Education
Wales’s education performance falls to lowest-ever level
THE ORGANISATION of Economically Developed Countries (OECD) published its latest report on educational attainment (PISA) on Tuesday, December 5.
It shows students in Wales have slipped even further behind the other UK nations in a worst-ever set of results.
In Mathematics, the fall in attainment is the equivalent of a whole year’s education in the subject. Test marks also fell sharply in science and English.
Jeremy Miles, Wales’s Education Minister, said the results showed how the hangover from the pandemic affected students’ education.
His observation had clear merit, as PISA results fell worldwide, with attainment falling in all but ten of eighty-one OECD members.
Wales’s results put its education at the same level as Norway and the USA, and the nation’s results fell the same number of points in England and Scotland.
WHAT IS PISA?
PISA is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in member and non-member nations intended to evaluate educational systems by measuring 15-year-old school pupils’ academic performance in mathematics, science, and reading in PISA.
The PISA assessment is regarded, with some misgivings among educational experts, as a guide to the performance of education policies across 79 participating countries.
When the OECD last published the PISA report in 2020, Wales had caught up with the international average in all subjects.
In the new report, all home nations’ attainment fell, but Wales’s fell further than others.
MINISTER BLAMES PANDEMIC
Education Minister Jeremy Miles said: “Before the pandemic, we saw a strong improvement in literacy and numeracy standards in Wales. Sadly, it is clear that the pandemic has derailed some of this improvement.
“We have already started on a path of driving up standards in reading and maths, and we won’t let these results knock us off track.
“At the end of November (see this week’s Education section), we launched literacy and numeracy plans to help support learning and raise standards in these key areas.
“I have also published the first national report on our children’s reading and numeracy performance. I will do this annually to track recovery.
“We supported our schools and learners through the pandemic. We will stand together and support them now.”
Since 2022, schools in Wales have started implementing major long-term reforms, with the new Curriculum for Wales being taught and rolled out sequentially to reach all learners in all schools from 2026/27.
Jeremy Miles continued: “Our long-term education reforms have started after years of planning and, as the OECD says, improvement to education takes time.
“We have taken a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionise the quality of education in Wales and I’m confident we will deliver huge benefits for our young people.”
CONSERVATIVES CRITICISE “WIDENING GAP”
Following the usual hackneyed jibe at the Welsh Government’s plans to increase the number of Senedd members, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister Laura Anne Jones MS said: “The results are not a shock when we have a Labour Government which has so little regard for our children’s future that they cut the education budget this year. All governments should give pupils and teachers the tools to do their best and thrive.
“After 25 years of Labour running Welsh schools, we have a widening attainment gap. Sadly, again, Wales languishes at the bottom of international league tables.
“The Labour Education Minister needs to get a grip of his department and give our young people the start in life they deserve. He can start by getting 5,000 more teachers back into our classrooms after years of declining numbers and the desperately needed money to support growing ALN numbers in mainstream education.”
PLAID HIGHLIGHTS CHILD POVERTY
Plaid Cymru has criticised the handling of child poverty rates in Wales, which it says has contributed to the results, leading to high absenteeism in Welsh schools.
Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson, Heledd Fychan MS, said: “The PISA results published should be a wakeup call for the Welsh Government.
“Too many young people in Wales are living in poverty, pupil absences are unacceptably high, and many schools are facing a significant deficit in their budgets. Despite the hard work and dedication of an overstretched workforce, the pupil attainment gap is widening, and we cannot ignore the link between poverty and today’s disappointing results.
“Every child, no matter their background, should have an equal chance of success.
“We need more than platitudes and excuses from the Minister for Education in response to these results.
“Wales had a pre-Covid recruitment crisis in the education sector, the magnitude of which Ministers failed to grasp.
“Continuing and entrenching cuts to education will do nothing to put Wales on a path towards a turnaround in our PISA results.”
EDUCATION UNION UNSURPRISED
Emma Forrest, NEU’s Assistant General Secretary Regions, Wales, and Legal Strategy, said: “NEU Cymru members won’t be shocked by the OECD’s PISA results. They don’t tell us anything the education workforce doesn’t know – that across most OECD countries, schools need support in a post-pandemic situation.
“Comparison is difficult. We are particularly concerned that these results do not represent many countries’ full cohort of learners. Whilst this is understandable, it makes comparisons less meaningful in the context of the pandemic.
“Here in Wales, we have the new Curriculum for Wales, which none of the cohort tested in PISA have been taking.
“Suppose the Welsh Government wants to take anything from these results. In that case, it is an opportunity to ensure that they have a qualifications system which does not focus on tests and time-limited exams but gives young people a real chance to show what they can do.
“We will continue to work with the Welsh Government on the critical aspects of workload and professional development for the workforce, and how we can best support the wellbeing and expertise of staff, to ensure they are able to focus on children and their learning.”
Education
Relationships and Sexuality Education curriculum discussed at County Hall
A CALL for Pembrokeshire County Council to provide assurance that RSE education in the county was “both age appropriate and does not constitute grooming” was heard at County Hall last week.
In late 2022 a legal challenge against the teaching of young children about gender identity and sex in primary schools across Wales was lost.
Campaigners had launched a judicial review in the High Court against the Welsh Government’s new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum.
The curriculum was launched that September, seeing the mandatory teaching of relationships and sexuality education to children from the age of seven.
In a submitted question heard at the May 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, member of the public Valerie Sutherland had asked: “Given the legal challenge to the RSE curriculum by concerned parents against Welsh Government, can you confirm the council’s safeguarding team are happy that the RSE education provided is both age appropriate and does not constitute grooming?
“Secondly, given that a number of parents are unhappy about the content of the new curriculum and the loss of their right to withdraw children from classes, particularly in light of the Cass Review, how are you ensuring that parents’ values are respected and that trust in schools is not eroded?”
Responding, Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham said: “The safeguarding and education team has been actively involved in develop age-appropriate content for schools,” adding: “In faith schools work has been done with each diocese for RSE”.
“Each school has developed a plan for RSE and shared it with parents and learners at their school, parents have been provided with information by their school on how to raise their concerns about the RSE curriculum following the decision to make RSE mandatory for all learners.
“Schools are working with families through the challenges that this brings; each school community has provided sessions for parents on the curriculum, parents are being informed and they have the opportunity to discuss this with the school.”
Cllr Woodham advised parents to raise concerns through the schools’ complaints policy should they have any concerns.
Education
Senedd told of families’ struggles with new ALN system
FAR TOO many children and young people are unable to access support under Wales’ new additional learning needs system, leaving families at breaking point, the Senedd heard.
Jack Sargeant led a debate on a 15,000-name petition, submitted by Victoria Lightbown, raising concerns about implementation of the additional learning needs (ALN) system.
He said the ALN reforms have triggered more petitions in recent months than any other subject aside from 20mph, with five being considered by the petitions committee.
Mr Sargeant raised Estyn’s concerns about inconsistent application of reforms under the ALN Act, which is replacing the previous special educational needs (SEN) system.
The Labour MS, who chairs the petitions committee, said he has heard harrowing stories of parents having to fight against a system that sometimes feels inflexible and unsympathetic.
Buffy Williams, the newly elected chair of the Senedd’s education committee, said there is enthusiasm for the reform’s core principles but too much inconsistency on the ground.
She cautioned that a new category of pupils, with lower level additional needs, is emerging.
“They were on schools’ old SEN registers,” said the Labour backbencher.
“But for various reasons – which include funding, workload and perhaps the flexibility offered by the new curriculum – they are not being recognised as having ALN.”
Ms Williams, who represents Rhondda, said 32% fewer children were recorded as having SEN or ALN in the 2022/23 school year compared with 2020/21.
She raised concerns from the president of the education tribunal about “universal provision” being wrongly used as a reason not to give a child an individual development plan.
Saying the Act needs time to bed in, Ms Williams added that schools’ ALN co-ordinators need more dedicated non-teaching time to do their roles justice.
Sam Rowlands, for the Conservatives, raised concerns about far too many children falling through the gaps amid a massive overhaul of the system.
Mr Rowlands, the former Conwy Council leader, who represents North Wales in the Senedd, said parents also report issues with accountability.
Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary, warned that too many children and young people are unable to access the support they need.
She told the chamber she was moved to tears by stories of families at breaking point.
Ms Fychan recalled one parent telling her how they contemplated suicide due to the strain of constantly trying to fight for the support their child deserves.
“This is the level of concern in our community – support is desperately needed,” she said.
The South Wales Central MS raised concerns about “incredible” inconsistencies for learners who need additional support in Welsh.
She warned that disabled and neurodivergent children are being excluded from many of the things that make school fun, from school trips to Christmas concerts.
Peredur Owen Griffiths, her Plaid Cymru colleague, highlighted a sense of frustration and anger among parents stemming from dismay at substandard provision.
He quoted a letter from Blaenau Gwent Council to parents which warned schools “can no longer afford to recruit the required number of staff to support our most vulnerable learners”.
Hefin David, whose daughter is autistic, reflected on his own family’s experiences.
He said: “One of the things that happens when you have a child with additional learning needs, or ALN in your family, is that it isn’t a moment of revelation – it’s a slow discovery.”
The Labour MS for Caerphilly stressed the importance of educational and clinical support, warning that all too often the two are disconnected.
Dr David likened the system to a pinball machine that passes parents from pillar to post.
He said his daughter is clearly diagnosable and in the right place in the system, but: “The problem you’ve got is where the children have more grey-area diagnoses….
“It’s much harder for them to find their place in the system as well, and I know others have had that experience. That’s where we really need to pick up.”
Vikki Howells, a fellow Labour backbencher, stressed that the transition to the new ALN system is not yet complete, with phased implementation allowing lessons to be learned.
She said casework in her Cynon Valley constituency shows ALN must be a priority.
Ms Howells, a former teacher and assistant head of sixth form at Caerphilly’s St Cenydd Comprehensive, highlighted a Welsh Government announcement of a further £20m for ALN.
Mabon ap Gwynfor, the Plaid Cymru MS for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, called for educational support to be based more on need rather than a diagnosis.
The shadow health secretary raised examples of children aged six not getting a diagnosis until they are 12 or 13, leading to a delay in support at school.
Lynne Neagle, Wales’ new education secretary, said ALN reform was always going to be an ambitious, systemic programme of change and it remains early days.
Vowing action to improve implementation, she told the chamber her priorities are twofold: improving oversight and increasing consistency.
Responding to the debate on May 8, she said the Welsh Government has protected more than £50m this year for ALN reforms.
Ms Neagle said there are examples of excellent practice in Wales’ schools, with the sector embedding a new person-centred approach while running the SEN system in parallel.
But she recognised the challenges, telling MSs: “We do hear too often that the families of children with ALN have to fight for the right support and education – and this must change.”
Education
Young people dive into My River project to learn about Cleddau
DURING the Easter Holidays, young people from The Edge Youth Centre and the Army Welfare Service took part in a two-day environmental project in Haverfordwest in partnership with the Cleddau Project.
The ‘My River’ project enabled young people to connect with the River Cleddau, learn about the importance of looking after rivers and discuss what their river means to them as young people.
At the start of the project, the young people linked up with the West Wales Rivers Trust for the Big River Clean Up in Haverfordwest.
The young people helped clean up a stretch of the Western Cleddau River that runs alongside Bridge Meadow Park and Morrisons.
In the afternoon, they enjoyed an engaging session delivered by the Darwin Centre looking at the mini-beasts that live in our rivers under microscopes.
On day two the young people reflected on their findings creating a story with illustrator Fran Evans.
The young people created a piece of art telling the story of their river and the importance of looking after the river.
The story is called the ‘adventures of the trash trio’ and will be exhibited to the public at the ‘My River’ Art Exhibition at HaverHub, Quay Street, Haverfordwest at the end of June.
The young people will be coming back together in May Half-Term to explore the river in Haverfordwest by canoeing up the Western River Cleddau.
Steve Lewis, Senior Youth Worker said: “This project educated young people on the importance of our rivers and how they support wildlife, ecosystems and recreation activities. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm from the young people and to see them connecting with their river.”
This project has been made possible by funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
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