Education

Pembrokeshire’s drive to inspire the next generation of teachers

Published

20 seconds ago

November 28, 2024

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, in collaboration with Pembrokeshire College, has launched a new campaign to inspire school leavers to pursue a rewarding career in teaching.

The initiative, supported by local schools, community partners, and current educators, aims to highlight the profound impact teachers can have on future generations and encourage school leavers to consider teaching as a career path.

With over 60 schools in the county, there is a growing demand for passionate and skilled educators to foster a bilingual and forward-thinking education system in Pembrokeshire. The campaign aims to nurture the next generation of teachers by sharing real-life stories from current educators in Pembrokeshire, providing insight into the career and encouraging young people to explore teaching as a fulfilling option.

Two local educators, Braint Llewellyn and Alisha John, have shared their personal teaching journeys to help inspire school leavers across Pembrokeshire.

Braint, 25, a primary school teacher at Ysgol Caer Elen, grew up in the Preseli Mountains in north Pembrokeshire. Braint’s passion for teaching is deeply rooted in her Welsh heritage and her desire to help children to embrace Welsh culture and language.

“Being able to teach through the medium of Welsh is an honour,” says Braint. “It’s rewarding to know I’m helping to shape the future of the Welsh language and culture.”

After completing a History degree at Cardiff University, Braint spent nearly two years as a teaching assistant before deciding to take on more responsibility in the classroom. She then completed her Primary PGCE at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Now in her second year of teaching, she cherishes the relationships she builds with her students and the variety of her role.

Braint’s message to young people considering teaching is simple: “Go for it! Teaching is tough at times, but the reward of helping shape young minds and being a constant source of support for your students makes it all worth it.”

Similarly, Alisha, a 23-year-old PE teacher at Ysgol Greenhill School in Tenby, has had a non-traditional path into teaching. Originally from Llanelli, she initially planned to become a physiotherapist after leaving school, but decided to pursue teaching after seeing the impact her PE teachers had on her life during her GCSEs and A-Levels.

Alisha completed her degree in Physical Education at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and her Secondary PGCE at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Now in her second year of teaching, she is passionate about helping students engage with physical education and break down barriers to learning. She said, “Seeing students who were previously disengaged now bringing their kit to class and attending after-school clubs is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.”

Alisha’s advice to anyone thinking about a career in teaching is to embrace the opportunity. “Teaching is incredibly rewarding. You get to make a difference in the lives of young people and watch them grow in confidence and ability. Every day is an opportunity to inspire.”

Steven Richards-Downes, director of education at Pembrokeshire Council said, “Teachers have a unique power to shape young minds, inspiring creativity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. We’re committed to attracting and retaining talented educators, with initiatives like our Coaching & Mentoring program to support NQTs in their first year.

“Pembrokeshire’s diverse range of Welsh and English medium, as well as faith-based schools, aims to inspire students not just to fill roles, but to ensure our schools continue providing top-quality education for the future.”

For more information on how to begin your journey towards a teaching career, visit https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning.

To find out more about the campaign, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJINeUhKRBM

Education

South Hook delivers vital safety lessons to Pembrokeshire children

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE’S CRUCIAL CREW event returned earlier this month, delivering essential safety lessons to year six pupils from across the county.

Now in its 31st year, Wales’ longest-running Crucial Crew programme hosted nearly 1,300 children from 44 schools at Scolton Manor Park’s Barn – the event’s first time at this venue. The initiative, organised by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Road Safety Team, is supported by South Hook LNG Terminal.

Since its inception in 1993, more than 40,000 Pembrokeshire schoolchildren have taken part in the interactive workshops designed to teach critical safety skills. Aimed at year six pupils, the programme continues to play a key role in preparing children for a safer future as they transition to secondary school.

Covering a wide range of everyday scenarios, the workshops provide guidance on water, fire, road, and rail safety, as well as school bus evacuation, electrical hazards, internet safety, and handling dogs. The programme also addresses serious topics such as domestic violence. Through these hands-on scenarios, children develop practical knowledge that can stay with them for life.

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG Terminal, expressed pride in supporting the initiative: “Having backed Crucial Crew for the past fifteen years, we are incredibly proud to continue our involvement in a programme that teaches our children such diverse and valuable safety skills. Our thanks to all the dedicated individuals from various agencies who make this event possible.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, echoed this sentiment: “Pembrokeshire County Council is proud to be a partner in this fantastic scheme, supporting our young people to be safer now and in the future. We are grateful for the commitment of everyone involved in delivering Crucial Crew.”

This year’s event featured contributions from key organisations, including:

Pembrokeshire Domestic Abuse Services
Road Safety and School Transport teams
National Grid and Network Rail
Welsh Ambulance Service
Dyfed Powys Police
Mid and West Wales Fire Service
John Burns Foundation
HM Coastguard and the RNLI

Education

Landfill odours breach air quality guidelines near Spittal School

Published

3 days ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

AIR quality near Spittal School has breached World Health Organisation (WHO) odour annoyance guidelines due to emissions from the Withyhedge landfill site, sparking health concerns among residents.

Public Health Wales (PHW) revealed that hydrogen sulphide levels exceeded the WHO odour annoyance threshold of 5ppb at the Spittal School monitoring station between October 1 and November 3. The colourless gas, known for its eggy smell, can cause symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness, and throat irritation when present at elevated levels.

**Henry Tufnell MP (centre) at visit to Withyhedge Landfill Site**

Community complaints lead to monitoring

Air quality monitoring began earlier this year after Natural Resources Wales (NRW) received numerous complaints about odours linked to the landfill. While other monitoring sites recorded no such exceedances between September 7 and 22, PHW acknowledged the distress caused by the smells.

A PHW spokesperson said: “Bad smells in your community can be upsetting and lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and sleep problems. These effects usually pass once the odour is gone.”

***Stop the Stink: There have been several protests by locals over smells from the landfill site***

Health risk remains low

PHW emphasised that the long-term health risk to residents remains low. However, it advises residents to close windows and doors when odours occur to reduce exposure, while ensuring proper ventilation for safety. Once the smell dissipates, opening windows can help clear residual odours.

Calls for regulatory action

NRW stated that it is committed to ensuring the site operator, RML, takes steps to minimise emissions that could cause offsite odours. PHW, while monitoring the situation, clarified it has no regulatory authority over landfill operations.

“We understand the stress and anxiety caused by these odours,” said a PHW spokesperson. “We will continue reviewing and updating the health risk assessment as more data becomes available.”

Local residents continue to call for stronger action to address the issue, as the unpleasant odours disrupt daily life and raise ongoing concerns.

Education

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

6 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.