Education
Unions’ welcome for supply teaching task-force
UCAC teachers’ union has called for urgent action following the Minister for Education and Skills, Huw Lewis’s announcement today that he will establish a taskforce to look at new options for providing supply teachers to Wales’s schools.
The announcement came at the end of a Plenary Debate in the National Assembly on a report by the Children, Young People and Education Committee into ‘Supply Teaching in Wales.’
In addition to the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report, the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, Estyn and the Wales Audit Office have all published reports which are critical of the current system that is over-dependent on the use of private agencies. There are concerns about the effect of the current system on educational standards.
Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “The savings made through using agencies are a false economy. They undermine teachers’ statutory pay and conditions and create a ‘second class’ group of teachers.
“Apart for substantially lower pay, teachers who work through agencies, on the whole, do not receive holiday or sick pay, pension contributions, and many receive little or no training.
“UCAC is eager to contribute to the work of the taskforce announced by the Minister today. We will be arguing for a system that ensures that supply teachers are treated equitably – on a par with other teachers – and that they are able to access statutory teachers’ pay and conditions and the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
“High quality education systems are dependent on high quality teachers. Investing in the workforce by means of securing fair terms and conditions would be the best possible investment in public services and in maintaining and raising standards.
“We now need to act with urgency. The current system has been letting pupils, teachers and the education system down for too long – it’s high time we made significant changes.”
NUT Wales Policy Officer, Owen Hathway, said: “The case has been overwhelmingly made that the current system is failing supply teachers, schools, parents and pupils. Quite clearly something desperately needs to be done and it is very good to hear that the Minister has recognised this.
“There is some good practice out there, most notably models similar to that in operation in Northern Ireland. What we would really like to see is a thorough examination of the sorts of models that can help support supply teachers in accessing continued professional development and receive fair remuneration for their work.
“Valuing supply teachers in that way would be a real step forward in ensuring the best possible results for pupils.”
Education
Cardiff fabricator goes west to support Portfield School redevelopment
CARDIFF-based fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is supporting the redevelopment of Portfield School in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Portfield School is a special educational needs school for students aged between three and nineteen in the county with a diverse range of complex and profound learning needs.
Funded by Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government through its ‘Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme’, the redevelopment of the school includes replacing the current lower school building, refurbishing the sixth form centre and the creation of a new children’s residential centre.
The new and updated facilities will feature specialist therapy rooms, breakout and sensory spaces and dedicated outdoor areas to meet the needs of the school’s students.
Dudley’s Aluminium has teamed up with Morgan Sindall Construction on this project and will install Kawneer doors, windows and capped curtain walling on the build.
The fabricator has previously worked with Morgan Sindall Construction on another school in the town, Haverfordwest High VC School, which has won a number of awards including prestigious Constructing Excellence in Wales awards.
Colin Shorney, Managing Director at Dudley’s Aluminium, said: “We are excited to be back in Haverfordwest to work with Morgan Sindall Construction on another school project to benefit learners in Pembrokeshire.
“This ambitious project will deliver a modern campus and improved learning environment for students with additional needs.”
Since 1993, Dudley’s Aluminium has offered clients full in-house design and production facilities, completing many successful and prestigious projects within the education, health, commercial, retail, residential and defence sectors throughout the UK and Channel Islands.
Dudley’s reputation for quality has been recognised with several industry-related accreditations. The company is CHAS accredited, Constructionline registered and BM Trada certified to manufacture enhanced security products to align with PAS24:2016 and BS 4873.
Education
Fabricator goes west to support next school project
CARDIFF-based fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is supporting the redevelopment of Portfield School in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Portfield School is a special educational needs school for students aged between three and nineteen in the county with a diverse range of complex and profound learning needs.
Funded by Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government through its ‘Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme’, the redevelopment of the school includes replacing the current lower school building, refurbishing the sixth form centre and the creation of a new children’s residential centre.
The new and updated facilities will feature specialist therapy rooms, breakout and sensory spaces and dedicated outdoor areas to meet the needs of the school’s students.
Dudley’s Aluminium has teamed up with Morgan Sindall Construction on this project and will install Kawneer doors, windows and capped curtain walling on the build.
The fabricator has previously worked with Morgan Sindall Construction on another school in the town, Haverfordwest High VC School, which has won a number of awards including prestigious Constructing Excellence in Wales awards.
Colin Shorney, Managing Director at Dudley’s Aluminium, said: “We are excited to be back in Haverfordwest to work with Morgan Sindall Construction on another school project to benefit learners in Pembrokeshire.
“This ambitious project will deliver a modern campus and improved learning environment for students with additional needs.”
Since 1993, Dudley’s Aluminium has offered clients full in-house design and production facilities, completing many successful and prestigious projects within the education, health, commercial, retail, residential and defence sectors throughout the UK and Channel Islands.
Dudley’s reputation for quality has been recognised with several industry-related accreditations. The company is CHAS accredited, Constructionline registered and BM Trada certified to manufacture enhanced security products to align with PAS24:2016 and BS 4873.
Education
Wales ‘going round in circles’ on school improvement
OPPOSITION Senedd members accused ministers of going “round and round in circles” and “making a mess” of Wales’ school system.
Cefin Campbell described a Welsh Government update on school improvement as “yet another statement of the obvious” and an admission of serious shortcomings.
Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary warned: “Labour in Wales have failed pupils, parents and teachers for far too long,” with GCSE results lagging England.
Mr Campbell said Welsh ministers sought the OECD’s advice three times following “worst-ever” PISA results in 2009, only to end up with even worse results in 2023.
He raised a review of the four regional consortia, the middle tier between councils and the Welsh Government, which found they were ineffective, with a new model needed.
Mr Campbell said: “A government going round and round in circles does not lead to pupil progress. We need to support teachers to do what they do best.”
The former lecturer explained that school reserves stood at £301m three years ago but, at the current rate of decline, could fall to a deficit of -£71m by 2026.
He said: “Schools are facing unprecedented and precipitous budgetary challenges and it’s time Labour makes good on its promise on more money for schools in Wales immediately.”
Tom Giffard accused Welsh ministers of “doubling down on more of the same … ideologically driven solutions that got us into this mess in the first place”.
The Conservatives’ shadow education secretary warned: “Instead of raising standards, the evidence suggests that Labour’s approach will only lower them.”
Referring to PISA results, he said: “We have the worst educational standards anywhere in the UK … it’s been that way in every single subject every single time we’ve been assessed.”
Mr Giffard welcomed confirmation of a 5.5% pay rise for teachers but cautioned that schools are having to make roles redundant, put off works or withdraw subjects to make ends meet.
“In that context, the last thing our schools need is an unfunded pay settlement,” he said.
Mr Giffard, a former teaching assistant in a Welsh-language primary school, called for other school staff beyond teachers to also receive a 5.5% raise.
In a statement to the Senedd on November 5, Lynne Neagle did not shy away from the challenges as she set out key improvement priorities.
Wales’ education secretary welcomed a slight increase in attendance this academic year from 91.4% to 92% but accepted rates remain “nowhere near good enough”.
“I want to see a much bigger improvement” she said, with too much variation between councils, year groups and pupils from different backgrounds.
Ms Neagle, who was appointed in March, announced a new ministerial advisory group and an extra £1.1m this year aimed at driving up attainment.
The education secretary told the Senedd she is considering more international benchmarking by participating in the TIMSS and PILRS studies.
She said the 5.5% pay rise will be backdated to the start of the school year urgently.
Refuting suggestions of an ideology-driven approach, she said: “That is simply not the way that I work. My only interest in doing this job is to deliver for children and young people.”
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