Education

Welsh Relationships and Sexuality Education Code: Parental choice vs children’s education

Published

3 years ago

May 3, 2022

A GROUP calling itself Public Child Protection Wales is fundraising for a legal challenge to the Welsh Government’s Relationships and Sexuality Education Code.
The Code passed the Senedd as part of the Curriculum for Wales.
The group claims to have raised £13,000 of the £100,000 it says it needs to bring the case.
It has already acquired the services of a barrister, Paul Diamond.

PCP Wales: Barrister Paul Diamond to take on Welsh Government (Pic Herald archive)

CODE ENDS PARENTAL CHOICE

The Code makes Relationships and Sexuality Education compulsory and ends a parent’s right to exclude their children from such lessons.
Public Child Protection Wales says it is for parents to decide the appropriateness of Relationships and Sexuality Education for their children and not for the state to intervene in their right to keep their children either ignorant or enlightened on the subject.
While PCP Wales claims to be a non-party political group, its cause has been taken up by extremist and fringe right-wing organisations who have tried to jump on the bandwagon to publicise their political agendas.
PCP Wales says its aims are “to promote a high standard of Safeguarding and raise awareness of exploitation and abuse of children. We will challenge policies that fail to safeguard and fight for additional investment in Children and young people’s services.”
Its intervention in Relationship and Sexuality Education extends “safeguarding” to include a final parental say over whether a child receives that education from their parents or teachers.

PEMBROKESHIRE AND PCPW

A case against Paul Dowson, county councillor for the Pembroke Dock Central Ward, relating to PCPW’s campaign goes before the Adjudication Panel for Wales later this year.
Councillor Dowson published a Facebook post stating that 0-3-year-olds “will” be taught about masturbation and that the new RSE curriculum “includes teaching 13-year-old boys and girls about anal sex”.
That is untrue, and the Ombudsman described the first of those allegations as particularly “outrageous and unpleasant”.
In an email to a fellow councillor, Councillor Dowson said RSE lesson plans teach 3-year-olds about masturbation and 11-year-olds and upwards about bondage, anal sex, and facial ejaculation.
Those untrue statements do not originate with Paul Dowson. They derive from misinformation peddled by individuals trying to outrage the public and incite opposition to the new Code.
The Ombudsman concluded: “I have seen no evidence that Councillor Dowson has evidence as to the content of the RSE curriculum or its lesson plans over and above that which is publicly available from Welsh Government.”
As a result, the Ombudsman concluded Paul Dowson’s posts were disinformation and alleged they brought his office as councillor into disrepute.
Paul Dowson rejects the allegations and criticisms, which form one part of a disciplinary case to be heard later this year.

CODE CONTENT UNPUBLISHED

While that might appear irrelevant to the campaign headed by PCP Wales, it goes towards the continuing miasma of disinformation, misinformation, and alarmism published on its Facebook page.
While RSE is taught in many countries in one form or another, teaching methods vary. In short: “For Wales, do not see “England”.
Moreover, as the lesson plans and Code content remain – as yet – unpublished, any information about alleged lesson plans and the course content is speculation at best and spurious at worst.
Therefore, the key issue cannot be what the course will teach – or even what campaigners imagine it will teach.
Instead, the core of any legal action against the Welsh Government must be on either “religious exemption” – the position before the new Curriculum became law – or an infringement on a parental choice about what their children are taught.
The religious exemption would be an arguable point only after the Welsh Government issues its guidance on the Code and lessons’ content. There is no engagement of any potential religious right to refuse until then.

PARENTAL CHOICE AND THE RIGHT TO LEARN

So, the case must centre on the question of parental choice.
PCP Wales is clear that’s their main objection – apart from scare stories about what the Welsh RSE Code might mandate.
They say: “[W]e must fight the legislation which mandates this over parental rights, preventing the parent carer from acting in the child’s best interest and be the judge as to what is age appropriate. It is time the adults shouldered the responsibility of sex education in the form of appropriate Safeguarding.”
PCP Wales trusts neither the Welsh Government, local authorities, maintained schools, headteachers, teachers, nor school governors to act appropriately or to gauge what is age-appropriate for a child. They assert parental autonomy and parental choice as the determining factor in what children learn in school.
Carried to absurd lengths, that train of argument would give parents control of everything taught in schools, or at least an ideological say over what their children learn about literature, history, or science.

LEGAL SERVICES OR SUPPORT

PCP Wales has instructed the independent barrister Paul Diamond to fight their case.
According to his website, Paul Diamond is “the leading barrister on the law of religious liberty, including matters of both ethical and social conscience.
“He combines his considerable strength in the field of religious liberty with his knowledge of public and European law. Paul is a specialist in European Human Rights law, EU law and certain aspects of public law.
“He has served as Standing Counsel to the Christian Legal Centre, a sister organisation of Christian Concern as well as the Keep Sunday Special Campaign.”
On its website, the Christian Legal Centre says: “We’re here to safeguard the freedom of Christians to live and speak for Jesus Christ, and to provide legal support for those taking a stand for Jesus and the truth that flows from him.”
The Christian Legal Centre is not a regulated legal practice and has no standing to instruct a barrister to act on behalf of clients.
Its interventions in public interest cases have been the subject of strong judicial criticism, which it rejects.
CLC’s interventions in cases are not meritless.
Freedom of religion and speech underpin civil society. However, the law is secular, created by legislatures, and subject to judicial interpretation.
However, to show the Welsh Government acted in such a way as to either infringe a protected right, whether relying on statutory breach or legal precedent, PCP Wales will have to demonstrate a real loss of a real existing right protected by real law.

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT RESPONDS

A spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that this group continues to promote incorrect and misleading claims about Relationships and Sexuality Education in Wales’s new curriculum.
“Topics like online safety, consent, and sexual health are all included in the Code, but at developmentally appropriate stages so learners aren’t exposed to things that aren’t appropriate to their age and development.
“At a younger age, for example, children will be taught about treating each other with kindness and empathy.
“As children grow older, they will gain an understanding of topics such as online safety, consent, and sexual health – all of which will be handled in a sensitive way.
“These reforms have been welcomed by a number of respected organisations including the NSPCC, the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, and Welsh Women’s Aid.”

Education

New resource to support Welsh medium pupils

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EDUCATION researchers have published a special booklet to support pupils in Welsh medium schools from homes where the language is not spoken.

Entitled Partner, Promote and Provide, the booklet was co-created in workshops led by Aberystwyth University which brought together education partners from Ceredigion and Powys, with input from parents and pupils.

It builds on a series of research studies by the School of Education which began during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and which explored the impact of the pandemic on pupils along with the additional challenges facing Welsh-medium schools in extending support to children from non-Welsh-speaking homes.

Dr Siân Lloyd-Williams Director of Research at Aberystwyth University’s School of Education, said:

“Based on the studies we carried out between 2020 and 2024, it was clear we needed to continue the work so that we could evaluate, identify and measure the impact of our recommendations on supporting non-Welsh speaking families.

“We set out to organise a series of workshops, bringing together representatives from the local education authorities, teachers, parents and others to hear their experiences and gather evidence. As a result, we have co-created a special booklet that teachers can use to support pupils from non-Welsh-speaking homes who attend Welsh medium schools.”

Another member of the research team at Aberystwyth School of Education, Dr Rhodri Aled Evans, said:

“This is an example of effective and purposeful collaboration between academics and practitioners on the ground. We hope this booklet, together with the recommendations of our previous studies, will be a valuable resource for the education sector and beneficial for teachers, pupils and families alike.”

The Director of Education for Ceredigion County Council, Elen James, said:

“It has been extremely valuable to collaborate with the University’s researchers to create dedicated resources that offer practical help on how to further improve the experiences of Welsh-medium pupils from non-Welsh speaking homes. This work is important and an excellent starting point for further collaboration. We look forward to developing the project further in the future.”

The Partner, Promote and Provide booklet was launched at a training event for teachers held at the University on 16 January 2025 and can be downloaded from the University’s website as a PDF or hard copies can be sent on request.

Pictured: L to R: Susan Ferguson (Research Impact and Knowledge Officer, Aberystwyth University), Prysor Davies (Interim Head of the School of Education, Aberystwyth University), Dr Rhodri Evans (Lecturer in Education, Aberystwyth University), Rhiannon Salisbury (teacher), Alwyn Ward (Ceredigion County Council)

Education

Excellent inspection for Tenby Church in Wales Primary School

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE GOVERNORS and staff at Tenby Church in Wales Primary School are delighted to have received their Estyn inspection report today, Friday 10th January, following full inspection early in November 2024. The glowing report praises the school for its care and support for pupils.

It states: “Tenby Church in Wales School is a happy, nurturing and inclusive school where a focus on values underpins its work. Leaders place a high importance on pupils’ wellbeing. Pupils are well cared for and feel safe. Pupils behave very well and there is a calm atmosphere in the school.”

The inspectors noted the high standards and strong progress that pupils of all abilities make. Support for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) gained particular praise.

“Most pupils make strong progress in their learning as they move through the school. They have positive attitudes to learning and reflect purposefully on their work to bring about improvements. The provision for pupils with ALN is a strength of the school and supports these pupils to make good progress towards their individual targets.”

Governors and staff are pleased that the leadership and effectiveness of the whole staff team has been recognised as a strength.

“The Headteacher provides strong leadership. He has built an effective staff team who share his vision. Governors are well informed about the school’s strengths and areas for development and offer suitable challenge.

“Across the school, there is a culture of improving teaching and learning. Senior leaders work effectively to promote this and to provide support and professional learning for all staff. Leaders manage change exceptionally well and this has helped the school to maintain its track record of bringing about improvement.”

There are two ‘spotlights’ for good practice identified within the school’s inspection report; one for ‘an inspiring curriculum’ (the school’s curriculum offer to children) and another for ‘managing change’ (leaders managing change to ensure quality).

The report made one recommendation to help the school continue to improve: to enhance pupil leadership and pupil voice in the strategic development of the school. The school will now produce an action plan to address this recommendation.

John Palmer, Headteacher at Tenby Primary, said: “On behalf of our school community I feel incredibly proud to have received such an excellent inspection report. It rightly highlights the hard work and successes of staff, children, parents and governors and we feel it captures our school and its vision and values perfectly.”

Mrs Anne Ponisch, Chair of Governors, said: “It is a joy to see the hard work and dedication of all who work at the school recognised and applauded in this excellent report. It reflects the very positive collaboration that exists between our local community, parents, staff, governors and children. It describes so well the happy and innovative school that we all feel privileged to love and be a part of.”

Cllr Guy Woodham, Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh language, said: “I offer my congratulations to Tenby Church in Wales Primary School for achieving this outstanding report.
“Inspection reports like this do not come about by chance, they are the result of dedication and hard work and support from the whole school community.”

The full inspection report can be found on the Estyn website by using the following link: Tenby Church In Wales Voluntary Controlled School – Estyn

Education

Estyn to review the use of Generative AI in schools

Published

5 days ago

January 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

ESTYN, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, is set to lead a comprehensive review into how Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is being utilised in schools across Wales.

The review aims to assess the current applications of Gen AI tools, explore their potential benefits, and identify any challenges they may present to educators and learners.

Survey and engagement process

The review’s first phase involves a survey for schools and pupil referral units, inviting feedback and insights into their experiences with AI. This will be followed by in-depth engagement with teachers to gather detailed perspectives. The findings are expected to be published in the summer.

Support and guidance for schools

To help schools considering or beginning to use Generative AI, new guidance has been published. This guidance is part of a broader support package available on Hwb, developed with input from leading online safety organisations such as the UK Safer Internet Centre, Common Sense Education, Praesidio Safeguarding, and Internet Matters.

Statements from key figures

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, commented: “Artificial Intelligence presents a huge potential for schools; the technology is evolving quickly, and it is vital that schools are supported to navigate change.

“By getting an understanding of the good practice already being used, we can help schools to embrace the opportunities AI could bring responsibly, while continuing to prioritise the safety and well-being of staff and learners.

“Estyn are well placed to undertake this review, given their deep understanding of the education sector in Wales. As a government, we continue to work with partners, including local authorities, and engage with leading online safety organisations to ensure schools are guided by the best expert advice.”

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Estyn, said: “We are very pleased to be launching this important call to gather views from education professionals to better understand how both teachers and pupils are already using generative AI in schools and pupil referral units across Wales.

“Generative AI has the potential to transform education if used responsibly, and its use amongst educators and learners is accelerating at a rapid rate. Having a clearer understanding of the integration of AI in schools at a national level will enable Government to better support and guide the education community in the use of this powerful technology.

“We would encourage school leaders, teachers, and support staff to share their experiences and engage with the survey, which is now live. We look forward to meeting with providers over the coming months to speak in more detail about their work in applying AI within their settings.”

AI subgroup and sector collaboration

In tandem with the review, an AI subgroup under Digital Learning Cymru has been established. This group ensures sector-wide input and brings together a network of experts from education, industry, and the third sector. The collaboration is intended to address both the opportunities and challenges associated with AI in education.

Estyn’s review is a pivotal step in helping schools across Wales navigate the evolving landscape of AI and harness its potential to enhance teaching and learning responsibly.