AN EVENT hosted by Ledwood Engineering gave girls from Year 8 and 9 at Ysgol Harri Tudur first-hand experience of the world of engineering recently. 

Engineering is a booming sector in Pembrokeshire with a high demand for skilled workers in exciting career pathways associated with the development of low carbon and renewable energy industry and the Celtic Freeport. 

The young women heard from industry experts on the importance of engineering in Pembrokeshire, and had hands on experience using a welding simulator, at the company’s Pembroke Dock site. 

The learners are part of the County’s SPARC (Sustainable Power and Renewable Construction) initiative aimed as inspiring and empowering young females to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathways where females are under-represented in the workforce. 

SPARC is funded through an alliance comprising Blue Gem Wind, Ledwood Engineering, Port of Milford Haven, RWE Renewables, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire College and the Swansea Bay City Deal. 

Mrs Laura Buckingham, SPARC practitioner at Ysgol Harri Tudur said: “Our learners had a fantastic experience at Ledwood Engineering.  They were given lots of advice by industry experts on the different career options and pathways within the engineering sector.  

“They appreciated the opportunity to ask their questions and found the session very informative. Having the chance to trial their welding skills on the simulator was an experience they continue to talk about and has definitely piqued their interest.”

Poppy Sawyer, Year 8 SPARC learner added:  ‘It was a really good trip. Talking to the different people there has helped me know more about the jobs we could get which will be very useful when making choices for my future.”  

 “They helped us a lot by giving us lots of information. We were able to look around and try welding. It was really fun,” added Tianna Marshall, Year 8 SPARC learner.

The Regional Learning and Skills Partnership also launched its Explore Engineering interactive website at the event.

THE TOPIC of Home Education has again hit the headlines.

The brutal murder of Sara Sharif in London exposes the glaring gaps in child protection for home-educated children over those in mainstream education, says the Independent Group on Pembrokeshire County Council in a detailed proposal on tackling safeguarding concerns and a call for the Welsh Government to act.

The Group’s statement is below.

No one denies that parents have the choice of home education. However, this shouldn’t be allowed if the risk to children is increased by a lack of a register by Local Authorities that confirms how many children are receiving home education, where they are receiving it, and from whom. The rights of the child should always be a priority, but the legislation surrounding home education is not strong enough to support this.

Pleas to the Welsh Government from local authorities across Wales to create and maintain a register of home-schooled children have fallen on deaf ears.

COUNCILLORS HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL SAFEGUARDING DUTY

Pembrokeshire has had its share of tragic outcomes regarding home education, and Councillors and employees of the authority have continually raised concerns about the matter. However, a time has now arrived when we as a society must demand action, as failure to do so will almost certainly see such tragedies reoccur. Society needs to accept that this is not Big Brother but our fundamental duty to protect its most vulnerable, namely our Children.

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, said it was “madness” that the law currently allows parents to take a child out of school, even if concerns had already been raised”.

She added, “Being in school is a safeguard; they are safer under the eyes of teachers.”

We must act. The Prime Minister himself has said that his government will deliver “stronger safeguards” for those educated at home, and the need to act is immediate. And act they have done, making it clear they intend to bring forward legislation (for England) a “landmark” bill where home-schooled children will have to be registered with their local authority.

Wales has procrastinated for far too long and must follow suit and do so without delay.

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNCILLORS’ CONCERNS IGNORED

In Pembrokeshire, the lack of a formal register has been raised on numerous occasions over many years, including on a number of occasions since the last County Council elections in 2022. The Social Care O&S Committee under the Chair of Councillor Dave Bryan on November 10, 2022, heard The Head of Children Services comment that the Council was then “into their third administration of WG where concerns of EHE has not been acted upon following Kirsty Williams’s announcement to shelve the plans.”

A letter sent by Councillor Bryan on this matter drew a negative response from the Welsh Government.

Cllr Phil Kidney and Cllr Huw Murphy raised the matter at Full Council on December 12. The latter commented that action is needed on this matter, as words alone will not suffice, and that he would be failing in his role as Safeguarding Champion if he did not speak out. Politics is about doing right, not being popular.

INCREASED HOME EDUCATION INCREASES RISK

In 2020, there were 210 children in EHE in Pembrokeshire. By early 2023, that number was 325. By Sept 2024, it stood at 463.

Increased numbers equate to increased risk.

Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire have the highest rates of children in EHE across Wales. The Education Act 1996 does not have the framework to allow local authorities to speak to home-schooled children or even see them if parents refuse. Home education works well in most cases, but sadly, not always. The invisibility of these children causes so much concern, as by the time they are seen, it is too late for some.

A CHANGE IN THE LAW

The UK is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 2 of the Convention directs that “the state shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinion or beliefs of the child’s parents.”

Article 28 (b) stipulates that governments must make “primary education compulsory & available free for all”, and 28 (e) says governments must “take measures to encourage attendance at schools and the reduction of drop-out rates.”

It could be argued that for Wales and the UK to be more compliant with the UNCRC, the Education Act, 1996 should be amended to confirm the rights of parents to home-educate their children but within a legal setting where every local authority holds a register of every child receiving home education, that every child is seen and spoken to every term and a sample of their work is seen to evidence that they are being educated to a level that will provide them with the necessary tools and skills to succeed on attaining adulthood.

Society gets only one chance to get things right for every child born into it. For too long, the issue of not setting up a formal register for home-educated children has been, at best, overlooked and, at worst, ignored when the majority support the measure. By doing so, PCC concerns for Child safety will be identified earlier, and tragic outcomes will be reduced.

Attending university is a popular next step for many people in the education system. However, with significant events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift into more online-based learning, it begs the question – is the experience as good as it has ever been? 

In this article we’ll explore the current state of universities in the UK by looking at several factors that offer an insight into whether or not standards are declining or increasing.

Acceptance rates 

The acceptance rate of UK universities has remained in line with what it was 10 years ago. In 2013, 496,000 out of 677,000 applicants were accepted and, in 2023, 554,000 out of 752,000 applicants were accepted. This gives an acceptance rate of 73.3% and 73.7% in 2013 and 2023, respectively. 

Acceptance rates staying relatively similar does indicate that the standards for entry into UK universities has remained consistent over the years. 

Student satisfaction

Student satisfaction rates are typically revealed each year by the NSS (National Student Survey). The figure often varies widely depending on the university, but overall it generally falls in the mid to high 80% range. This statistic was similar in 2016, which had an average satisfaction rate of 86%. 

The COVID-19 pandemic did affect student satisfaction rates. Just before the pandemic, in 2019, the NSS reported an overall satisfaction rate of 84%. In the midst of the pandemic, this figure dropped to 74% and then increased slightly post-pandemic, rising to 76.3% in 2022. 

By 2023, levels had returned to normal, showing that overall, universities are still providing a good experience for students. 

Undergraduate degree results 

In terms of student performance, the quality of work has improved over the last 10 years. In 2013/14, 20% of undergraduates achieved first-class honours and 6% obtained the lowest grade, a third. In 2022/23, 30% of undergraduates were awarded first-class honours whilst only 3% received a third. These figures indicate that students are performing better in their studies and the standards of learning in UK universities have improved. 

Increased performance from graduates could be down to numerous factors, including more advanced online plagiarism checks from sites like BachelorPrint or more flexible learning models with the addition of remote course elements. 

Current state of UK universities

Overall, there’s limited evidence to suggest that the standards of UK universities have declined in recent years. Acceptance rates and student satisfaction have remained relatively steady, aside from a blip due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and more students are achieving higher honours than ever before.