Education

Moving for better health and learning

Published

10 years ago

May 16, 2016

CHILDREN NEED to move more in order to improve both their health and learning according to Dr Nalda Wainwright, Director of the Wales Institute of Physical Literacy at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).

“Children are spending more and more time sitting still watching TV, playing on i-pads, computers and phones,” says Dr Wainwright. “This is worrying because we know from research that if children don’t learn to move well at an early age, they aren’t likely to become active as they grow up. This means they have a greater risk of being overweight or obese, developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and many other health conditions that are linked to lack of physical activity.”

“The lack of physical activity in young children is particularly worrying as we know that for very young children this activity helps develop physical skills. Since the 1980s research has told us that if young children don’t develop these physical skills this is a barrier that prevents them being able to take part in sport as they grow older.

“It is really important that young children have a foundation of good movement – and this comes through a lot of physical play with the help of teachers and parents. The good news is that by developing their physical skills, children are also developing their brain and improving their learning.”

At UWTSD, there is a strong focus on physical activity and health where Dr Wainwright and a team of staff are supporting the development of Physical Literacy. This is a concept that is growing in recognition throughout the world and is about ensuring that people are able to choose physical activity throughout life.

It is much more than learning skills and playing sport. It’s about being confident; motivated; and about understanding why activity is important and how to be active – whether that’s playing sport in a club, walking in the hills, doing yoga, cycling, swimming or taking a dance class.

Education and high quality physical education in particular has an important role to play in fostering physical literacy so that young people are motivated and able to access a range of activities. Physical literacy is also supported by coaches, instructors, volunteers and parents – in fact anyone that encourages and helps people to be active.

So what can you do to help your children get this foundation of movement?

“You could encourage them to play outside – go out with them to play catching and throwing games,” says Nalda Wainwright. “Make some simple target games with chalk on the ground, or a hoop and bean bags. Help them to balance and move in different ways, over, under and through furniture; walk along a line or jump over objects.

“Can your children run, gallop and skip? Can they dodge in chasing games? If the weather is bad, why not roll up some socks and play catching games or target games inside?”

“You need to ensure that your child is active for several hours every day. You could walk and let them hold your hand instead of sitting them in a buggy. Take them to a park on the way home from school every day so they can chase, run and climb before they start using computers or sit in front of the TV.

“If you can make small changes every day, you will see your children becoming better movers and they will want to move more. In the long term, you will help them become healthier and to learn better in school.”

Dr Nalda Wainwright carried out a study looking at the impact of the Foundation Phase on pupils’ physical literacy and the findings have been significant. Her research showed significant links between the pupils’ physical competence and their intellectual development.

“It is very exciting to see the impact of the Foundation Phase on children’s Physical Literacy and also on their wider learning. Research has shown for some time that there are very strong links between early physical development and cognitive development.

“We are very lucky here in Wales to have The Foundation Phase as, when it is delivered well it is an amazing curriculum that uses a playful approach to learning and gives children opportunities to learn outside every day.

“This approach gives children many opportunities to be active, but our research showed that some of the skills were not being developed and teachers needed more training.

“We are now carrying out more research and are currently running the largest project in early childhood motor development in the world. This is showing us that when we train teachers and parents to develop these skills with the pupils there is a significant impact on the children’s competence.

“This is very important as we now know that teachers and adults working with pre-school children can make a real difference to their chances of being active. We need to make sure that this training is available in all areas of Wales to avoid a health disaster in the future”

Education

Haverfordwest High celebrates Oxford offers for four sixth form pupils

Published

22 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A GROUP of Year 13 pupils at Haverfordwest High VC School are celebrating after securing offers from Oxford University.

The school announced this week that four girls have received places at different Oxford colleges in a range of subjects.

Emily has been offered a place at St Peter’s College to read English Language and Literature, while Olivia has received an offer from Exeter College to study Law.

Megan has secured an offer from Brasenose College for Medicine, and Tegan has been offered a place at St Edmund Hall to study Chemical Engineering.

In a message shared online, the school said it was “incredibly proud” of the pupils, describing it as “a proud moment indeed” for the learners, their families and the wider school community.

The post also noted that Megan and Olivia are former pupils of Milford School, and thanked those who supported the applications, including the Seren programme.

The school added that it would be sharing more updates on future university, apprenticeship and job offers from sixth form pupils in the coming months.

Education

Meghan attends national gala celebrating vital role of young carers

Published

23 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MEGHAN SMYTH, an A-level student and young carer for her disabled sister Mia, has attended Action for Children’s Young Carers’ Gala in London – an event celebrating the determination of young people who care for loved ones.

Having balanced schoolwork with caring responsibilities from an early age, Meghan took to the stage during the Gala to perform live with a band. Her story was also shared in a short film shown to hundreds of guests – a moment she described as unforgettable.

“Watching my video play at the Gala, I found myself looking around, wondering if I was being judged. Instead, I saw genuine warmth on everyone’s faces. In that moment I realised I wasn’t being judged but rather being supported. It truly felt like a dream,” Meghan said.

During the event, Meghan also met celebrities and supporters of the charity, including singer Alexandra Burke, who praised the courage and resilience of young carers across the UK.

Following the Gala, Meghan received a personal invitation from the Princess of Wales to attend a special carol service at Buckingham Palace – a gesture highlighting the importance of recognising and uplifting young carers who can often go unseen.

Action for Children representatives praised Meghan for her dedication and talent, and for the powerful way she shares her lived experience to inspire others.

The charity’s Young Carers’ Gala aims to shine a light on young carers across the UK who juggle education, work and caring responsibilities every day, often without the recognition they deserve.

For Meghan, the evening marked more than a celebration – it was a moment of validation, pride and hope for the future.

Education

Village school governors publish counter-proposal on first day of closure consultation

Published

2 days ago

January 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

GOVERNORS at Ysgol Meidrim in Carmarthenshire have published a counter-proposal to the council’s plan to close the village school, as the six-week public consultation gets underway today (Jan 16).

The start of the consultation had originally been scheduled for Tuesday (Jan 13) but was delayed after the council had not completed the Welsh-language translation of the consultation documents in time.

In a message to the Chair of Governors, Ann Jones, the council’s Chief Executive, Wendy Walters, confirmed the consultation period would begin today (Jan 16). It is expected that both the Welsh and English versions of the consultation document will appear on the council’s website.

In response, the school’s governors have released their own 73-page counter-proposal, developed since the cabinet decision in November to proceed to consultation.

The governors’ plan is to secure a viable long-term future for Ysgol Meidrim by developing the school, outside teaching hours, as a Community Hub. The document includes research and a cost-benefit analysis, along with a list of potential funding sources to support the project.

The proposal, however, depends on the school remaining open and based on the current premises, with governors arguing that the school is essential both as a focal point for young families and as a key part of the funding model.

Alongside the main document, the governors have also published a supplementary paper which sets out alternative savings the council could make — claiming it could reduce education spending by around a quarter of a million pounds without closing community schools.

Supporters say they now want the six-week consultation period to be used for detailed discussions between council officers and governors, with a view to reaching a positive outcome.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Sian Straczek, of Meidrim, said: “As school governors at Ysgol Meidrim, we were very disappointed that we have not been given a proper chance to explore all future options for the school with council officers.

“The statutory code requires the council to have explored with us all options before proposing closure — otherwise the ‘presumption against closure’ of village schools becomes meaningless.

“We have worked hard on this carefully-costed counter-proposal to develop our school as a valuable community hub out of school hours, and hope that we will now be given the opportunity during the consultation period for practical discussions with officers in a spirit of co-operation.”

The governors have also launched a campaign logo — “Mlaen Meidrim” (“Forward Meidrim”) — as well as a campaign video highlighting the school’s importance to the local community.

On behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Sir Gâr, Ffred Ffransis said the council’s own figures suggested the financial case for closure was weak.

He said: “The council’s own figures show that there will be 39 pupils at Ysgol Meidrim in two years, and that the total saving from closing the school — after deducting additional school transport costs — is only claimed to be £13,000 a year.

“If such a school is closed, then 20 more rural Welsh-medium schools will be under threat, in a total annihilation of our rural communities.

“The governors at Meidrim, all volunteers, have produced an amazing document and deserve a proper hearing, not just the standard negative written responses. Their counter-proposal could be an exciting pilot project — both in community-based primary education and in the wider revival of Welsh-speaking rural communities.

“Over the last decade Carmarthenshire County Council has been far more open in its discussions than was previously the case, and our hope is that there will now be positive, two-way discussion rather than the usual sterile negative responses.”