Education

Pembrokeshire County Council Failings lead to set up of Education Recovery Board

Published

12 years ago

August 30, 2013

Concerned parents and guardians of our County’s children will be disappointed with the decision by the Welsh Assembly to appoint a Welsh Recovery Board to oversee improvements, once again, in Pembrokeshire County Council’s education service. This comes after nearly two years of our Council attempting to resolve this worrying situation, without, it would appear, satisfactory success.

In 2011, a report by Children Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, led to a team being sent by the Assembly with the purpose of overseeing change in Pembrokeshire County Council’s policies and systems for safeguarding children and young people. These were judged to be ‘unfit for purpose’ by ESTYN who had produced a report at that time.

Council leader at the time, John Davies, assured voters and County constituents that Pembrokeshire County Council were not hiding from the matters raised, and he promised improvements and change in order to meet the requirements of both ESTYN and the Welsh Assembly.

It will come as grim news, therefore, that now Ministers from the Welsh Government have stated that changes in how our Pembrokeshire County Council safeguards children are not happening fast enough. As a result of this dissatisfaction, Huw Lewis, the Assembly Education Minister, along with Local Government Minister, Lesley Griffiths, have decided to set up a Recovery Board to oversee these required improvements in Pembrokeshire’s Education Services.

Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Jamie Adams, is quoted as saying he welcomes the board, having already had productive meetings with them.

Reading from a local newspaper’s message board, and in response to this developing story, it was clear from the comments attached to the story, that parents are angered and dismayed by the seeming inability of Pembrokeshire County Council to resolve issues and problems directed at them from some two years ago, despite Assembly assistance.

In April of this year, the Pembrokeshire Ministerial Board was wound up after more than a year and a half advising the local authority on changes to its policies and operation for safeguarding children.

In a Welsh Government written statement, Huw Edwards, Minister for Education, commented on an ESTYN report published in December 2012 that had said of Pembrokeshire, ‘The Authority’s education services were found to be unsatisfactory’, and it further went on to say that they had, ‘judged Pembrokeshire’s prospects for improvement as unsatisfactory’. As well as that, it stated that, ‘corporate leaders and senior elected members have been too slow to recognise key issues in safeguarding’. Of Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr Lewis continued by adding that, ‘arrangements lack rigour and do not identify, accurately, areas in need of further improvement and the Authority has made limited progress in addressing recommendations from previous inspections’.

In support of those who provide the day to day education in our County, Angela Davies, Shadow Minister for Education and local AM, said that,

“Education services in Pembrokeshire have gone through a torrid time over the past few years but parents and pupils must hold fast to the fact that the majority of the teaching profession are totally committed to providing an excellent education for Pembrokeshire children”.

She was, however, quite clear as to where the blame should lie for the failings of the County Council education services and said,

“The ongoing problems stemmed from inadequate management practices within education services and a poor attitude to the proper safeguarding of children. Like all parents I know that I expect my children to be treated well and kept safe at school. Their well being and safety is of equal importance as the education they receive, and it was with a great sense of shock that we learnt of the adverse, and, at times, damning reports from Estyn and CSSIW which were the reasons for the initial Pembrokeshire Ministerial Board and for education services to be put into special measures.

The key issues appear to be inadequate oversight of key services, a lack of action when things went wrong, inadequate management, weak representation and an overly strong officer culture resistant to change. Since then a number of agencies have examined aspects of education and safeguarding in Pembrokeshire and there appears to be a sense that improvements are ongoing but are happening too slowly.

The fact that the Welsh Government have felt able to replace the Ministerial Board with a Recovery Board is good news and I am sure that Pembrokeshire’s appointment of a new Head of Education Services will usher in a more dynamic and constructive era.”

She also went on to make further comment on the Assembly’s role in education for Wales,

“I am concerned that there are so many local authority education services in special measures throughout Wales and I have called on the Welsh Government to explain why this is so.

It is also concerning to note that the General Teaching Council for Wales is not being inundated with lots of disciplinary cases arising from all these special measures and I would have thought that if education is so very bad in Wales, given the six Authorities in special measures, then the GTC would be flat out.

I am aware that the Government has an agenda for change and there are recommendations that there should be fewer local education authorities, ultimately, perhaps, leading to fewer county councils. However, I do not want to see education services, teachers and, above all, our children’s present and future being used to crowbar change. So I challenge the Government to ensure their actions are crystal clear and their motives pure.”

It is to be hoped that for the sake of our County’s children and for the peace of mind of parents and guardians alike that this Recovery Board is able, finally, to steer our County Council’s education services in the right direction, and resolve the safeguarding issues that remain of grave concern to all those who work in those areas where children are involved. As one local teacher put it, “No one wants to see a repeat of what happened at the Pupil Referral Unit in Neyland or read again about twenty-five cases of alleged professional abuse, as happened between 2007 and 2011”.

Education

Primary school application deadline reminder

Published

3 days ago

December 1, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PARENTS or guardians of children in Pembrokeshire born between 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2022 are invited to apply for a Primary school place (Reception year group) for September 2026 by the closing date of 31st January 2026.

Applications received after this date will be considered late which may have a bearing on whether your child gets a place at your preferred school.

It is important to note that a school place will not be allocated unless a formal application is received.

The online application form can be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning under ‘Apply for a School Place’.

There is no need to re-apply if you have already submitted an application form. You can view your current applications by logging into your My Account and into the ‘Schools & Learning’ ‘School Admissions & Transport’ section.

For further information on the school admissions process, please view our Information to Parents

Parents/guardians will be informed of the allocation of places on the common offer date of 16th April 2026.

Crime

Former Swansea headteacher banned after exposing himself to staff

Published

5 days ago

November 29, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA primary school headteacher who repeatedly exposed himself to female colleagues – both on school grounds and during a school trip – has been barred from working in education in Wales for at least fifteen years.

James “Jamie” Richards, who led Cadle Primary School between 2011 and 2021, was removed from the Education Workforce Council (EWC) register after a professional conduct panel found numerous allegations against him proven. The panel described his behaviour as “harassing, abusive and predatory”.

Richards, a father-of-two, did not attend the four-day hearing, was not represented, and did not respond to the allegations. The panel therefore treated all allegations as denied but considered them on the evidence before them.

Staff left traumatised

During the hearing, several current and former staff members gave accounts of being left “shocked”, “numb”, and “frightened” by Richards’ actions.

One woman said she was summoned to his office and found him standing next to his desk with his trousers and underwear around his ankles. Another member of staff recalled him showing explicit images on his phone during a meeting, while others described a video he displayed of himself touching his genitals.

Five women in total told the panel that Richards had exposed himself to them. Some said they had been too scared to report what happened at the time. One recalled him saying he “can’t help myself” after an incident.

The panel heard that Richards did not return a school-issued laptop during an internal investigation in 2021 – the same device he was said to have used to display naked images of himself.

One complainant told the hearing she felt “silenced” and let down after Richards was allowed to resign while the school’s internal investigation was underway. She also described feeling “unbelieved” when South Wales Police later decided there was no criminal case to answer.

Concerns over dishonesty

The panel was told that Richards had refused to participate in an independent internal investigation at the school in 2021. He claimed, via his union, that ill health prevented him from being interviewed.

However, evidence from a Swansea Council fraud team contradicted this. Investigators filmed Richards driving and playing golf with friends at a time when he was claiming he was too unwell to co-operate.

Presenting officer Sara Lewis said Richards had abused his position of trust and had told frightened staff not to speak out.

Struck off until at least 2040

The EWC panel said it had no information about Richards’ current employment or whether he planned to return to teaching. However, it concluded that his behaviour amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and that striking him off was the only appropriate outcome.

Richards cannot apply for reinstatement until November 2040. He has 28 days to appeal the decision to the High Court.

Education

Pembrokeshire talent strike gold as Wales hosts WorldSkills UK finals for first time

Published

6 days ago

November 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WALES has hosted the WorldSkills UK National Finals for the very first time – marking a historic milestone for the nation and showcasing its largest ever team of competitors.

Following the Team Wales Torch Relay, which toured the country to celebrate skills and unite colleges and communities, the Finals brought together more than 400 of the UK’s top apprentices and learners who competed for the title of best in their trade.

From 26–28 November, events were held across five venues in South Wales, covering over 40 skill areas including engineering, digital, construction, hospitality and the creative industries.

The results were revealed during a medal ceremony at ICC Wales on Friday, 28 November, where Team Wales achieved an exceptional 57 medals in total.

Pembrokeshire College students excelled on the national stage, securing 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze and 2 Highly Commended medals. Competitors also delivered an impressive performance in Foundation Skills, bringing home 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Highly Commended – underlining Wales’ commitment to inclusive, accessible skills development.

This year’s Finals featured 122 Welsh competitors – the highest number Wales has ever fielded. Welsh entrants made up around 30% of all UK competitors, highlighting both the depth of skills talent in Wales and the impact of sustained investment in training and facilities.

Bronze medallist Mason Aitchison, who competed in Welding, said he was delighted with his achievement.

“After getting Silver at Skills Competition Wales, the WorldSkills UK National Finals felt like the natural next step for me.
I’ve put in so much practice to improve my welding skills, and competing has really helped me grow. Learning from trainers, tutors and peers has been invaluable – it’s all about building your skills through practice.”

Minister for Skills Jack Sargeant praised Team Wales’ performance.

“I’d like to extend a huge congratulations to Team Wales on their outstanding success at this year’s WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Hosting the Finals for the first time has been a proud moment for our nation, and the achievements of our competitors highlight their dedication and the exceptional quality of vocational talent we have here in Wales.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, added: “These exceptional young people represent the future of our economy. They are the new generation of highflyers who will give UK employers a competitive edge. Our competitions, based on global standards, play a vital role in developing the skills that will drive investment, create jobs and fuel economic growth.”

WorldSkills UK, the Welsh Government and Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales welcomed leading employers, global industry experts and representatives from across the UK’s education and training sector to watch the Finals unfold.

Skills competitions in Wales begin at regional level through Skills Competition Wales, before progressing to national and then international WorldSkills stages.

Medallists at WorldSkills UK may now be selected for Squad UK, with the opportunity to represent their country at future global competitions.

For more information on WorldSkills UK and SkillBuild, or to get involved as a competitor, tutor or employer, visit: https://inspiringskills.gov.wales
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