Latest news with #AdditionalLearningNeeds
Pembrokeshire Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Pupils with additional needs thrive at inclusive Aberystwyth school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Fight gains momentum to save historic Pembrokeshire school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Milford Haven Buffaloes thank Waterloo Club for support
New pledge to gather school choice data from all parents — not just those choosing Welsh-medium education PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has revised its position following mounting criticism over its handling of Welsh-medium education policy, agreeing to broaden the scope of its planned parental survey. The move comes after a political and public backlash to comments made during the Council Cabinet's April meeting, where Deputy Leader Paul Miller suggested that some parents were choosing Welsh-medium schools not for the language but for newer facilities. His remarks, and the nature of the Cabinet debate, drew sharp criticism from opposition leader Cllr Huw Murphy, the Welsh Language Commissioner, and Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language and Culture, Mark Drakeford. Critics accused the Cabinet of taking an 'anti-Welsh' tone and of singling out parents who chose Welsh-medium education. The row escalated after Mr Drakeford told BBC Cymru: 'I can't see why we would ask parents why they choose Welsh or why they choose English… Local authorities should be making the case for choosing Welsh-medium education, not questioning those who do.' Now, in an apparent attempt to address those concerns and reset the debate, the Council has issued a fresh statement following its Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 21). It confirms that data collection will be considered for all parents, not just those opting for Welsh-medium education. A Council spokesperson said: 'Cabinet has today agreed to explore the collection of information from all parents, regardless of language preference, in order to better understand school choice across the county.' The updated resolution now asks the Director of Education to explore methods for capturing data on the relative importance of different factors influencing school choice. These include language preference, learning outcomes, quality of facilities, transport provision, and support for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). The Council says the data will help inform future decisions on modernising the school estate, ensuring they reflect the priorities of a broad and representative sample of parents. Despite the softened stance, the issue remains politically sensitive. Cllr Huw Murphy, whose formal 'call-in' prompted the Council to revisit its earlier decision, has argued that any perception of bias against Welsh-medium provision risks undermining public trust and the Council's obligations under the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). The Welsh Language Commissioner had also expressed concern over the original approach, stating that questioning only parents choosing Welsh-medium schools was 'not compatible' with the Council's statutory duties. The revised position may go some way toward cooling tensions, but the debate has already highlighted deeper divisions over language policy, school choice, and how local authorities should approach data collection in the context of bilingual education. The Herald will continue to follow developments closely as the Council works through the next phase of its data-gathering plans.
Pembrokeshire Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Council shifts stance after backlash over Welsh education survey
New pledge to gather school choice data from all parents — not just those choosing Welsh-medium education PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has revised its position following mounting criticism over its handling of Welsh-medium education policy, agreeing to broaden the scope of its planned parental survey. The move comes after a political and public backlash to comments made during the Council Cabinet's April meeting, where Deputy Leader Paul Miller suggested that some parents were choosing Welsh-medium schools not for the language but for newer facilities. His remarks, and the nature of the Cabinet debate, drew sharp criticism from opposition leader Cllr Huw Murphy, the Welsh Language Commissioner, and Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language and Culture, Mark Drakeford. Critics accused the Cabinet of taking an 'anti-Welsh' tone and of singling out parents who chose Welsh-medium education. The row escalated after Mr Drakeford told BBC Cymru: 'I can't see why we would ask parents why they choose Welsh or why they choose English… Local authorities should be making the case for choosing Welsh-medium education, not questioning those who do.' Now, in an apparent attempt to address those concerns and reset the debate, the Council has issued a fresh statement following its Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 21). It confirms that data collection will be considered for all parents, not just those opting for Welsh-medium education. A Council spokesperson said: 'Cabinet has today agreed to explore the collection of information from all parents, regardless of language preference, in order to better understand school choice across the county.' The updated resolution now asks the Director of Education to explore methods for capturing data on the relative importance of different factors influencing school choice. These include language preference, learning outcomes, quality of facilities, transport provision, and support for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). The Council says the data will help inform future decisions on modernising the school estate, ensuring they reflect the priorities of a broad and representative sample of parents. Despite the softened stance, the issue remains politically sensitive. Cllr Huw Murphy, whose formal 'call-in' prompted the Council to revisit its earlier decision, has argued that any perception of bias against Welsh-medium provision risks undermining public trust and the Council's obligations under the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). The Welsh Language Commissioner had also expressed concern over the original approach, stating that questioning only parents choosing Welsh-medium schools was 'not compatible' with the Council's statutory duties. The revised position may go some way toward cooling tensions, but the debate has already highlighted deeper divisions over language policy, school choice, and how local authorities should approach data collection in the context of bilingual education. The Herald will continue to follow developments closely as the Council works through the next phase of its data-gathering plans.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
North Wales MS shares updates from his week in the Senedd
MS for North Wales Questioning the First Minister, I asked her to respond to concern expressed by senior Third Sector representatives at the Family Fund's recent Senedd launch event for their 'Cost of Caring 2025' report, which I hosted, that 'It's time to talk about the wholesale crisis we are in for disabled children and adults in Wales'. Questioning the Education Secretary about the Welsh Government's Additional Learning Needs (ALN) reforms, I quoted both the ALN Reform Wales campaign, who told me 'they had received countless stories of children missed or left behind by the new system'; and Teachers Unions, which stated 'the system is forcing teachers away from the classroom' and told me 'effective interventions are only possible if education professionals are not spending precious time completing paperwork'. I co-Sponsored and attended the 21st annual 'Science in the Senedd Event 2025', organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry in cooperation with the Welsh Scientific and Engineering community, with the theme 'Education and the Future Workforce'. We are on the edge of profound societal transformation. If we are to build the future workforce we need, we must first build an education system that is adaptable, inclusive and forward-looking. Meetings included the Senedd Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which I Chaired; the Royal British Legion, where discussion included the 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) on 15th August and Additional Learning Needs provision for Service Children; and NatPower, regarding their proposed new Battery Energy Storage System on land north east of Northop. I enjoyed meeting a group from Hawarden Village Church School during their Senedd visit. Other engagements included Wales Tourism Week Senedd Reception; Community Pharmacy Wales; Nuclear Industry Association; Newmedica's 'Blueprint for Preventing Avoidable Sight Loss in Wales'; Wales Women's Rights Network event, highlighting the importance of the recent Supreme Court clarification of the meaning of 'sex' and 'woman' for the lives of women and girls in Wales; and audit survey on Natural Resources Wales. During my speech on Fixing our NHS at the Welsh Conservative Party Conference in Llangollen, I stated 'this is about long-term failure and mismanagement' and 'after 26 years of Labour, we must move from ideology to pragmatism, focused on what works and unlocking the skills and experience of Health and Care staff'. At the Conference I was also a panel member at the Cwmpas and WCVA event, 'Charities, Social Enterprises and Volunteers' Vital Role in Community Cohesion', and met a wide range of organisations and charities. For help, email or call 0300 200 7219.
