labour of breaking a manifesto commitment not to raise tax on working people.

The former council leader said: “Time and time again – the chancellor went on TV and made the claim, only to u-turn after they got into power.”

Mr Fox, who represents Monmouth, said even a 1% rise in employer national insurance contributions for the public sector would cost Welsh taxpayers an extra £100m.

He told the Senedd: “The UK Government has said that it will provide funding to cover the cost of national insurance contributions for those workers.

“However, this will still come out of the taxpayer’s pocket … ultimately it is the taxpayers who are going to pay for the Chancellor’s tax increase.”

Luke Fletcher, Plaid Cymru’s shadow economy secretary, warned the national insurance rise will be a drag on an “already anaemic” Welsh jobs market.

His colleague Sioned Williams, who also represents South Wales West, described the chancellor’s “back-of-a-fag-packet” plans as senseless.

She raised concerns about six-figure increases in tax bills for charities including Tenovus, Marie Curie, Citizens Advice Cymru and the Wastesavers Charitable Trust.

Cefin Campbell, Plaid’ Cymru’s shadow education secretary, said the national insurance increase will cost Welsh universities an estimated extra £20m a year.

The Mid and West Wales MS warned: “Without a shadow of a doubt, these additional costs could push our higher education institutions over the precipice.”

Labour’s Hefin David said difficult decisions had to be made to fill a £22bn “black hole” left by the Tories but he rejected Plaid Cymru claims of a return to austerity.

Dr David told the Senedd: “Yes, tough decisions have to be made but I think that in the longer term, this is to everyone’s benefit.”

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservative opposition, disputed the “incorrect” £22bn figure, saying the OBR found a £9bn gap.

Replying to the debate, Mark Drakeford stressed that neither he nor the Welsh Government has responsibility for national insurance contributions.

Wales’ finance secretary, who was appointed in September, criticised “fantasy economics” from opposition members on the Plaid Cymru and Conservative benches.

Deriding the “politics of the playground”, he said: “Both of them are willing to spend money on almost anything; neither of them are willing to raise the money necessary from anyone.”

Prof Drakeford said the chancellor returned national insurance broadly to where it had been as a share of gross domestic product for 13 of the 14 Conservative years.

The former First Minister pointed out that the UK Government offset national insurance rises on small employers by more than doubling the employment allowance.

He told the debating chamber or Siambr: “If you want to pay for things, you have to find the money to do so. That is what the chancellor had to do. That is how we will get the money that will come to public services here in Wales.”

Senedd Members voted 25-19 against Plaid Cymru’s motion.