THE WELSH Conservatives’ new education priorities have come under fire from a leading school leaders’ union, which described the plans as “tabloid headlines” disconnected from the real challenges facing Welsh schools.

Ahead of the party’s conference in Llangollen this week, the Conservatives outlined a series of pledges that include banning mobile phones in classrooms, reintroducing home economics, and allowing schools to convert to academy status – a system currently used in England but not in Wales.

Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, was critical of the proposals, saying: “The Welsh Conservatives’ priorities read more like tabloid headlines than carefully considered policies for improving children’s education. They are completely out of touch with reality.”

Doel argued that many of the proposals were unnecessary, pointing out that home economics remains part of the curriculum under different guises, and that most schools already have effective mobile phone policies. She also dismissed the call for academies, saying: “Changing the name above a school doesn’t change the quality of teaching or experience of the pupils in it.”

She added that the key concerns among school leaders remain unresolved: “Our members’ priorities are funding, the recruitment and retention of teachers, ALN reform, conditions of service for teachers and leaders, and support for small schools.”

However, some of the Conservative proposals may reflect broader concerns among parents and communities. Recent surveys have shown public unease about classroom discipline, digital distraction, and pupil safety – concerns the Conservatives appear keen to address with more uniform policy approaches.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said their priorities were based on “what parents are telling us,” and insisted that schools needed “a clear framework for excellence, not excuses for underperformance.”

They added: “We want to empower schools, ensure pupils are learning practical life skills, and put an end to the distractions that undermine classroom discipline.”

The debate comes as Welsh schools continue to adapt to the new Curriculum for Wales, amid ongoing concerns about funding pressures, teacher workloads, and falling attainment in some core subjects. A recent Estyn report found that while many schools are innovating effectively, others face “significant challenges” in delivering consistent standards.

As the Welsh education debate heats up in the run-up to the next Senedd election, all parties are expected to face scrutiny over how they plan to address long-standing structural issues in the system.

A FORMAL backing has been given for more than £0.5m of urgent repairs to a Pembrokeshire seaside school, but concerns were raised an escalated need was only discovered by one of the governors through press reports.

Last month, a special individual Cabinet member meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council saw leader Cllr Jon Harvey award a £555,946.17 contract to Trident Engineering GBR Ltd to carry out urgent concrete repair and protection works at Ysgol Greenhill, Tenby.

A survey report by Trident identified 750 faults at the school following a survey in July 2024, with further inspections this February.

A total of 750 defects were recorded, including spalled concrete, cracks (horizontal and vertical) in concrete slabs, beams, columns and soffits, failed repairs, failed coatings, honeycombing to concrete, damage / cracks in panels, cracking to brickwork, with an increase in defective areas across the structure since the July survey.

“We have observed an alarming acceleration in corrosion-related degradation due to the saline environment, leading to further concrete fracture, spalling, and delamination,” the report said.

It added: “This deterioration poses a significant risk, as sizeable debris has been witnessed falling from the structure, endangering pedestrians and potentially damaging vehicles and surrounding infrastructure.

“Our recent revisit surveys indicate that the cracks are expanding monthly, and the overall degradation is expected to worsen as thermal movement increases in response to climatic changes.

“We recommend undertaking the necessary remedial works with immediate effect. If we delay initiating the works, we will incur additional surveillance costs, which could have been avoided. Moreover, it is of utmost importance to note that some columns have lost enough structural mass to bring their integrity into question.

“Trident cannot endorse the continued use of the structure unless emergency repairs are initiated promptly.”

Since the award of that contract, a report was brought to the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, where members were asked to note the decision at the special meeting.

Cllr Harvey, moving approval, said work was progressing well at the school.

Cllr Alistair Cameron, a school governor, asked if there was any danger of escalating costs, and was assured there were currently no concerns.

Fellow governor, Cllr Alec Cormack raised concerns about the communication of the recent urgent need for works, telling members he had only heard about the accelerated need following press reports.

Members were told the March Road element of the works was being prioritised, expected to be finished by September.

Members overwhelmingly agreed to note the reasons for the urgent decision taken by the Leader.

THE SENEDD unanimously passed a “far-reaching, truly historic” bill aimed at transforming education as part of the ambition of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Senedd Members voted 50-0 in favour of the Welsh language education bill, which aims to ensure all pupils become confident Welsh speakers by the end of compulsory school.

Mark Drakeford said the bill will open doors for pupils, offer job opportunities, provide access to the rich culture of the language and allow people to use Welsh in their everyday lives.

The former First Minister, who is now responsible for the language, told the Senedd the bill would open a new chapter in the history of Welsh education.

Under the bill, three school categories will be created – primarily Welsh; dual language; and primarily English, partly Welsh – with targets for each for a minimum of Welsh education.

The bill would also put the target of reaching at least a million Welsh speakers on a legal footing and establish the National Welsh Language Learning Institute.

Ministers’ Cymraeg 2050 strategy also aims to double daily use of the language by 2050.

Prof Drakeford said: “The institute will be the focal point for Welsh learning and it will help in the process of planning to develop the education workforce. It will promote innovation and continuous improvement… and will help to raise standards in learning Welsh.”

Cautioning change will not happen overnight, the finance secretary stressed the importance of embedding the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Tom Giffard, for the Conservatives, said his party would support the bill in the final vote because “it’s extremely important we achieve that target of a million Welsh speakers”.

Mr Giffard, a former teaching assistant at a Welsh-language primary school, appeared to have a pop at Reform UK – the right-wing populist party headed by Nigel Farage.

“This is at risk in future,” he said. “There are some parties currently outside this Senedd, or perhaps within it, who want to see us reverse that development that we see, and that is very concerning for me and will be concerning in future years.”

Cefin Campbell – an architect of the bill, which was part of Plaid Cymru’s since-collapsed cooperation agreement with ministers – was heartened to see cross-party support.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary described the bill as “truly historic” and an important milestone on the journey to a million Welsh speakers and beyond.

Mr Campbell told the Senedd: “Time will tell if this bill succeeds in its ambition to secure one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

“At the moment, you have to say that it looks like a mountain to climb, with the summit feeling very far away. But, one of the purposes of mountains is to climb them, so why not put our language boots on and go for it.”

In closing, he invoked the words of Gwynfor Evans, Plaid Cymru’s former president and first MP, who said: “From Anglesey to Monmouth, speakers of Welsh are again a possibility.”

Responding during the debate on May 13, Prof Drakeford thanked his Tory and Plaid Cymru counterparts for their support despite not agreeing with every word in the bill.

He told Senedd Members: “Everything I’ve heard this afternoon tells me that we have succeeded in bringing people together.”

The Labour politician, who is standing down next May, added: “When we can come together in this way, we can do important things, not just in Wales today but in the future Wales.

“In my view, we have as a Senedd succeeded in creating an important bill – a far-reaching bill that will enable all children to become confident Welsh speakers. And, from what I’ve heard, it appears we will pass the bill today unanimously and that is a powerful signal.”

After completing its passage through the Senedd, the bill should receive royal assent in the months ahead with no legal challenge expected from the UK Government.