Community mural project earns Wales title and trip to London finals

A GROUP of young people from Haverfordwest High School are celebrating a major achievement after being crowned Wales country final winners at the King’s Trust Awards 2026.

The students secured the JD Foundation Community Impact Award and will now represent Wales at the King’s Trust National Awards in London.

The award recognises an outstanding community project delivered through the King’s Trust Achieve Programme, a Key Stage four GCSE option offered at the school and delivered locally by Pembrokeshire Youth Service.

Led by school-based youth worker Ell Lewis, the programme supports pupils who may find traditional academic routes challenging, including those facing emotional, social or caring responsibilities.

As part of their Community Impact project, the group identified a vandalised pedestrian tunnel in Haverfordwest that is used daily by students travelling to and from school. Determined to improve the space, they worked together to design and paint a large-scale mural celebrating wellbeing, identity and local pride.

The once run-down underpass has now been transformed into a colourful and welcoming feature, drawing praise from residents and passers-by.

Community members described the artwork as uplifting and inspiring, with many noting the positive difference it has made to young people using the route each day.

One participant said: “This project is our legacy. We’ve created something lasting that represents who we are and where we come from. It’s amazing what a cup of tea and a conversation can lead to.”

Mr Lewis said the benefits extended far beyond the finished mural.

He said: “Beyond its physical impact, the project has helped the young people build confidence, teamwork, leadership and communication skills. Their courage, resilience and ambition can’t be faulted. I am incredibly proud of them. All members of the group have since progressed into further education or employment.”

The students secured funding through the Pembrokeshire Youth Bank Grant and received support from local businesses including GD Harris & Sons. They also worked with local councillors, the local authority and local artist Lloyd Griffiths.

Additional funds were raised through school-led activities including bake sales and raffles.

The group will now travel to London to compete in the national finals, representing both their school and Pembrokeshire on a national stage.

Cover photo:

Proud moment: Members of the Haverfordwest High School group at the Wales King’s Trust Awards ceremony (Pic: Supplied).

THE SPOTLIGHT will be on the Senedd election in May and the development ofa new Apprenticeship Programme for Wales, starting in August 2027, when work-based learning practitioners gather for their annual conference in March.

‘Shaping Skills for a New Era’ is the theme of the conference organised by the National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW), which represents work-based learning providers across the country, at Cardiff City Stadium on March 10.

Bookings are now open for the conference which marks a pivotal moment for the future of apprenticeships, with the Senedd election and the next phase of the new apprenticeship programme on the horizon.

“The strength of our sector lies in collaboration,” said Lisa Mytton, NTFW strategic director. “By bringing providers, employers and stakeholders together, we can design a future-ready apprenticeship programme that responds to industry needs, supports learners from every background, and builds a resilient workforce for a changing world.”

There will be speakers from Medr, the tertiary education regulator in Wales, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Cavendish Cymru, Agored Cymru – conference headline sponsor, and City & Guilds.

Cavendish Cymru will preview how the Senedd will change following the May 7 election, review recent polling and speculate about the likely composition of the new Welsh Government.

“Agored Cymru is delighted to continue its headline sponsorship of the NTFW Conference,” said Darren Howells, Agored Cymru chief executive. “By creating world class bilingual vocational qualifications and apprenticeship frameworks, it is our aim to drive economic growth and ensure the future skills needs in Wales are met through engagement, foresight and innovation.

“We are proud to work with such committed and passionate providers to ensure individuals, whatever their background or circumstances, have the knowledge and skills to achieve their career aspirations and to contribute to a prosperous and thriving economy.”

Delegates will also be able to participate in a series of eight workshops, including the future Apprenticeship Programme for Wales, which will be run by Medr. They will hear about key projects that are shaping the programme to be more responsive when addressing skills priorities for a changing economy.

In their workshop, Qualifications Wales will explore how to build meaningful, sustained relationships with employers, so that post-16 vocational regulated qualifications are matched to the evolving skills needed.

Resilient Futures Coach will lead an interactive workshop, giving practitioners a set of resilience-boosting tools they can use for themselves and with their learners, while Careers Wales will explore how impartial careers guidance empowers young people to make informed decisions about their future.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes skills across Wales, apprenticeships are on the frontline. Jisc’s workshop theme is ‘AI and skills for the future Welsh workforce’.

The Education Workforce Council will explore the role of professional registration and regulation in work-based learning, Estyn will explore literacy and numeracy skills support for apprentices and Regional Skills Partnership chairs will share the latest regional intelligence, emerging skills priorities and future plans.

ATTENDANCE was formally identified as one of the key weaknesses at Milford Haven School after inspectors placed the school into special measures — an issue that has also been raised at the Senedd as part of growing concern about school attendance across Wales.

In its November 2025 inspection report, Estyn made six recommendations for improvement at Milford Haven School, including a specific call to improve attendance, listed as Recommendation R5. Inspectors concluded that special measures were required and said progress would be monitored regularly.

The focus on attendance locally mirrors a broader national debate, after figures discussed in the Senedd showed that attendance levels across Wales remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels, particularly among vulnerable pupils.

During Spokesperson’s Questions to the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Welsh Conservatives highlighted that more than half of the most vulnerable pupils in Wales were persistently absent during 2024/25, compared with 30.4 per cent in 2018/19. Persistent absence is defined as missing at least ten per cent of school sessions in a year.

The figures also showed that Year 11 pupils recorded the lowest attendance, averaging 86.8 per cent in 2024/25 — 6.4 percentage points lower than before the pandemic.

Political reaction

Following the exchange, Natasha Asghar MS, the Welsh Conservatives’ shadow cabinet secretary for education, said the Welsh Government was failing to meet its own targets on attendance.

She said the government had promised to restore attendance to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the current Senedd term, but warned that with only a few months remaining, that commitment looked unlikely to be met.

She said vulnerable pupils were being disproportionately affected, adding that behind the figures were children missing out on learning, with potential long-term consequences for their education and future prospects.

The Welsh Conservatives also criticised the recent Labour–Plaid Cymru budget agreement, arguing that it would not deliver the changes needed to improve attendance or educational outcomes.

Local and national pressure

Estyn’s recommendation to improve attendance at Milford Haven School comes alongside other concerns highlighted in the inspection, including teaching quality, leadership and management, facilities, and financial oversight.

The inspection found that attendance at the school was below that of similar schools and well below pre-pandemic levels — a pattern reflected across much of Wales, according to national data.

Education professionals and children’s organisations have repeatedly warned that attendance challenges are closely linked to wider issues, including mental health, additional learning needs, family pressures and disengagement following the pandemic.

What happens next

Under the special measures process, Milford Haven School is required to produce a detailed action plan setting out how it will address Estyn’s recommendations, including attendance. Inspectors are expected to return every four to six months to monitor progress.

Pembrokeshire County Council has previously said it is working closely with the school and Estyn to support improvements, while the Welsh Government has said it continues to work with local authorities to improve attendance and re-engage pupils.

As scrutiny of school standards intensifies both locally and nationally, attendance is likely to remain a central issue — for Milford Haven School and for education policy across Wales.