Education
Pilot scheme for mental health plan

HEALTH Secretary, Vaughan Gething and Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams have agreed a £1.4m investment to strengthen the support from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to schools.
Dedicated CAMHS practitioners will be recruited to work with pilot schools in three areas across Wales. The practitioners will provide teachers with on-site help and advice, ensuring pupils experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, and compulsive self-harm or conduct disorders receive early help in schools from suitably trained staff, preventing more serious problems occurring later in life.
The model will enable:
- Support for teachers to better understand childhood distress, emotional and mental health problems, and reduce stress experienced by teachers concerned about their pupils, by up-skilling them to recognise and deal with low level problems within their competence
- Ensuring that when issues are identified that are outside teachers’ competence and skills, that specialist liaison, consultancy and advice is available to enable the young person to be directed to more appropriate services such as CAMHS or Local Primary Mental Health Support Services, and to support the teacher and school in providing for the young person’s educational needs
- Ensuring systems are in place to share appropriate information between CAMHS and schools, shared care arrangements are agreed for those young people requiring more intensive support,and that arrangements are in place to escalate/de-escalate as the young person’s needs dictate
Initially operating as a pilot programme, the initiative will commence by the end of 2017 and cover two full academic years, concluding in the summer of 2020. The results will be evaluated, and take into account a broad range of measures from the perspective of both teachers and pupils.
Wales has led the way in the UK by being the only nation that requires local authorities to provide counselling services in their area for children and young people aged between 11 and 18, as well as pupils in Year 6 of primary school. This initiative complements that work by providing an additional layer of more specialist support in schools.
Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething said: “One in four people in Wales will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives. Getting the right treatment at an early stage, coupled with greater awareness of conditions, can in many cases prevent long term adverse impacts.
“This unique new initiative we’re unveiling today will see specialist NHS Wales services extend into the classroom. This will ensure children, teachers and others charged with caring for children in our schools, receive support to promote good emotional and mental health. It will help identify and address issues early, helping to prevent more serious problems occurring later in life.
“One of the Welsh Government’s key aims is to improve the health and well-being of the people of Wales. This will help us achieve our ambition of prosperity for all, while taking significant steps to shift our approach from treatment to prevention.
“We hope this initiative will improve accessibility to support services, better address school related stress, and ease pressures on specialist CAMHS by reducing inappropriate referrals. We also hope it will facilitate a wider culture which promotes and values positive mental health and wellbeing within our schools.”
Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams said: “Most young people spend a large part of their time in school, so there is a clear need for teachers to be able to help and support them should they experience difficulties in life, such as anxiety, low mood, compulsive self-harm or behaviour disorders.
“Through this new initiative, we are making schools places that actively promote positive mental health and wellbeing, providing evidence-based prevention and early intervention where it’s needed.
“For children and young people, it will enable them to have their problems addressed earlier, before they escalate. For teachers, it will help ensure they feel able and confident in dealing with emotional distress, and know where to go to seek support.”
Responding to the announcement, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “Teachers and school leaders are deeply concerned about the mental health issues being faced by the children and young people they teach.
“A recent NASUWT survey showed high on the list of issues was the lack of timely and effective access to CAMHS services when pupils exhibit mental health problems.
“Less than a quarter of the teachers surveyed were confident they would be able to get timely support from expert services such as CAMHS and therefore the announcement that dedicated CAMHS professionals will be recruited to work in a number of schools during the pilot will no doubt be welcomed by the profession.
“Going forward however, it will be important that teachers are not expected to take the place of qualified healthcare professionals.
“Whilst support for teachers to recognise the signs of mental and emotional distress in their pupils may be helpful, this must not lead to teachers, already struggling to cope with excessive and unsustainable workloads, being expected to diagnose, treat and manage pupils’ mental health.”
Rex Philips, NASUWT National Official Wales, said: “It is disappointing that, having acknowledged the mental health issues facing children and young people, yet again the extensive evidence of the mental health issues faced by teachers themselves has been ignored.
“The Welsh Government must also act to provide pupils and teachers alike with direct and readily available access to mental health services staffed by professionally qualified and trained staff and also to tackle the contributory factors in schools which are damaging mental health and wellbeing.”
The policy document’s release follows a call by the National Education Union to have ‘wellbeing officers’ permanently located in schools.
“Having a more standardised approach ensuring additional funding is put into schools to employ people specifically trained for wellbeing could certainly be looked at,” Owen Hathway, Wales’ policy officer at NEU Cymru, said.
The Children’s Commission for Wales, Professor Sally Holland, said: “I don’t think teachers can be expected to undertake the mental health work in schools, there are experts who can come into schools to do that with the necessary expertise and training.
“Schools need better and more direct access to mental health services so teachers have someone they can pick up the phone to or speak to in school to get the expert help they need.”
The two-year Welsh Government trial will take place across north east, south east Wales and Ceredigion.
Education
Alarming new Estyn report reveals Welsh education in crisis

WALES’ education system is in turmoil, with an alarming new report from Estyn exposing deep-rooted issues plaguing schools across the country. The watchdog’s findings highlight “stubbornly low” attendance rates, a critical shortage of teachers, and a growing crisis in pupil behaviour, all of which have worsened under Labour’s leadership of the Welsh Government.
The report warns that the continued failure to address these systemic problems is leading to declining educational standards and increasing pressures on teachers, many of whom are leaving the profession due to stress and inadequate support. With concerns mounting, opposition parties have called for urgent action to reverse the decline and restore confidence in Welsh education.
Schools under pressure

Estyn’s findings reveal a bleak picture of the current state of schools in Wales. Pupil absenteeism remains persistently high, with attendance figures showing no significant improvement since the COVID-19 pandemic. This, coupled with recruitment difficulties, has left many schools struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels, further exacerbating the challenges facing educators.
Adding to the crisis, Estyn highlights deteriorating pupil behaviour, with reports of increased disruption in classrooms leading to talented teachers leaving the profession. The watchdog criticises the Welsh Government for failing to provide clear guidance and sufficient resources to tackle these pressing issues.
Political fallout
Reacting to the report, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, condemned Labour’s handling of the education system, stating: “The Welsh Conservatives have long warned about the crises facing our schools—soaring absenteeism, teacher recruitment struggles, and rising school violence.
“Estyn’s report makes it clear that pupil attendance is ‘stubbornly low,’ recruitment issues are undermining educational standards, and pupil behaviour is driving talented professionals out of teaching.
“Labour’s failure to address these challenges has left Welsh education in crisis. Weak guidance, underfunding, and a lack of support for teachers are failing our children. Welsh education is broken under Labour—only the Welsh Conservatives can fix it.”
The Welsh Government has yet to formally respond to the criticisms, but Labour ministers have previously defended their education policies, pointing to ongoing investments in school infrastructure and teacher training programmes. However, critics argue that these efforts have fallen short, leaving schools ill-equipped to tackle the fundamental issues identified in Estyn’s report.
Calls for urgent reform
Education unions and opposition parties are now demanding immediate intervention to prevent further decline. Among the key recommendations are increased funding for schools, stronger behavioural policies, and targeted support for struggling pupils. There are also calls for a review of teacher recruitment strategies to attract and retain high-quality educators.
With Welsh education at a crossroads, the pressure is mounting on the Labour-led government to take decisive action. As schools continue to grapple with these mounting challenges, the future of education in Wales remains uncertain, with many questioning whether real change will be delivered before it is too late.
Education
Universities facing massive challenges, says funding chief

THE OUTGOING head of a new public body set up to oversee post-16 education warned of “massive challenges”, with cuts proposed at universities across the country.
Simon Pirotte, chief executive of Medr, which was established in August, appeared before the Senedd’s education committee for a scrutiny meeting on February 6.
Medr is responsible for funding and regulating post-16 education and research, including colleges and school sixth forms unlike its predecessor Hefcw.
Mr Pirotte told the committee: “A lot has happened within that six months and I think we’re really aware of the responsibility of the role at such an important time.
“Let’s be honest: we’re taking over responsibility for post-16 education at a time of great change and some massive challenges.”
Addressing concerns about proposed university job cuts and course closures, he said: “It’s important for me to recognise that we’re probably in a very tumultuous time in education, particularly with some of the proposals around our higher education system at the moment.
“And I just want to go on record as saying we really understand the concerns and the challenges that staff are facing during this difficult time.”
The former Bridgend College principal, who has been in education for nearly 40 years, said the transition from Hefcw to Medr has been smooth despite volatility in the sector.
Mr Pirotte was appointed by education minister Jeremy Miles despite not being part of the initial open application process, prompting concerns around transparency and fairness.
He told Senedd members that Medr is optimistic a good field of candidates will be available to replace him when his term as chief executive ends in September.
James Owen, Medr’s chief operating officer, a former Welsh Government director, said a six-month delay in the legislation coming into force helped get the body up-and-running.
Mr Pirotte stressed the need to establish a “tertiary mindset” to avoid working in silos, creating a more joined-up approach between further and higher education.
The Conservatives’ Natasha Asghar asked about Medr’s assessment of the financial pressures as well as support for Welsh universities to navigate the crisis.

Mr Pirotte said Medr is monitoring the situation very, very closely but: “There are limits to what we can do, we are a regulator but our job is to appraise Welsh Government of the challenges that our higher education institutions are actually facing.
“We know that many universities are going through transformational change at the moment to ensure their longer-term sustainability.”
Mr Owen added that Medr conducts an in-depth analysis of financial statements, student numbers, forecasts and borrowing levels at each university.
Asked if Medr would intervene to stop proposals for 400 job losses at Cardiff University, Mr Pirotte said: “I think we need to recognise that universities are autonomous organisations and there are limitations to what we can do as a regulator.”
Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary, asked what Medr would like to see happen to place universities on a more sustainable financial footing.

Mr Pirotte said: “There is absolutely no doubt that universities across the UK and indeed in Wales are facing some of the most challenging times they’ve faced.
“I’ve listened to Professor Paul Boyle, chair of Universities Wales, saying this is the most difficult time in his career and I agree with that assessment.”
The chief executive told the committee: “As an educationalist, would I like to see more money coming in? Of course I would.”
Explaining that Medr will focus scrutiny on learner protection plans in the event of disruption or closures, he added: “We cannot direct the university to say you must do subject X or Y.”
Mr Pirotte, who was on free school meals at Morriston Comprehensive in Swansea, stressed the importance of ensuring a wide cross-section of society can enjoy the same opportunities.
He said: “We have a systemic issue that we need to address across the UK. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about the key role that universities have as anchoring institutions in their regions … what they do for economic growth, what they do for individuals.
“And I think there’s a wider question about what kind of university system do we want in the UK and indeed in Wales.”
Education
School children from Pembrokeshire to learn about nutritious local produce

NUTRITIOUS, Delicious and Local is the theme of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s educational Food Story event in March. School children from across the county, from years two to 11, will learn how food and drink are produced locally.
The event, sponsored by NFU Mutual, the CLA Charitable Trust and Women in Wales, will take place on 5 and 6 March 2025 on the Pembrokeshire County Showground. There will be machinery and animals at the event with farmers from across the county on hand to explain practically how they produce food and care for the countryside.
Kathy Wilson, a former teacher and now an Honorary Pembrokeshire Show Governor, is managing the organisation of the event with the staff from the show office on behalf of the Society’s Food Story / Stori Bwyd.
Kathy said, “The response has been extremely positive to our previous Food Story events which have had pancake, barbecue and harvest themes. We hope local school children will learn a lot about where their food comes from when they attend our event in March. We are very grateful to all the farmers and supporters who are volunteering their time to make this event happen.”
During the event, which schools will attend at allotted times, there will also be an opportunity to meet businesses from the local area, learn about health and well-being as well as how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are used to produce food locally. The event will also touch on how the weather and climate can affect the work farmers do and how the crops grow. Children will also get an opportunity to cook and enjoy tasting locally produced food and drink.
All primary and secondary schools across the county have been contacted inviting them to attend with a booking form to complete as there will be a choice between a morning and afternoon session. If teachers have not received the email but would like to attend the event could they please email the Pembrokeshire Showground Office: [email protected] as soon as possible.
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