Education

Permanent head for Ysgol Dewi Sant

Published

12 years ago

October 22, 2013

UNDER threat local community school, Ysgol Dewi Sant (St David’s School), this week appointed a permanent Head Teacher, Mr David Haynes. He had previously been acting Head at the school
The appointment follows months of uncertainty at the school.
In a report earlier this year, ESTYN assessed the school as having an overall performance rated merely adequate and also stated their prospects for improvement as also being just adequate.
They deemed the school’s leadership and management as unsatisfactory and expressed concern that middle leaders of the school had not had enough impact on improving the quality of provision and raising standards in their areas of responsibility.
They also criticised lines of accountability, stating that they were unclear, and that line management arrangements lacked vigour and consistency in holding these middle leaders to account.
That report was in stark contrast to the finding of the Real Schools Guide, published in September, which placed Ysgol Dewi Sant as Pembrokeshire’s best achieving secondary school.
Speaking with The Herald, David Lloyd, School Governor and local County Councillor, discussed the positive aspects to arise from the appointment of a new Head Teacher.
“It is an interesting and uncertain period for education in Pembrokeshire. The local authority was reluctant for us to appoint a head on the basis it (the school) may be closed. Therefore, the governors had to appoint a head without the blessing of the local authority.#
‘’We have been careful not to reject their advice but always working with what is best for the school. ESTYN have objected to too many temporary acting Heads in Pembrokeshire.”
He went on to point out that such acting Heads did, in ESTYN’s opinion, undermine the leadership of a school, and that the school, therefore, faced the paradoxical position of being rated only adequate/unsatisfactory in leadership but with the local authority asking for the school not to appoint.
He continued: “This is an impossible situation, making the school vulnerable. I’m happy to say that the new incoming director of education (for Pembrokeshire County Council) gave us their blessing to appoint, and we are happy with the working relationship we now have with the local authority.”
On the issue of the school maintaining its current status Mr Lloyd said: “We are quietly confident that all the hard work will ultimately succeed in retaining a secondary school in St David’s. We are happy to appoint a Head Teacher to consolidate our efforts to keep the school and we are very happy to work with the new team at the County Council. We accept their decision will be evidence based”.
Mayor Glenys James spoke to The Herald saying: “We are delighted to have Mr Haynes. People are more comfortable now that we have a Head. He has addressed the (City) Council and given us a précis of what is being put into place. We also took the councillors around the school for them to see what is going on.”
On potential closure to the school she continued: “The fear is with us until we know (the result of any closures). If you take the school, you take the community, and there is the link with The Cathedral and the St David’s choir.
‘’This school is working well, now, and is full to capacity. We will wait for the review and see what happens from there. We would be devastated if the school closed. We are a community working closely with the school”.
Speaking on behalf of the County Council, and of the continued worry by the school as to what their fate might be, a spokesperson said: “The review of secondary education in the St. Davids area is part of a wider review of secondary provision in Pembrokeshire. The St Davids review is due to be completed in November.
‘’Members have been assured that no decisions regarding school closures or mergers have been taken. Closures and mergers are just two of a number of strategies for consideration once recommendations have been presented.’’
The four principles underpinning the process of developing and implementing school organization proposals are:
* Quality and future sustainability of educational provision;
* Sufficiency and accessibility of school places;
* The condition, suitability and standard of school buildings;
* Value for money.
The prime focus is currently on secondary schools due to the estimated projected 2,000 surplus places in the future. The review of secondary provision will significantly inform recommendations as to how these challenges can be addressed.
In a recent meeting of the Children and Families Scrutiny Committee, the shared Head of School Effectiveness, Alan Walters, stated that while school performance at primary level was mostly positive, performance within secondary schools was disappointing and a cause for concern.
The judgment was made following consideration of national and regional results of Estyn inspections.

Education

Last chance to apply for fully funded green skills apprenticeship

Published

26 minutes ago

June 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Coleg Sir Gâr offers businesses the tools to meet sustainability targets

WELSH employers are being urged to act quickly to secure a place on a fully funded apprenticeship scheme designed to equip staff with the green skills needed to cut energy costs, reduce carbon emissions, and meet net zero targets.

Coleg Sir Gâr has issued a final call for applications to its Level 3 Energy and Carbon Management Apprenticeship, part of its Green Skills Academy. Applications must be submitted by Thursday, 20 June, with limited places available due to high demand from businesses across the region.

The 18-month, part-time course is suitable for new recruits and current staff, offering a mix of theoretical knowledge and hands-on learning. Apprentices attend in-person training just two days per month, making it easy to fit around regular duties.

Open to anyone over 18 living in Wales who is employed and not enrolled in another funded full-time course, the programme is fully funded for eligible applicants.

Jemma Parsons, Head of the Green Skills Academy, said: “The level of interest we’ve seen shows that Welsh employers understand the need to upskill their teams in energy and carbon management. This apprenticeship provides a vital opportunity to future-proof organisations, reduce costs, and build meaningful sustainability credentials.”

Organisations already signed up include Carmarthenshire County Council, Axium Process Ltd, LBS Builders Merchants, and Barcud.

Rhodri Griffiths, Head of Place and Sustainability at Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “We’re committed to tackling the climate emergency. This apprenticeship equips our employees with practical skills to reduce energy use and support our wider sustainability goals. It’s a key part of our response to climate change and helps us build a greener future for the county.”

The course strengthens participants’ ability to demonstrate environmental compliance, boost in-house expertise, and improve standing in procurement and supply chains. It forms part of Wales’ broader strategy to become a leader in energy efficiency and carbon reduction.

To register your interest or learn more, contact the Green Skills Academy at [email protected] or visit csgcc.ac.uk.

Education

New Carmarthenshire special school finally approved after fierce backlash

Published

19 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A LONG-DELAYED plan to build a new special school in Carmarthenshire has been approved, following a year of protests, public pressure, and political U-turns.

Ysgol Heol Goffa in Llanelli, which serves children with additional learning needs, has long outgrown its current site. A new building was first promised in 2017 at the former Draka copperworks site. However, last year, Carmarthenshire County Council said rising construction costs meant it could no longer afford the project—sparking fury from parents and carers.

In September 2024, around 300 people gathered on the steps of County Hall in Carmarthen in protest, accusing the council of breaking its word. Campaigners said children in need were being let down and demanded that the local authority keep its promise.

This week, councillors voted unanimously to approve revised plans that would see a new special school built after all—though the exact design and size remain undecided.

Chair of governors Owen Jenkins, speaking after the decision, said: “It’s a relief after a year of torment. We’re grateful to the community for their support, and we’ll be keeping the pressure on to make sure the new school is delivered.”

The council had previously pulled out of the original scheme in May 2024 due to financial pressures. An independent review of Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision across Carmarthenshire was then launched and reported back in February, setting out six possible options.

Two were formally presented on Monday by Cllr Glynog Davies, Plaid Cymru’s Cabinet Member for Education. Both involve building a new special school:

One plan would see a smaller school for 150 pupils built at a cost of up to £35.4 million, alongside the creation of autism-specific units at local mainstream schools.
The other would expand the original plans to accommodate 250 pupils, including those with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), at an estimated cost of up to £51.2 million.

Cllr Davies told the meeting that the “welfare of children is the obvious priority,” but added that any decision had to take into account the serious costs involved.

Although the story centres on Llanelli, the issues will be familiar to many in Pembrokeshire, where families with children who have additional needs often face long waits and limited local provision. Campaigners say the decision sends a clear message that specialist education must remain a priority, even during financial hardship.

Mr Jenkins said the school looked forward to a “positive dialogue” with the council in the months ahead.

Education

Ceredigion County Council launches new graduate scheme

Published

2 days ago

June 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Six paid placements open across key departments

CEREDIGION County Council has announced the launch of a new Graduate Scheme aimed at giving recent university graduates a foothold in professional public service careers.

The initiative, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, offers six paid placements across a variety of departments, including Planning, Carbon Reduction, Engineering, Legal, Public Protection, and Youth Work.

Eifion Evans, Chief Executive of Ceredigion County Council, said:
“We are excited to launch this scheme. It’s not only a great initiative to support our Corporate Wellbeing Objective of ‘Boosting the economy, supporting businesses and enabling employment,’ but also a fantastic opportunity for recent graduates to take their first step on the career ladder and access quality career opportunities in public service and beyond.”

Council Leader, Councillor Bryan Davies, added:
“This scheme represents a valuable investment in our county. It offers graduates the chance to pursue rewarding careers within the region and the communities where they were raised. We strongly encourage graduates to apply and look forward to building on this initiative in the years ahead.”

About the scheme

The scheme is open to applicants with relevant degrees, offering 12-month paid contracts. Graduate Trainees will earn while they learn, gaining tailored support and training to develop specialist skills and a strong foundation for future employment.

The six areas currently available are:

Planning, Building Control & Development Management
Carbon Reduction, Energy & Asset Management
Engineering
Legal
Public Protection (Environmental Health or Trading Standards)
Youth Work

How to apply

Applications are now open via the Ceredigion County Council careers website. An online information session will be held on Monday, 9 June, for interested candidates to learn more about the roles and working life at Team Ceredigion.