Education

Plaid urged to prioritise school funding as survey reveals poor state of buildings

Published

59 seconds ago

May 13, 2026

SCHOOL leaders have urged Wales’ new Plaid Cymru government to make school funding an urgent priority, after a union survey found more than half of respondents had buildings or areas closed or unfit for purpose.

NAHT Cymru said Welsh schools were facing “demoralising choices” between cuts to staffing, provision and essential repairs.

The school leaders’ union said 51% of Welsh members who responded to its latest survey reported buildings or areas that were either out of use or not fit for purpose.

More than nine in ten leaders, 91%, said they did not receive enough funding to maintain their school buildings and estate.

Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, said schools were under severe pressure, with some struggling with growing deficits.

She said: “There are many pressures contributing to this, from the increasing numbers of pupils with additional learning needs, a funding postcode lottery, rising costs, and the extra demands landing with schools after investment in health and social care failed to keep pace with demand.

“Many are facing demoralising choices between cutting teachers and teaching assistants, or wider educational provision — and between spending money on books or bricks.

“The simple truth is that schools are not getting the money they need to consistently deliver for pupils or even to maintain a safe and inspiring learning environment in some cases.”

Ms Doel said Plaid Cymru had spoken at its spring conference about “getting back to basics” in education.

She added: “What could be more basic than ensuring schools have sufficient funding?

“Now they have a golden opportunity to do the right thing and provide the urgent investment schools and children need.”

Call for fair funding

NAHT Cymru said the new administration would face competing demands, but argued there was a clear opportunity to “right a wrong” after it was confirmed last month that Wales would receive a further £555m in consequential funding from the UK Government over the next three years.

The union said the additional money was partly driven by significant increases in funding for pupils with additional needs in England.

Ms Doel said that during the 2026/27 budget process, the outgoing Welsh Government had failed to give schools their fair share of consequential funding.

She said an extra £113m had been offered to councils, but there were no guarantees it would reach schools, which face a £137m budget shortfall this financial year, according to the Welsh Local Government Association.

She added: “The additional consequential funding announced means Plaid now have an open goal to deliver a quick win for schools and right the wrong which saw them fail to receive anywhere near enough of the extra funding which previously came to Wales.

“We know the new Welsh Government will face difficult financial decisions, but little is more important than children’s learning and wellbeing, and the life chances that flow from those.”

Buildings concern

NAHT Cymru said Plaid’s manifesto had promised to survey the condition of the school estate.

Ms Doel said such a survey might provide a fuller picture, but added: “Ultimately it will only tell us what we already know from our own conversations with school leaders — that new funding is needed to better maintain, refurbish and rebuild schools.

“No child should have to learn in some of the conditions laid bare in our survey. It really is appalling.”

Among leaders who reported areas closed or unfit for purpose, 93% said basic building infrastructure such as windows, roofs and doors was not fit for purpose, while 2% said such facilities were out of use.

Toilet blocks were reported as not fit for purpose by 70%, with a further 2% saying they were closed.

Classrooms were reported as unfit by 64% of affected leaders, while 63% raised concerns about specialist facilities for additional learning needs, including dedicated classrooms, sensory rooms and outdoor spaces. A further 3% said ALN facilities were out of use.

Playgrounds were the area most likely to be reported as closed, with 8% of affected leaders saying they had playgrounds out of use.

One Welsh school leader told the union: “Our school is slowly but surely rotting away. With every passing winter — every storm, every period of wet and rainy weather — the leaks are getting bigger and more numerous, the drains are overflowing, the playgrounds, pavements and road surfaces on site are crumbling beneath our feet.

“We now have broken buildings for forgotten children. This is no way to raise and educate our most cherished resource in the 21st century.”

Another said their school had been in a six-figure deficit for three years and now had just £1,000 left in its repairs and maintenance budget.

They said: “We are a large school with over 400 pupils — £1,000 won’t cover an inch of the site.”

NAHT’s capital funding survey was carried out between February 2 and February 16 this year and was completed by 127 school leaders in Wales. Of those asked whether they had received enough capital funding over the last three years to develop their buildings and estate to meet pupils’ needs, 98% said they had not.

Education

Positive Estyn report celebrates strengths of Prendergast Community Primary School

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SCHOOL RECOGNISED FOR INCLUSIVE ETHOS, STRONG SAFEGUARDING AND PUPIL WELLBEING

PRENDERGAST COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL is celebrating a highly positive inspection report from Estyn, which highlights the school’s strong sense of community, inclusive ethos, and commitment to pupil wellbeing and progress.

Inspectors described the school as “an inclusive, supportive community with a strong safeguarding culture”, where pupils feel respected, valued, and able to influence school life through leadership groups.

Pupils’ behaviour was also praised, with inspectors noting that it contributes to a calm and purposeful learning environment.

Strong support for learners

The report highlights the strong relationships between staff and pupils, which help foster enthusiasm for learning.

Inspectors also recognised the school’s approach to supporting learners as a key strength. Staff use assessment effectively to monitor progress and provide strong support for pupils with additional learning needs, those from low-income households, and children from service families.

Curriculum praised

The school’s curriculum was praised for being shaped by staff, governors, pupils and parents, ensuring it reflects both the local community and the wider world.

Pupils’ literacy and numeracy development was also highlighted positively. Inspectors found that pupils communicate confidently in English while developing strong Welsh speaking skills.

Reading is taught systematically, helping pupils become fluent readers, while mathematics provision supports the development of number skills and reasoning.

Spotlight recognition

School leaders were commended for maintaining a clear focus on pupil wellbeing and progress.

The report notes that robust monitoring and evaluation, alongside strong professional learning for staff, are helping to drive ongoing improvements. Inspectors also highlighted the effective use of grant funding to reduce the impact of poverty, as well as the strength of partnerships with parents and other schools.

The school was awarded a “Spotlight” by Estyn, recognising highly effective practice worthy of sharing with other schools. The spotlight focused on the school’s pupil-led library, which promotes a culture of reading across the school.

Headteacher Louise John said: “We are delighted that the inspection recognised the many strengths of the school and we are extremely proud of our pupils, staff, governors and families.

“We remain committed to continuous improvement and we welcome current and prospective families to our next open day on Tuesday, May 12, from 3:30pm to 6:00pm.”

Education

Holocaust survivor’s story shared with pupils at Ysgol Greenhill

Published

6 days ago

May 7, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MORE than 150 pupils at Ysgol Greenhill have heard the moving Holocaust testimony of the late Zigi Shipper BEM, who survived some of the most terrible events of the Second World War.

The special visit took place on Tuesday (May 5), when Mrs Lu Lawrence came to the school to speak about the life of her father.

Zigi Shipper survived the Lodz ghetto, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Stutthof concentration camp and a death march, among other traumatic events. When he was liberated by British forces, he was just 15 years old.

Mrs Lawrence spoke to Key Stage 3 and GCSE pupils, sharing not only her father’s testimony but also her own family’s story.

Ysgol Greenhill said more than 150 students attended the session and were “exceptionally well behaved”, asking thoughtful questions during the visit.

The school said: “In the current climate of increasing anti-Semitism, understanding the dangers of prejudice is more important than ever.”

The visit was arranged by the Holocaust Educational Trust, which works with schools to ensure young people continue to learn about the Holocaust and the dangers of hatred and discrimination.

The session gave pupils an opportunity to hear a deeply personal account of survival, loss and resilience, and to reflect on why Holocaust education remains so important today.

Photo caption:

Important lesson: Mrs Lu Lawrence visited Ysgol Greenhill to share the Holocaust testimony of her late father Zigi Shipper BEM (Pic: Ysgol Greenhill).

Community

Sixth-former firefighter balances schoolwork with saving lives

Published

7 days ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

WHEN the alerter sounds, 18-year-old Bobi Jones swaps his school for his local fire station, serving as one of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s (MAWWFRS) youngest On-Call Firefighters.

He responds to incidents in his own time and has been granted special permission by his school, Ysgol Bro Teifi to leave free periods whenever an emergency call comes in.

Bobi applied to become an on-call firefighter shortly before his 18th birthday and follows in the footsteps of his brother, father, uncle and grandfather, marking three generations of firefighters and over 75 years of combined service. His family’s legacy reflects the strong community roots and sense of duty that have underpinned MAWWFRS for three decades.

Having spent time around his local fire station and the fire and rescue service from a young age, Bobi was keen to join the service. With an upcoming point of entry test, he applied as soon as he was eligible.

After completing his initial training, Bobi joined the crew at Newcastle Emlyn Fire Station in November 2025 and has enjoyed responding to incidents while further building his skills and knowledge. One standout incident was a fire at a local gym where he was involved in rolling out hoses and establishing safety lines.

As well as following in his family’s footsteps, Bobi says he joined MAWWFRS as he wanted to support his local community, which he has found really rewarding. Alongside his operational role and playing for Newcastle Emlyn Rugby Club, Bobi is studying A-Level Business and Sport and plans to start an electrician apprenticeship after finishing school, with a long-term goal of becoming a Wholetime Firefighter.

Talking about balancing his role as an on-call firefighter with life as a sixth-form pupil at Ysgol Bro Teifi in Llandysul, Bobi said: “There’s a good crew here at Newcastle Emlyn Station, which includes members of my family. We all support each other and there’s great camaraderie here.”

Asked what advice he would give to anyone considering becoming an on-call firefighter, Bobi added: “I would say absolutely go for it, the availability options are flexible enough to suit everyone and the Service is always recruiting for more on-call firefighters.”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is currently recruiting for on-call firefighters who, like Bobi, remain an essential part in protecting communities.
The role of an on-call Firefighter provides many opportunities for personal and professional development, through training, teamwork, leadership and problem solving. On-call firefighters receive payment for their services, including retainer fees and call-out payments, supplementing their income from other employment.