Education
UWTSD takes lead on creative and cultural education
THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES TRINITY ST DAVID has been announced as one of the four new Regional Arts and Education Networks in the major innovative Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government project – Creative Learning through the Arts – an action plan for Wales.
These Networks are at the heart of Creative Learning through the Arts – the five year arts and education action plan and will deliver one of the major strands – The All-Arts and Education Offer.
The successful consortia are:
Mid and West Wales: consortium led by University of Wales Trinity Saint David
North Wales: consortium led by Flintshire County Council
Central/South Wales: consortium led by Arts Active Trust
South East Wales: consortium led by Caerphilly Borough Council
The four Regional Arts and Education Networks will be drawn on the same boundaries as the existing Regional Education Consortia. These Networks will work with schools, the Regional Education Consortia, local authorities and stakeholders in the education, arts, creative, cultural and heritage sectors in these four regions. They will increase and improve arts experiences and opportunities in schools by building bridges between the education sector and arts practitioners,; arts, culture and heritage organisations and providers; and venues such as museum, libraries and archives.
To increase and improve arts experiences and opportunities for children and young people, the All-Wales Arts and Education Offer will provide schools greater access to professional artists and arts organisations, to enhance and complement their teaching. To ensure that schools benefit fully from participating in the programme, they will be asked to nominate a senior member of staff to take the role of School Creativity and Arts Champion, who will be the link between their school and the opportunities available through the regional network.
Each network will receive between £175,000 and £250,000 for a full year’s activity in each year of the five year programme.
Minister for Education and Skills, Huw Lewis said: “The Arts have the potential to capture a young person’s imagination and unleash their creativity. I want all learners across Wales, regardless of their background or personal circumstances, to have access to high quality arts and creative experiences.
“Today’s announcement is great news. I’m sure the four Regional Arts and Education Networks will play an important role in improving the opportunities for our young people so that they can enjoy the many benefits that the Arts have to offer.
“This project will play a valuable part in enhancing the creative arts through the education system in Wales which, in turn will support the principles of Professor Graham Donaldson’s report Successful Futures. This acknowledges the role that the arts play in providing inspiration and motivation for learners, giving them contact with the creative processes, performances and products of others and stimulating their own experimentation and creativity.”
Diane Hebb, Director of Participation and Engagement, Arts Council of Wales said: “We want to see all children have access to the arts regardless of where they live and go to school. Creative and cultural education gives our young people the enriching experiences they need at an early age while also developing the talent and creative thinking that is powering Wales’ creative industries. We need to do as much as we can to support creative and cultural education through initiatives such as this. Better partnership working and a more strategic approach is key and we look forward to seeing the results of this vital new addition to the scheme. We are delighted with the proposals that came forward and excited about working with the consortia.”
Education
Don’t miss out on help with school essentials
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
Charity
Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter
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.
Education
Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024
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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