A PUBLIC consultation on the potential closure of a Pembrokeshire school, severely damaged in a fire just over three years ago, has now been launched.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

After that, a ‘school from school’ was set up in Jameston Village Hall.

It had been hoped the school would be rebuilt, but earlier this year members of Pembrokeshire County Council backed a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which, amongst other recommendations, included a statutory consultation on proposals to discontinue Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School.

The decision attracted strong local opposition, with more than 1,200 people to date signing a petition on the council’s own website calling for the school to be rebuilt.

At the July meeting, St Davids Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) said it had always required that the school be reinstated and was against the proposal to discontinue Manorbier, asking: “Would a consultation on the closure of Manorbier VC School have been proposed had it not been ravaged by fire?”

Earlier this year councillors heard Manorbier has seen “a 59.8 per cent decline in the school’s pupil population during the period 2015-2025, with no indication that this will be significantly reversed during the next 5-6 years,” a report for members said, adding: “This decline cannot be attributed wholly to the fire which occurred in October 2022, with a 30.7 per cent decline from 2015 to 2022.”

It added: “The school’s capacity is 86 but there has been an increasing level of surplus places at the school, reaching 74.4 per cent in 2025. The school has been in a position of having significant surplus places (>25 per cent) for at least seven years.”

It said that most children living in the Manorbier school catchment attend other schools in the area, in 2024 only 15 children (18.5 per cent) living in the school’s catchment attended Manorbier school.

The capital cost of rebuilding Manorbier VC School, at the time of that meeting, was estimated to be £2.6 million.

At the July meeting, local member Cllr Phil Kidney said the diocese’s response “shows the council in a very bad light, steamrolling the closure no matter what”.

He added: “Of course we should rebuild this school,” adding: “We have an obligation to rebuild this school, it’s time to make the right decisions.”

Cabinet member for education Cllr Guy Woodham responded, saying a consultation was not a done deal: “We’re not at a situation yet where any decision has been taken; I can’t agree we’re ‘steamrolling’ it through.”

The formal consultation for the discontinuation of Manorbier Church in Wales voluntary controlled school opened on November 5 and runs until December 19.

The report is available on the council’s website, and hard copies are obtainable on request at [email protected] or by calling 01437 775164.

At the end of the consultation the feedback will be presented to a future meeting of the county council, members then considering whether to proceed with the proposal or not.

Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald

THE GROWING crisis over children’s reading standards in Wales has deepened following revelations suggesting confusion and potential bias at the heart of the education inspection system.

Following an ITV News investigation, the Welsh Conservatives have called for urgent action to ensure that reading in Welsh schools is taught using evidence-based methods — rather than outdated or discredited theories.

Estyn under scrutiny

Estyn, the body responsible for inspecting schools in Wales, is facing criticism after ITV News uncovered evidence that inspectors continue to reference and even praise so-called “cueing” methods — where children are encouraged to guess words using pictures or context.

International research over several decades, including the UK Government’s 2006 Rose Review and findings from the US National Reading Panel, has shown that systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) is the most reliable and effective approach to teaching children to read.

Despite this, Estyn officials have appeared to defend cueing as part of a “balanced” model. When asked to provide evidence for the effectiveness of such methods, the inspectorate reportedly cited studies that did not support the approach.

In response, Estyn said it does not endorse any single reading method and that its inspections recognise a range of effective strategies. However, critics argue that the tone and examples used in Estyn reports amount to an implicit endorsement of cueing alongside phonics.

Expert resignations and controversy

Concerns have intensified following the resignation of literacy expert Elizabeth Nonweiler from the Welsh Government’s Expert Literacy Panel. Nonweiler, chair of the Reading Reform Foundation and a leading advocate for phonics, accused the government of embedding “mixed messages” in its new £8.2 million CAL:ON Cymru literacy programme.

It has also emerged that Estyn invited Professor Dominic Wyse — a well-known critic of phonics-focused teaching — to brief inspectors, while initially declining a request for Nonweiler to do the same.

The Welsh Government insists it “supports the systematic teaching of phonics” and that its literacy strategy includes direct support for phonics-based approaches. However, the row has exposed deep divisions over how literacy should be taught and evaluated.

A worsening reading crisis

The political row comes amid mounting evidence that thousands of pupils in Wales are leaving primary school unable to read at the expected standard. ITV News previously reported that up to 30 per cent of children finish primary education without secure reading skills, with Estyn inspection reports continuing to praise cueing-style methods in some cases.

International assessments paint a bleak picture. In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, 15-year-olds in Wales scored an average of 466 in reading — below the OECD average and significantly behind England’s score of 496.

Conservative response

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, said:

“These revelations are deeply concerning. It appears that the body responsible for upholding educational standards in Wales may be promoting flawed and damaging teaching methods.

“The evidence is crystal clear — systematic phonics works. The Welsh Conservatives are the only party committed to banning cueing and following the science by introducing phonics as part of our credible plan to improve education and deliver a better future for Wales.”

Government and Estyn respond

The Welsh Government said that phonics remains a supported part of the curriculum but emphasised that teachers must retain professional judgement in addressing the diverse needs of learners.

Estyn has since apologised for an internal email referring to Nonweiler as “evangelical about a single approach”, describing the comment as “an error”. It has pledged an “enhanced focus on reading” within its inspection framework for the next three years.

A matter of evidence and equity

Supporters of phonics say the research is overwhelming and that consistency is key. They argue that England’s shift to mandatory phonics testing and instruction led to measurable improvements in reading outcomes.

Others, however, defend a more “balanced” approach, emphasising comprehension and meaning-making as essential components of literacy. They warn that rigid adherence to phonics alone risks neglecting broader language development.

The road ahead

With Estyn due to increase its focus on reading, and the Expert Literacy Panel’s report still unpublished, pressure is growing on both the Welsh Government and the inspectorate to provide clarity.

For teachers, parents and pupils, the unanswered questions remain: What guidance will schools receive? How quickly will it change? And how will inspectors judge literacy teaching going forward?

As the debate continues, one fact is beyond dispute — reading is the foundation of all learning. For Wales, ensuring every child can read confidently and fluently is not just a matter of education policy, but of fairness and social justice.

Students from across South Wales gather at the National Botanic Garden for Cymbrogi Hackathon 2025

FORTY-TWO young finalists from schools across South Wales will gather at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on Friday (Nov 14) to showcase bold, innovative ideas to help tackle the climate crisis.

The Tomorrow’s Changemakers Hackathon 2025, hosted by Pembrokeshire-based education enterprise Cymbrogi Futures, brings together pupils aged 12 and 13 who have spent the past year developing solutions for sustainable tourism, energy, food and construction.

The event marks the culmination of a curriculum-aligned programme that has involved more than 1,000 learners from Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot. The programme links schools with industry partners including the Port of Milford Haven, Cwm Environmental and Morgan Sindall Construction, and supports Wales’ Net Zero 2050 target under the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Launching new ‘Futures Literacy’ module

During the hackathon, Cymbrogi Futures and the Future Generations Commission will launch a new ‘Futures Literacy’ module, designed to help students imagine and design a more sustainable future for Wales.

Future Generations Commissioner Derek Walker said: “The Well-being of Future Generations Act requires us to make better decisions now so that our future generations can benefit later. Creativity and imagination must be at the heart of that, and there’s no better place to start than the classroom.

“Through our collaboration with Cymbrogi, we’ve developed a new module to help students explore different possible futures and connect them to today’s challenges. We want to make Wales the most future-literate nation in the world.”

Empowering young innovators

Founder of Cymbrogi Futures, Liza Lort-Phillips, said: “These young people aren’t waiting for change – they’re creating it. From sustainable school design to regenerative tourism, their ideas are bold, practical and rooted in their communities. This is education with purpose.”

Director Ian Chriswick added: “Wales has a ground-breaking curriculum that asks us to teach the future. Yet many schools face burnout and low morale. This programme restores purpose and delivers the curriculum as it was meant to be.”

Industry leaders also backed the initiative. Anna Malloy, Communications and Marketing Director at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “By nurturing young people’s imagination and confidence, we’re helping to build thriving communities and enduring local economies.”

Owen Stacey, Senior Social Values Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, added: “We’ve seen first-hand how this programme bridges education and industry. For any business facing a green skills gap, this is an inspiring model of collaboration.”

A day of inspiration and action

The event includes live mentoring, intergenerational keynote speakers and collaborative judging, with adults encouraged to act as “cheerleaders first, judges second”. Awards will be presented for the most impactful and creative ideas.

Event details:
National Botanic Garden of Wales, Friday (Nov 14)
12:00pm – Lunch and networking
12:45pm – Keynotes and Futures module launch
1:15pm – Team pitches and judging
3:00pm – Awards and celebration

Cymbrogi Futures, named one of the UK’s top five Changemakers in Education (Big Change Awards 2021), has reached over 2,000 learners since 2022. The programme will expand to Swansea and Bridgend in 2026, with plans for Bristol and beyond in 2027.

For more information, visit www.cymbrogi.org.uk