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Education

Welsh teaching union officer berates inspector

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Under fire: Sir Michael Wilshaw

Under fire: Sir Michael Wilshaw

A WELSH union policy officer has berated an Ofsted inspector who has called for children to be taught in schools from as young an age as 2.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, Ofsted’s chief inspector, said in a speech in London, this week, that he believed that the poorest children in primary schools would benefit, and be more able to catch up with their more advantaged classmates, if they were taught from the age of two, rather than three, which is the current entry point in state schools’ nurseries. He cited primary schools as the best places to provide that education, saying: “Let me be clear: What the poorest children need is to be taught and well taught from the age of two. Children who are at risk of falling behind need particular help. And it remains my view that schools are often best placed to deliver this.”

He went on to say that schools had better and more extensive access to specialists for this age group, citing speech and language therapists, along with behaviour management and parenting support within the framework of the schools. He continued by saying: “So put simply, we need to get more of the poorest children into primary schools earlier.”

Referencing a scheme in 2013 coveringsome260,000disadvantaged children who were offered free education as 2 year olds in England, he said that less than half of those who could access the scheme were. Speaking about the uptake of the 2 year old offer, a DoE spokesperson said the number had doubled to 157,000, saying: “It is for parents to decide at what age their child should attend a childcare setting and for how long. We want to help parents make choices based on what is right for their family, rather than what they can or can’t afford. The overwhelming evidence shows high-quality early years provision gives benefits that last throughout a child’s life.”

A local government association councillor, David Simmonds, added weight to the argument, saying: “Many early years providers, including nurseries, childminders, and school-based settings, opt to work with their local councils, and mums and dads are seeing the results with more high quality provision becoming available. However, we could do so much more if some of the bureaucratic barriers preventing councils from using their expertise were lifted.”

However, completely contrasting this viewpoint was Owen Hathway, NUT Cymru Policy Officer, who said: “Quite frankly the notion that children should start school as young as two years old is simply not supported by evidence. In some of the best performing education systems in the world children do not start formal education until much later. In Britain children already start school at an age that is younger than many across the globe and spend more days in school per year than the vast majority of nations. It is undoubtedly the case that all parents, but particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, need support. However this should be in terms of being able to provide high quality and affordable child-care at such a young age. We do really need to allow children to have a childhood.”

In support of this sentiment was Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, who said: “While schools do offer many benefits, including the potential for an easier transition into reception and beyond, they are not necessarily geared up to support very young children. And teachers are not necessarily trained to teach two-year-olds. Many schools need to make big changes to their premises, their lunchtime arrangements and their staffing in order to provide the best care and education for two-year-olds, and this cannot happen overnight.”

Also commenting on the issue was Party of Wales Mid and West AM, Simon Thomas Shadow Education, Skills and the Welsh Language Minister who said: “Plaid Cymru has been out to consultation on extending nursery education to all 3 year olds rather than targeting on the basis of poverty. This consultation was after Labour councils decided to cut provision of childcare.”

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Education

Don’t miss out on help with school essentials

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88% of those eligible have claimed their free School Essentials grant to help with costs like school uniform, shoes, bags, sports kit and equipment. Have you claimed yours?

Children of families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits, those seeking asylum and children in care can claim £125 per year to help with school costs. Because of the extra cost families might face when their children start secondary school, £200 is available for eligible pupils going into year 7. It could also mean extra funding for your school.

There’s still time to check eligibility and apply for this year’s funding now before applications close on 31 May.

You can apply every year for each of your children. Pupils from all kinds of education settings are eligible as long as they are aged 5-16. This applies to pupils in all schools and settings, including special schools and pupil referral units.

Headteacher of Ysgol Gymunedol Trimsaran, Steffan Jones, explained how the grant helps pupils at his school: “You want every child to be treated the same, and you want every child to have the same experiences. These grants do help, so that all children can get involved and enjoy their time at school, not just those who can afford it.”

The grant can be used to pay for:

  • school uniform, including coats and shoes.
  • school activities, like learning a musical instrument, sports kit and equipment for after school activities.
  • classroom essentials, like pens, pencils and bags.

Even if your child already receives a Free School Meal, you still need to check eligibility to access the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school. To find out more about the Schools Essentials Grant and to check eligibility, visit Get help with school costs | GOV.WALES

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Charity

Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter

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THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.

Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.

Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.

The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:

  • Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
  • Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
  • Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
  • Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
  • Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
  • St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April

Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.

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Education

Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024 

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THIS week, Milford Haven School celebrated the achievements of Year 11 pupils from the Class of 2023 at the Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening.

Chair of Governors Dayle Gibby opened the evening by welcoming past pupils, parents and carers and guests from the community as they joined together to proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of their past pupils. Mr Gibby said “Tonight is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate your achievements academically, and achievements that go far beyond the classroom like sporting, musical, through drama, enterprise, environmental and those that reach into the heart of community. Throughout your time here you have all showed, resilience, determination, and aspiration. With these attributes you have set yourself targets and goals to achieve, manage difficult problems and overcome unexpected events.”

The annual Aspire Celebration evening recognises the exceptional talents, dedication, and hard work demonstrated by these pupils throughout their academic journey. The evening was an enjoyable one that showcased the remarkable accomplishments of the young people, highlighting their academic excellence, leadership skills,and contributions to the school and wider community. Among the many accolades awarded were prizes for outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular participation, personal development and services to the community.

One of the highlights of the evening was the inspiring address from guest speaker and former pupil of the former Milford Haven Grammar School Ms Makala Jones. Pupils, staff and guests were captivated and inspired by her stories of cold water swimming and how joining the world renowned Blue Tits changed her life and played a big part in her accomplishments of recently swimming the English Channel completely solo. Her motivational speech, insights and personal anecdotes resonated deeply with the entire audience, encouraging them to pursue their passions fearlessly, love themselves completely and embrace opportunities that lie ahead. 

As pupils received their well-deserved awards, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment filling the room. Headteacher Ms Morris said “This evening is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our young people. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they have made on our school community. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the prize winners. I have no doubt that you will continue to excel in whatever task you choose to do next. I am personally proud of each and every one of you and wish you continued success in your future endeavours.”

For more information and a full list of prize winners please visit: www.milfordhavenschool.co.uk/aspirecelebrationevening 

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