Education
AM’s fears for local higher education


Students given the chance to learn in Welsh face cuts
PLAID CYMRU AM Simon Thomas, has raised fears about the future of local higher education, following a large cut in funding to the sector from the Welsh Government.
The Welsh Government announced its draft budget last month featuring massive cuts to the Higher Education budget, affecting all higher education institutions in Wales, including the Carmarthen-based Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
There are 15 staff of the national all-Wales Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol based in the office in Y Llwyfan, Heol y Coleg, Carmarthen.
The Shadow Education Minister: “I’ve been contacted by many people who fear for the future of our universities locally.
“The Welsh language Coleg Cymraeg, a newly founded institution based in Carmarthen, is just one of the higher education institutions which will now be underfunded and struggling to compete.
“Cutbacks of 32% for Higher Education in Wales will take £41million out of universities’ budgets whilst the Welsh Government is increasing its funding for English universities to £90m through its tuition fees policy.
“This is a scandalous admission from this government that it is pursuing short-term headlines instead of making long-term commitments.
“It will make it difficult for universities to widen access to Higher Education for students from all backgrounds, and the Welsh Government has questions to answer over how it intends to ensure a fair playing field for all students.”
An independent report by Universities Wales last October assessed the impact of Higher Education in Wales it discovered that 1512 full-time jobs in Carmarthenshire are generated by university activity and 542 in Pembrokeshire.
The contribution to the local economy was £8.2m in Carmarthenshire and £27.3m in Pembrokeshire.
The Coleg Cenedlaethol ensures more study opportunities for Welsh medium students – in partnership with the universities.
Since 2011 £18m has been invested in universities across Wales by the Coleg, with 115 lecturers appointed in universities in a large number of subjects including: medicine, geography and drama.
Their £1m scholarship scheme has benefited over 600 students that have received bursaries.
When the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol was established by Welsh Government in 2011, funds were allocated for a period of six years, up to 2017, to implement the recommendations of the report compiled by Professor Robin Williams. More than £30m has been invested thus far in the further development of Welsh medium provision, with the majority of the funding used to appoint new Welsh medium lecturers.
Over 115 new Welsh medium lecturers have been appointed as a result of Coleg funding and an extensive range of other activities are being supported across the higher education sector, including the development and provision of new resources, enhancing the student experience, facilitating collaboration between universities, providing scholarships to students and academic staff training, and working with schools and further education colleges. These activities have already led to a situation where an additional 1,000 full-time students are now studying through the medium of Welsh.
We asked Coleg Cenedlaethol to respond to the cuts and Mr Thomas’s comments.
We received a statement which set out the institution’s viewpoint and considerable concerns about the potential damage caused by a cut in funding.
From the outset, the Coleg was seen as a long-term project to ensure that Welsh medium university education was available to students in a wide range of subjects. The lecturers are distributed across the universities. The fact that so many of these lecturers are early career academics means that there is now a generation of lecturers who will, in time, be able to develop and embed Welsh-medium provision and thereby transform the situation in the universities.
The biggest challenge at present is to maintain what has been achieved during the first five years, and to build on it, at a time of considerable pressure on public funding. In Professor Ian Diamond’s recently published Interim Report, there is a section that deals specifically with Welsh medium provision, including the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. It is also stated that further attention will be given to Welsh medium provision during the next phase of the Review. The Coleg believes that this presents an excellent opportunity to establish permanent and sustainable arrangements for maintaining Welsh medium provision in the universities and, in particular, to recognise the additional costs associated with that provision.
In this context, the Coleg is very concerned that short-term decisions in relation to the Coleg’s budget for 2016/17 will undermine the existing arrangements, thereby jeopardising much of what has been achieved, at a time when the Diamond Review could recommend a durable solution.
Recognising the current financial climate and the savings required by publicly funded bodies, the Coleg’s Board of Directors, at their meeting in November 2015, identified savings across the Coleg’s range of activities so that a budget can be set for the academic year 2016/17. The proposed budget would enable the Coleg’s activities to remain viable while discussions take place on the funding arrangements for 2017/18 and beyond. The Coleg has also held constructive discussions with the universities about their commitments to maintain provision following the end of some fixed-term grants provided by the Coleg.
The publication of the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2016/17, however, creates uncertainty, since there is a possibility of a further and substantial cut in the Coleg’s budget. This is a cause for concern and, for that reason, the discussions are ongoing with the Welsh Government and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
The Coleg does not intend to make any further public comment until those discussions have been completed.
Rebecca Williams, Policy Officer for UCAC education union, told The Herald: “UCAC has very serious concerns about the proposed 40% cut to the Higher Education budget, and indeed about the Welsh Government’s current funding methodology.
“By channelling such a high percentage of the Higher Education budget through students in the form of tuition fee grants, the Welsh Government is ensuring that millions of pounds are flowing from the Welsh budget directly to universities over the border, mainly in England.
“At the same time, by substantially reducing the funding it provides to universities via the funding body (HEFCW), the Welsh Government is undermining its ability to influence the sector in key areas such as parttime provision, increasing access to students from deprived backgrounds, and providing Welsh-medium courses. The clear and immediate consequence of such a cut will be the axing of these crucial types of provision.
“Such a move could be devastating to the nature and quality of university provision, the Welsh economy, and the options available to students of all backgrounds. We call on the Welsh Government to revisit this illconsidered and damaging decision.”
Universities Wales, the body which represents the interests of Universities within Wales were equally concerned and have suggested that the cuts are both in breach of the Welsh Government’s current policy on widening access and constitute a reverse of previous policy commitments. In its submission to the Welsh Government on the issue, the Uni Wales says: “The distribution of the cuts between institutions is likely to be very uneven. At this stage we are unclear how the sector can absorb a reduction of this size in a single year or where the shortfall in income can be made. The impact of the fee and funding changes introduced from 2012/13, for instance, has worked through the system already and will provide no significant additional income for 2016/17. Recruitment for 2016 entry is already in full swing, and growth in fulltime undergraduates from Wales remains subject to an overall limit in the sector.”
Business
Senedd election candidates challenged to double apprenticeship funding

AN ORGANISATION representing training providers across Wales is calling on allpolitical parties and2026 Senedd election candidates to commit to doubling investment in apprenticeships to support 200,000 apprentices over the next Senedd term.
Launched today (June 24), the National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) ‘Manifesto for Apprenticeships: Building a Skills First Economy for Wales’ seeks to “build a Wales that thrives on skills, opportunity and ambition for everyone.”
According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, doubling the investment in apprenticeships over the next Senedd term could generate an extra £3.4 billion in additional lifetime earnings for people in Wales over the next 30 years.
“Apprenticeships are not just a pathway to employment; they are the backbone of a prosperous Welsh economy, equipping people across all backgrounds with hands-on skills tailored to the needs of our industries,” says the NTFW manifesto.
“Investing in apprenticeships is an investment in people and in the future of Wales. With fair funding, inclusive access and strong partnerships, apprenticeships can help power a more equal, skilled and resilient nation.
“NTFW urges all Senedd candidates and political parties to commit to this vision. Let’s build a Wales that thrives on skills, opportunity and ambition for everyone.”
Collaboration is a key word throughout the manifesto, as the NTFW seeks to work in partnership with the Welsh Government, Medr, training providers, employers, learners, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
“By collaborating closely with Medr, we can ensure apprenticeship programmes are responsive, innovative and aligned with emerging industry needs,” states the manifesto.
“By working together, we can shape apprenticeship programmes that directly address skills gaps, boost productivity and support economic diversification.”
The NTFW commits to providing equal access to qualifications delivered through the medium of Welsh or bilingually and calls on the next Welsh Government to prioritise mental health and wellbeing support services for apprentices.
The manifesto calls on the next Welsh Government to restore money cut from the apprenticeship budget last year and tointroduce long-term, sustainable funding that offers equity with other forms of post-16 education.
It says apprenticeships must be placed at the heart of government policy and calls for a vocational skills strategy, developed in partnership with providers, to determine what is needed to maximise opportunities.
The manifesto also calls for:
- a skills system that speaks to the aspirations of a Welsh economy.
- people of all ages and backgrounds to be able to retrain or upskill through apprenticeships, driving social mobility and inclusive growth.
- increased funding for apprenticeships in growing sectors, such as green energy, digital innovation and healthcare, to future-proof Wales’s workforce.
- Apprenticeship opportunities in every part of Wales to support local economies, reduce inequalities and empower communities.
Speakers at the launch, held at St. David’s Hotel, Cardiff Bay, were NTFW chair John Nash, strategic director Lisa Mytton, FSB Head of Wales, Ben Cottam, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol chief executive, Ioan Matthews, and Cavendish Cymru director Nerys Evans.
Lisa Mytton, NTFW strategic director, said: “We have launched this manifesto to set out what we expect an incoming Welsh Government to prioritise in their policies and skills strategy to boost the economy of Wales.
“Our mandate to the next government is to ensure that increased investment is available for apprenticeships. We are seeking that commitment from all candidates running for the next Senedd election.”
John Nash, chairman of NTFW, added: “This is an unprecedented moment. We have created an ambitious Manifesto for Apprenticeships that should be essential reading for every Senedd candidate.
“We are seeking a commitment from all political parties that apprenticeships will be at the heart of future Wesh Government policies to grow a prosperous and resilient Welsh economy with a highly skilled workforce.”
Picture caption:
NTFW wants investment in apprenticeships to double to support 200,000 apprentices over the next Senedd term.
Education
‘Physics education is at breaking point’: calls for teaching incentives to match England’s

PHYSICS education is at breaking point in Wales due to a lack of teachers, yet training bursaries are £14,000 higher across the border in England, a committee heard.
Eluned Parrott, head of Wales at the Institute of Physics, warned Wales had fewer physics-trained teachers (174) than secondary schools (205) in 2024.
She told the Senedd’s education committee no one measure is going to be a silver bullet but evidence shows teacher training incentives work.
“That’s why we’re calling on the Welsh Government to increase our physics teacher trainee bursary from £15,000 to match England’s £29,000,” she said.
“We need a bold reset to recruit, retain and retrain the next generation of physics specialists to help secure the future of physics in Welsh schools.”
Ms Parrott, a former politician, said only seven specialist physics teachers qualified through Wales’ initial teacher education (ITE) system from an intake of ten in 2023/24.
She said: “The intake allocation target was 67, meaning the intake fell 86% short…. The intake allocation target has since been increased to 72. It is unlikely to be reached.”
Warning of systemic challenges, Ms Parrott expressed concerns about investment in Welsh ITE compared with centres in other parts of the UK.
Contrasting the two, she told the committee: “You could go to study in an ITE centre that has a full-time professional and professorial level of ITE tuition or you could go to somewhere else where they’re struggling to recruit part-time tutors to help you.”
Ms Parrott, a former Liberal Democrat member of the then-Assembly, suggested setting up a centre of excellence for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Stem).
She explained: “It is important to have ITE centres spread out across the country but – rather than spreading that expertise – maybe create something that is robust, academically respected, driving improvements across ITE.”
Ms Parrott said: “I think there’s also an equity issue here with the bursaries and what that means because you cannot realistically live on the bursary that you would get in Wales.
“So, if you come from a less wealthy background, it is a major financial choice to take on another year of study and take on another year of student debt and another year of living a hand-to-mouth existence.”
She warned teacher shortages are far worse through the medium of Welsh – describing Welsh-speaking, physics-trained teachers as like unicorns.
Ms Parrott told Senedd Members: “Obviously, a lot of Welsh students do their undergraduate study in England. We need to be attracting them back because they’ve got, potentially, a Welsh-language skill that they are therefore not using.”

Annette Farrell warned Wales is “way off the mark” for chemistry too, with seven passing their postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) in 2023/24 against a target of 67.
The Royal Society of Chemistry expert warned financial barriers are a big issue, with cross-border differences on incentives making training an unviable option for some.
“If you compare the English bursary system to Wales,” said Ms Farrell. “Once you’ve taken account of… fees and everything, Welsh students next year will only take home £2,465. If you compare that with England… that’s £19,465.”
She lamented the loss of Bangor’s chemistry provision, with only centres in Cardiff and Swansea, creating a “massive cold spot in the north”.
Ms Farrell emphasised the need to look at the financial sustainability of higher education more generally and address workload issues for teachers.
She raised concerns about possible unintended consequences from plans to scrap separate science GCSEs in favour of separate teaching but a double-award qualification.
Shabana Brightley, from the Royal Society of Biology, echoed her colleagues’ comments as the trio gave evidence on June 18 to a wider inquiry on teacher recruitment and retention.

“Based on the bursaries in England and all the incentives they get…they would rather go across the border to go and get trained,” she said.
Ms Brightly, a former primary and secondary school teacher, told the committee: “Early career support is very important, especially having subject-specific mentors in schools.”
She warned: “Let’s say a biology teacher is then having to teach physics and chemistry, which they’ve maybe not done since GCSE – that is a huge burden.”
Education
School closure raises alarm over future of alternative education in Pembrokeshire

Westward House to shut after just one year—former Castle School site under same ownership set to close again
A SCHOOL offering specialist support to children with additional learning needs is to close at the end of this term—less than a year after it opened in the same building where a mainstream private school under the same ownership and management shut its doors last summer.
Westward House School in Haverfordwest will close in July, marking the second collapse of an independent education venture at Glenover House, Scarrowscant Lane, in under 12 months.
Both schools were founded and run by education provider Harriet Harrison, who opened Castle School in 2009 to offer mainstream independent education with a strong academic focus. That school closed in July 2024, citing the loss of key staff, mounting regulatory pressure, and rising operational costs.
In response, Mrs Harrison set up Westward House School—a new, smaller school designed to provide alternative education provision for children with additional needs who were not thriving in mainstream settings. Originally based in St Clears, it relocated to the former Castle School premises in Haverfordwest last year.
But speaking this week, Mrs Harrison confirmed that Westward House will now also close—this time due to a worsening financial situation made unmanageable by VAT changes introduced earlier this year.

Crushed by costs and policy change
“It’s devastating,” Mrs Harrison said. “Castle School was a traditional independent school, but we knew there were still families in Pembrokeshire whose children weren’t coping in mainstream. That’s why we opened Westward House—to meet that need. It was a new name, but the same mission to do right by the pupils.”
She said the school’s model, based on small class sizes, specialist support, and consistent pastoral care, had proven highly effective—but was no longer financially viable.
“Since January, all private schools have been required to add 20 per cent VAT to their fees,” she said. “This hit families hard. Our fees hadn’t risen since we opened in 2021, but the cost of wages, insurance, and energy have risen sharply. That extra 20 per cent was the final straw for many.”
The impact has been especially severe in west Wales, where local authorities such as Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire have not funded placements at Westward House, unlike in Cardiff where Harrison’s sister school, Eastward House, works closely with local government.
A loss for vulnerable learners
Westward House prided itself on helping children who had struggled in other schools. Its strapline, “Qualifications are important, but self-esteem is life-changing,” encapsulated its therapeutic approach to learning.
“Although most of our learners have now completed their GCSEs and are moving on to college or sixth form,” Mrs Harrison said, “some younger pupils still need support. That’s why I’m pleased to say we’ve been working closely with the Cherry Grove Learning Centre, which is due to open soon in Haverfordwest.”
The new centre will offer small-group teaching, pastoral support, external exam entry, and an enriched curriculum—providing, she hopes, “a lifeline” for families affected by the closure.
National pattern of closures
Westward House is not alone. Across the UK, small independent schools are closing at an alarming rate. The Labour policy of adding VAT to private school fees—intended to fund thousands of new state-sector teachers—has hit smaller, non-elite schools the hardest. Unlike Eton or Harrow, most small independent schools have no historic endowments or corporate backers.
According to a recent Times report, Whitehall officials are already braced for a wave of closures as schools struggle with inflation, declining enrolment, and new tax burdens.
Glenover House—built around 1907 and used as a school for decades—is now listed for sale at £495,000.
Whether it will reopen again as an education site remains to be seen. But for the second time in a year, the pupils, parents, and staff of a Harrison-run school are saying goodbye.
Photo caption:
Déjà vu: Glenover House, former site of Castle School and Westward House, is now for sale once again (Pic: Rightmove)
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