Education

Pandemic impact on Welsh reading standards still felt, says Estyn

Published

4 months ago

September 12, 2024

A NEW report by Estyn has highlighted the ongoing negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils’ Welsh reading skills, emphasising the importance of promoting reading across the curriculum. The report, published today, explores how Welsh and bilingual schools are developing these crucial skills, revealing significant variations in reading standards among pupils aged 10 to 14.

The report, titled Developing Pupils’ Welsh Reading Skills from 10-14 Years of Age, outlines how the pandemic has affected pupils’ confidence and ability to read and communicate in Welsh. The findings indicate that, despite efforts by schools, many pupils continue to struggle with Welsh reading, and wide disparities remain between primary, secondary, and all-age schools.

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales, said: “It is unsurprising that we are still seeing the negative impact of the pandemic on pupils’ Welsh reading skills. However, our new report highlights good practice from schools and offers practical toolkits to help teachers develop pupils’ Welsh reading skills.”

The report identifies Welsh lessons and language sessions, as well as humanities subjects, as key areas where the most effective opportunities to develop reading skills occur. While many primary schools, and a few secondary schools, have successfully promoted reading for pleasure, the overall experiences designed to foster reading outside the classroom have decreased significantly, particularly in secondary schools, since the pandemic.

One of the challenges highlighted in the report is the difficulty of co-ordinating the development of reading skills consistently across different subjects and teachers, especially in secondary schools. This contrasts with primary schools, where a more unified approach is typically easier to implement.

Estyn has called for schools to strengthen opportunities for pupils to develop a broad range of reading skills across the curriculum. The inspectorate recommends that local authorities and the Welsh Government support schools in this endeavour. The report also presents a number of practical recommendations for school leaders, including a suite of toolkits designed to help teaching staff promote and enhance pupils’ reading abilities.

Evans added: “There are clear opportunities to improve how clusters of schools can work together to develop pupils’ reading skills and create more purposeful opportunities to nurture Welsh reading across the curriculum. Improving reading standards is a national priority, and we hope this report will help schools plan strategically to boost pupils’ interest, resilience, and confidence when reading in Welsh.”

Estyn’s report serves as a crucial reminder of the long-lasting effects of the pandemic on education, with a focus on how Welsh reading skills can be improved through a more integrated approach across all subjects. The inspectorate hopes that the report’s findings will spur school leaders, teachers, and policymakers to continue efforts in raising the standard of Welsh reading for pupils across Wales.

Community

County Show calling all Pembrokeshire parents and teachers

Published

8 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the county are invited to the next Food Story event, Nutritious, Delicious & Local, which will take place at the Pembrokeshire County Showground on Wednesday, March 5, and Thursday, March 6, 2025.

This exciting event, suitable for pupils from Year 2 to Year 11, will offer a hands-on learning experience focusing on health and well-being, as well as the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in local food production. Topics will include how weather and climate impact farming, the growth of crops, and the daily challenges faced by farmers.

Children will also have the chance to cook and sample local produce, making it a truly interactive and educational experience.

All primary and secondary schools across Pembrokeshire will receive an invitation and booking form to attend. If teachers have not received the email and would like to participate, they are encouraged to contact the Pembrokeshire Showground Office at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Don’t miss this opportunity to inspire the next generation about the importance of nutritious, local food!

Education

Former Haverfordwest High student wins South Hook LNG scholarship

Published

3 days ago

January 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PROMISING local law student, Alisha Akhtar, has been awarded South Hook LNG’s 2024 Scholarship, receiving £5,000 to support her academic journey. Alisha, a former Haverfordwest High pupil, is in her final year of an LLB Law degree at the University of Salford, Manchester, and is preparing to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) in two years.

The annual South Hook Scholarship is designed to encourage academic excellence and career ambition among Pembrokeshire students. Candidates go through a rigorous selection process that includes a written application and an informal interview, demonstrating South Hook’s commitment to supporting local education.

During a ceremony held at South Hook LNG, Alisha was presented with her award by the South Hook team. Speaking about the scholarship, she said: “My late parents worked tirelessly to provide opportunities they never had. This scholarship brings me closer to my goal of pursuing a career in law and honours my parents’ sacrifices. I am deeply grateful to South Hook LNG for believing in my potential.”

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG, praised Alisha’s determination, saying: “We are continually inspired by Pembrokeshire students. Alisha’s focus and commitment stood out, and we are pleased to support her in achieving her aspirations.”

South Hook LNG encourages local students pursuing higher education in engineering, science, or business-related fields to apply for their scholarship programme. Details for the 2025 award will be available on the company’s website in September.

Photo caption: Alisha Akhtar, South Hook LNG’s Scholarship recipient of 2024, with members of the South Hook team responsible for assessing the applications. (Pic: Supplied)

Education

New resource to support Welsh medium pupils

Published

1 week 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)