Powys: Acting head appointed at Ysgol Bro Caereinion
A senior education officer from Powys County Council has been appointed to take over at a school after the head and deputy both resigned.
Anwen Orrells has been appointed as acting headteacher of Ysgol Bro Caereinion following "an extensive recruitment process" overseen by the school's governing body.
Mrs Orrells, is a fluent Welsh speaker with over 30 years' experience in education, including more than 16 years in educational leadership, curriculum design, and school improvement.
Her previous roles have included Service Manager for the Education Support Service and Secondary School Challenge Adviser with the council as well as senior leadership positions at Caereinion High School and as a teacher at Builth Wells High School.
Mrs Orells is currently Head of School Improvement and Learning at Powys County Council and Strategic Lead for the Mid Wales Education Partnership.
The school released a statement saying it was overjoyed that she had accepted their offer for her to fill in the role after the resignation of headteacher Huw Lloyd-Jones and deputy Edward Baldwin from their positions.
'I'm delighted to announce that we have offered the post of Acting Headteacher to Mrs Anwen Orrells and she has accepted the offer,' said Ysgol Bro Caereinion's chair of governors, Myfanwy Alexander.
'A familiar face to many in the school community, Mrs Orrells combines strategic knowledge, leadership skills and unrivalled talents as a teacher. The Governing Body has the utmost faith in her and we are certain that she is the headteacher replete with experience and vision who can lead the school to an exciting and successful future.'
Mrs Orrells said she was delighted to take on the role and will be joined by Miss Laura Jones as Deputy Head whose appointment was announced last week
'I am delighted to begin my role as Headteacher and to work in close partnership with pupils, staff, parents, and governors,' said Mrs Orrells.
'Together, we will build on the school's many strengths to ensure every learner has the opportunity to thrive.
'I am committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and ambitious learning environment for all, as we continue our journey along the language continuum towards becoming a truly bilingual school.'
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: www.countytimes.co.uk/subscribe
As a digital subscriber you will get
Unlimited access to the County Times website
Advert-light access
Reader rewards
Full access to our app
Cllr Pete Roberts, Powys County Council's cabinet member for a learning Powys, hailed Mrs Orrells 'wealth of experience and a strong track record in educational leadership to her new role'.
He added: 'Her deep understanding of the local education landscape will be a valuable asset to the school community.
'I'm excited to continue working alongside Anwen and the entire Ysgol Bro Caereinion community as we strive to improve educational outcomes for all learners. Together, we are committed to advancing the school's journey along the language continuum and fulfilling the goals set out in our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Powys: Acting head appointed at Ysgol Bro Caereinion
A senior education officer from Powys County Council has been appointed to take over at a school after the head and deputy both resigned. Anwen Orrells has been appointed as acting headteacher of Ysgol Bro Caereinion following "an extensive recruitment process" overseen by the school's governing body. Mrs Orrells, is a fluent Welsh speaker with over 30 years' experience in education, including more than 16 years in educational leadership, curriculum design, and school improvement. Her previous roles have included Service Manager for the Education Support Service and Secondary School Challenge Adviser with the council as well as senior leadership positions at Caereinion High School and as a teacher at Builth Wells High School. Mrs Orells is currently Head of School Improvement and Learning at Powys County Council and Strategic Lead for the Mid Wales Education Partnership. The school released a statement saying it was overjoyed that she had accepted their offer for her to fill in the role after the resignation of headteacher Huw Lloyd-Jones and deputy Edward Baldwin from their positions. 'I'm delighted to announce that we have offered the post of Acting Headteacher to Mrs Anwen Orrells and she has accepted the offer,' said Ysgol Bro Caereinion's chair of governors, Myfanwy Alexander. 'A familiar face to many in the school community, Mrs Orrells combines strategic knowledge, leadership skills and unrivalled talents as a teacher. The Governing Body has the utmost faith in her and we are certain that she is the headteacher replete with experience and vision who can lead the school to an exciting and successful future.' Mrs Orrells said she was delighted to take on the role and will be joined by Miss Laura Jones as Deputy Head whose appointment was announced last week 'I am delighted to begin my role as Headteacher and to work in close partnership with pupils, staff, parents, and governors,' said Mrs Orrells. 'Together, we will build on the school's many strengths to ensure every learner has the opportunity to thrive. 'I am committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and ambitious learning environment for all, as we continue our journey along the language continuum towards becoming a truly bilingual school.' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app Cllr Pete Roberts, Powys County Council's cabinet member for a learning Powys, hailed Mrs Orrells 'wealth of experience and a strong track record in educational leadership to her new role'. He added: 'Her deep understanding of the local education landscape will be a valuable asset to the school community. 'I'm excited to continue working alongside Anwen and the entire Ysgol Bro Caereinion community as we strive to improve educational outcomes for all learners. Together, we are committed to advancing the school's journey along the language continuum and fulfilling the goals set out in our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan.'
Wales Online
7 hours ago
- Wales Online
Bright future for felled forest as Wildlife Trust creates new nature reserve on Gower
Bright future for felled forest as Wildlife Trust creates new nature reserve on Gower The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales is set to restore an area of land that was left ravished after a major case of illegal tree-felling The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales will manage the site as a nature reserve, to restore its ecosystems (Image: Paul Thornton ) An area of land that was at the centre of a illegal tree-felling case is set to become a new haven for wildlife, following a major conservation partnership between two Welsh organisations. The 43-acre site, known as Cartersford, lies at the heart of the Gower National landscape. Once home to a mixed woodland, the site was illegally cleared in 2019, leading to the loss of important habitat and wildlife. In 2022, landowner Thomas Jeffery Lane was convicted at Swansea Magistrates' Court for breaching the Forestry Act. The court heard how he had felled approximately 21 acres of woodland - equivalent to 12 football pitches - without a license and had failed to comply with an enforcement notice requiring the replanting of trees. National Resources Wales (NRW), which brought the prosecution, described the damage as one of the worst cases of illegal felling in 30 years. However, a brighter future is now on the horizon, as it was announced that The Gower Society has purchased the land and is leasing it to the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales (WTSWW). The Trust will manage the site as a nature reserve, with a long-term plan to restore its ecosystems and protect the species that rely on them. Article continues below "The Gower Society is delighted to be working closely with The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales in establishing this new nature reserve in the heart of beautiful Gower," said Malcom Ridge, a trustee and former Chairman of The Gower Society. "It is The Gower Society's first ever land purchase and is the culmination of 75 years of helping other charities to buy land in Gower for conservation purposes. It is a privilege to share our vision with The Wildlife Trust." The land which includes meadows, open areas and a stream, is not open to the public but WTSWW ensured that there will be opportunities for people to visit with events and volunteer days. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here The Trust will begin work to restore the lost habitats, focusing initially on grassland restoration and the creation of broadleaf woodland and hedgerows to replace those that were destroyed. The grassland habitats is of particular importance, as over 90% of this type has been lost across Wales since the mid 20th century. The site will be managed primarily for the benefit of wildlife. Paul Thornton, WTSWW Reserves Manager for Swansea, Neath-Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire said: "The opportunities for nature recovery at Cartersford are huge. "We hope that with sensitive management, the land could become an important part of the habitat mosaic on Gower, and offer a refuge for a wide range of important species from wetland plants to insects, breeding birds, and potentially Dormice." Article continues below The new reserve is hoped to also improve the ecological connectivity between several nearby nature sites including the Trust's Gelli Hir and The Elizabeth and Rowe Harding Nature Reserves to Pengwern and Fairwood Common. These habitat links are especially important to species like Dormice, which were recently rediscovered at Gelli Hir. The Cartersford project also supports WTSWW's long-term goal to help protect and connect 30% of land for nature's recovery by 2030, in response to the ongoing biodiversity and climate crises.
Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Wales Online
Outcry as schoolgirls' toilet access restricted after 'bad behaviour'
Outcry as schoolgirls' toilet access restricted after 'bad behaviour' The meeting heard 'bad behaviour' had involved toilets being deliberately blocked with sanitary products "Many" schools in a Welsh county have been restricting when pupils can use toilets due to issues with vandalism and bad behaviour, councillors were told. The matter was discussed at a Caerphilly council cabinet meeting amid a proposal for token-operated vending machines to improve access to period products. The scheme is being considered by members of Caerphilly Youth Forum, which also argues pupils should have better access to school toilets and should be trusted to use them safely and responsibly through the school day as a matter of 'dignity'. The group, which has made the issue its priority for the year, told cabinet members it hopes to meet secondary school head teachers later this year to discuss possible changes to the rules around accessing school toilets. It stressed that a lack of access can be especially distressing for girls who need to use period products because they are often prohibited from taking bags into the toilets. Younger pupils making the step up to secondary school can also struggle to understand why their access to toilets is being restricted when primary schools typically have more relaxed rules, the meeting heard. Youth Forum coordinator Lee Kabza said the group had met with a firm which provides sanitary products in schools to discuss the issue of 'period dignity'. Article continues below The meeting heard some schools elsewhere use a token system which allows pupils to obtain a single period product from a machine. Mr Kabza suggested such a system could tackle issues around bad behaviour where toilets are deliberately blocked with sanitary products. The council's deputy leader Jamie Pritchard noted improved school toilet access had been backed by around 800 young people as the Youth Forum's priority issue. Article continues below He said there was 'a groundswell of opinion behind it', adding he hoped schools would take note of the forum's work. The cabinet members voted unanimously to 'consider how to support the Youth Forum in addressing their priority issue' for the year ahead.
