The Cynon Valley AM said this is crucial to ensuring greater take-up of these subjects in Welsh schools, and praised the initiatives set out in the Welsh Government’s Science Strategy, such as the establishing of a National Science Academy.

However, during a discussion on the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government, which set out its detailed manifesto of actions following the 2011 elections, the Cynon Valley AM cited evidence from the Institute of Physics which showed the importance of challenging wider perceptions towards STEM subjects. Increased participation in STEM subjects was a key objective for Wales to achieve by 2016.

Christine Chapman AM said:

“Increased engagement in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is important for our economic development. “However, the Institute of Physics recently identified a transformation in culture and perception, both in schools and the home, and particularly among girls, as being essential to encouraging greater take-up of STEM subjects.”

In reply, First Minister Carwyn Jones said that:

“The Science Advisory Council for Wales has formed a task and finish group to look further into a number of issues, including the barriers that schools in Wales face to having more of their pupils take part in science engagement or enrichment activities. Those recommendations will be submitted by March of this year. “We continue to fund a number of activities, through the National Science Academy, which focus on raising awareness of the STEM subjects among schoolchildren. We also provide funding for the creation of a doctoral graduate school as part of the Sêr Cymru national research networks programme.”

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The footage from the archives of Howells School, Denbigh, spans the momentous years from 1933 to 1952 and takes in the Depression, World War Two and the accession of the Queen.

It was shot in 16mm film, much of it in black and white and mainly by former teacher Miss Elizabeth Henley, known as ‘Hen’ who died, aged 97, only three years ago. She was assisted by a friend and fellow teacher, the late Miss Nancy Hughes.

It’s a remarkable archive, according to the school’s Education Principal Emma Jones who said: “These are more than just glimpses of a bygone age, the films were really detailed recordings of life at the school in momentous times.

“They also show that many of the traditions of the school have been maintained through to the present day and that the success of Howells School comes from our long-standing tradition of high standards of education and care.

“Much has sadly changed since these films were recorded . A large contingent of boarding girls used to board a special carriage at London Euston, and the train brought them to Denbigh station where they walked up to school – while the porters brought their boarding trunks to school from the station by pony and cart.

“Sadly the Denbigh rail line was removed in the 1960′s as part of the “Beeching cuts” – now our girls arrive at Manchester Airport and travel to school by minibus or car.

“A long standing end of term tradition was lost, where the girls would unravel their straw boaters on the train and hang them out as streamers to celebrate leaving Denbigh to spend their summer at home.”

The donation of the recordings was greeted with enthusiasm by Iola Baines, Film Development Officer for the National Library of Wales, who said: “We are always grateful to receive old film from Wales, they are an important historic resource.

“Many of them have been lost forever because of the fragile nature of early film so we are delighted to have this recording of life at the school over such an extended period.

“But even very old film is worth consulting us about because we have the skills and equipment to salvage much of what is becoming an increasingly rare resource.”

The Howells film begins with the 1933 Speech Day and the then headmistress, Miss Cicely Robinson, greeting the chairman of the school governors, the Archbishop of Wales, a governor of the school for 40 years.

It also includes the first Walk Down, the ceremonial procession carried out by the girls every year since though once there was a Walk Up, much to Miss Henley’s horror: “All those wobbling bottoms,” she complained.

It also offers a record of the fashions of the time, both among the pupils and their parents, and of the school activities which in the 1930s and 1940s included weaving and basketry.

Picnics were also popular even though they often only meant going as far as the school playing fields though that made life easier for maids who carried jugs of refreshing lemonade down from the school.

But there were trips further afield, to the Chester Pageant by Crosville bus in 1937 and to the Swiss ski resort of Wengen in 1949, while two Old Howellians were in the Wales lacrosse team which took on Ireland in an international match at the school in 1938.

The girls also did their bit in the war years with gymnastic displays on Denbigh’s High Street for War Weapons Week in 1941 and a Wings For Victory event in 1943 and there were wartime sports days and snowy days too.

Among the girls there then was Catherine Martineau, now 82, who later became a member of staff at the school and is still going strong, commuting regularly from her Devon home as curator of the School Museum which she set up.

Miss Martineau, originally from Wolverhampton, who edited the contents of the dvd, was a pupil from 1941 to 1948, said: “My cousin, who was ten years older than me, had been to Howells and my father wanted to get me away from the Midlands with the blitz on.

“I really enjoyed it right from the start even though not everyone does to begin with because it can be lonely and many girls got homesick but I loved it.

“There was lots of company and you made so many friends for life while it was just so well run that you couldn’t do anything else but enjoy it and I certainly did.

“Denbigh was somewhere quite new and most of the girls were boarders. There were day girls and some of them spoke Welsh but you never heard it in school.

“It was also strange not seeing your parents for a whole term – these days the youngsters seem to go home at the drop of a hat.

“I was privileged to take part in sports and I went on to qualify as a PE teacher at Dartford College in Kent and I taught all my working life, first PE and then RE, religious education.”

Howells Trustee Nicola Locke said: “It’s wonderful to see Catherine with the girls today, watching the old film of the school when she was their age and telling them about her days here.

“It’s a real link with the past and it brings history alive for them, not just the history of the school, but the history of the country and what it was like to grow up in those war years.”

Photograph: Howells School, Denbigh, going through the school archives are current pupils, from left, Megan Harris, Davina Critchley and Niamh McCormack

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“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have long argued for an independent regulator, therefore I welcome the Minister’s U-turn today.

“The unholy mess that unfolded in the summer illustrated there was a need for a more robust system of checks and balances. It should never have been up to the Education Minister to be the sole arbitrator on the way exams are awarded.

“Just a few months ago, the Welsh Liberal Democrats held a debate in the National Assembly calling for the Welsh Government to establish an independent qualifications regulator. At that time the Education Minister refused to heed our calls and claimed that the regulatory system in Wales had worked – the Qualifications Review has clearly convinced him that he was wrong.

“I’m increasingly concerned that U-turns are becoming synonymous with this Minister’s tenure in the education department. Whether it be the home school register, forcing universities to merge, the banding of primary schools, Child Development Assessment Profile’s, the list goes on and on – this Minister is having to dedicate far too much of his time to righting his wrongs.

“The Minister needs to listen more from the outset, rather than setting out his course of action without properly assessing the pros and cons of a decision. Teachers and schools are being given no clear direction from the Minister, which can only have a negative effect on education in Wales.”

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Using modern technology to its full potential, the school now has an app which allows both parents and children to keep up to date with school updates through their mobile devices.

There are various sections to this application, there is a ‘book of use’ section which gives all the pupils a chance to discuss and share each others’ favourite books and the books they have read. Each year group and the head teacher have their own blog and access for parents to also interact.

Headteacher Tim Redgrave said: “As well as a head teacher and student blog, the parents also have their own blog. This blog gives all of the parents the opportunity to discuss and have their say on topics concerning the school.

” It’s a great way to keep the parents and children up to date on the entire essential goings on at the school. Thanks to Doug at Angel Applications, this app is helping the school students, teachers and the pupils’ parents stay up-to-date through the useful information the app provides straight to your handset”.

The app is available for download on The Apple App store and Google Play store.

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A handful of heritage sites throughout the UK achieve the Sandford Award which is presented by the Heritage Education Trust. Cardiff Castle joins an elite group, ranked with the likes of Tower of London, Blenheim Palace, Hampton Court Palace and Edinburgh Castle along with many National Trust and English Heritage sites.

The judging panel, made up of professional educators including Ofsted inspectors, former head teachers and consultants are looking for best practice in the interpretation of the site, excellence in educational services and facilities and contribution to the understanding of local and national heritage. Above all, they are looking to see if every school visit is stimulating, educational and memorable for children.

The educational programme at the Castle has expanded year on year and new sessions added recently include World War 2 – Life on the Home Front, Tudor Music and Dance and Medieval Medicine.  In addition, children can dress the part and learn all about servants’ activities in the Bute household or take part in storytelling sessions based on Welsh legends. Over 3,000 school children are already booked in for the forthcoming 2012/ 2013 educational programme, but there are some sessions which are still available and every effort will be made to accommodate everyone.

Commenting on the Awards, Cllr Huw Thomas, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said,

“When the Education Centre was set up we used the Sandford Award as a standard to aspire to.  We are delighted to have reached the mark and look forward to developing our service to schools and encouraging children to be excited about the past.  This is a huge achievement and I am delighted the hard work of everyone at the Castle has been recognised. The Education Centre is a superb resource and has helped to bring the 2,000 year history of the site to life for generations of children and teachers alike.”

For more information on the Education Centre at Cardiff Castle and the educational programme for 2012/ 2013 please contact: Elizabeth Stevens on 029 2087 8110
www.cardiffcastle.com.

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“This is a damning report on educational failings in Anglesey, which are betraying a generation of young people.

“This report raises questions about the quality of leadership provided not only by the local authority but by the Welsh Government, which has been running Anglesey’s education department since March 2011.

“If direct Welsh Government intervention for over a year has been unable to help this authority raise its game, then what hope for Wales with the Minister’s endless tinkering around the edges?

“Every child deserves the very best start in life.  Welsh Ministers now have a very clear challenge to tackle the endemic underperformance which is blighting the education of so many young people in Wales.”

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The careers carousel will give pupils the opportunity to meet people from a wide range of careers to find out what they do and the qualifications and experience they needed for their chosen careers.

The event has been organised by Communities First to inspire pupils about their future careers.  The pupils will be meeting a nurse, a representative from the local police, a gym instructor, a journalist, a beautician, an environmentalist and a florist.

At ‘careers carousels’ the pupils are split into groups which circulate around the room to meet each volunteer in turn.  They then have ten minutes to hear about what their job involves and to ask questions.

Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Julia Magill, said: “The ‘careers carousel’ provides a great opportunity for pupils to find out more about a variety of different careers. Hearing people’s accounts first hand will hopefully inspire the pupils to find out more about a  particular profession and start to think about the need  to work really hard in school to ensure they can follow a successful career path

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who have taken time out of their busy schedule to talk to the pupils at Medowlane.”

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Flintshire County Council introduced a Dog Control Order in December 2009. Since then, the Council and North Wales Police have worked in partnership to educate and enforce against dog owners who fail to clean up after their dog.

The partnership believes that public education, coupled with enforcement action, is the only long term success measure for preventing dog fouling in the county.

Schools across the county have already taken part in workshops delivered in partnership with the Dogs Trust, and, in July, workshops are being held at Ysgol Owen Jones, Northop; Ysgol y Waun, Gwernaffield; Gwernymynydd CP School; Ysgol Glanrafon, Mold; St Winefride’s Catholic Primary School, Holywell; and Saltney Wood Memorial CP School.

Councillor Kevin Jones, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Waste and Recycling, said:

“These school based workshops are a great way for children to learn about the responsibility of owning a dog, and the importance of cleaning up after it. Angela Madigan from the Dogs Trust engages with the school pupils, leading fun and informative interactive sessions. Our hope is that the children retain the information they learn at these workshops, and pass on the key messages to family and friends.”

The Council has a zero tolerance approach to dog fouling. Report incidences of dog fouling to our dedicated dog warden service on 01352 701234 or via email: dogfouling@flintshire.gov.uk; please quote times, places and names if possible, and a description of the dog.

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“This report provides yet further cause for concern about the extent of literacy failings in our schools.

“It appears to validate Estyn’s previous evidence that as many as 40% of young people start secondary school unable to read properly.

“If a child is struggling with basic literacy skills, it will set back both their confidence and performance in almost every other subject.

“We still need reassurances from the Education Minister that his latest attempt to raise literacy standards will attract the support of teachers, parents and school governors and will be effectively monitored.”

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This follows a series of local consultation meetings, and a highly positive response from the Welsh Design Commission.

The new school will include:

• Four classrooms with additional spaces for practical learning
• Dedicated space for the local Cylch Meithrin
• Practical rooms for art and food science
• A large library and
• An Information Technology room.

Rooms will also be available for use by the local community whenever this is possible.

The school has been designed to blend into the local landscape and will be eco-friendly. The wider Dysynni area also benefits from a further investment of £2.5 million to improve and to modernise Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn, Tywyn; Ysgol Dyffryn Dulas, Corris and Ysgol Pennal.

Councillor Sian Gwenllian, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for education, said:

“We welcome the fact that the National Park Authority has approved the planning application. This is a major step forward towards our objective of building a state of the art school for the children of the Bro Dysynni area.

“The fact that this new school will also create a number of jobs during its construction period is also good news for the local economy. As a Council we will do everything we can to ensure that local companies are aware of the opportunities that this scheme will offer them.”

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Cardiff students at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 were challenged to find bad grammar or the wrong choice of words, verbs and tenses in songs. The young sleuths have spotted numerous examples of poor spelling and grammar in song lyrics and having declared their condemning verdict, are now looking forward to collecting their reward for exposing the ‘crimes’.

Some examples of the entrants submitted in the competition include: Jessie J’s Price Tag: “Ain’t about the (ha) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching, Ain’t about the (yeah) Ba-Bling, Ba-Bling”, which should read “It is not about the sound of money. It is not about the flashy jewellery.” And Rhianna’s what my name is: the lyric is “Cuz I’ve been tryna” and it should read “Because I’ve been trying to.”

340 young people who spotted the mistakes will enjoy the special, invite-only comedy gig at the National Museum, in Cardiff on Wednesday June 20. A line up of Welsh comedians, Mike Bubbins, Dan Mitchell, Clint Edwards and Jordi Brown will provide the entertainment between 12.30 – 2pm.

The competition is the latest initiative by the Council’s Education Service to raise literacy standards and promote good reading and writing amongst children and young people.

The Reading Power campaign is aimed at tackling the issue of poor literacy and was developed to help parents and carers understand the importance of good reading and writing skills to help children succeed in the future.

A Reading Power website is available at www.cardiff.gov.uk/readingpower to provide parents with information on how they can help their children. The website contains tips and advice, as well as recommending English and Welsh books and links to other websites that promote reading as an enjoyable pastime as well as an essential skill.

Cabinet Member for Education, Lifelong Learning and Libraries, Cllr Julia Magill, said: “Reading and writing are the basic building blocks for education and it’s vital that children and young people have these key skills as a solid foundation for success in school and later in life.

“The Council places a strong emphasis on supporting schools and parents to give children the best opportunity to gain good reading and writing skills. This Reading Power competition has really caught children’s imagination and was a great idea to get young people thinking and improving their literacy skills whilst doing something they enjoy – listening to music.”

“Well done to all the winners in this competition, and to everyone involved in making the comedy gig a really fun – and funny, reward.”

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The report, based on research in 21 secondary schools, focuses on Key Stage 3 – the first three years of secondary school.

Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Policy Officer said “The report makes clear and constructive recommendations which will give a strong steer to schools, Local Authorities and the Government. We agree with the call for literacy to be tackled right across the curriculum rather than being limited to subjects such as English and Welsh. The recommendations on consistent monitoring of pupil progress also make perfect sense, and will allow teachers to spot problems early on, and to trigger appropriate support. We’re especially glad that the report recognises the need for focussed training for teachers in this field – there will be immense pressure on them to raise standards, and they need to be supported in their efforts to do so.”

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That was the message from the Welsh Conservatives today, as Assembly group leader Andrew RT Davies AM questioned the First Minister in the Senedd.

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) takes places every three years. Despite Wales’ woeful performance in 2009, there has been no promise of improvement during this year’s tests.

Instead, the Education Minister has earmarked 2015 for a better showing from Wales. This effectively disregards tens of thousands of pupils currently passing through the Welsh education system.

40 per cent of pupils start secondary school unable to read properly in Wales, yet the First Minister today refused to say who was responsible.

The Education Minister has admitted there is a ‘systemic failure’ in the system he controls, yet his party has controlled that system for 13 years.

Speaking outside the Assembly Chamber, Welsh Conservative Assembly Group Leader Andrew RT Davies said:

“Essentially, it’s a bad time to be a teenager in Wales.

“There is absolutely no government guarantee that secondary school pupils who are in the system right now will perform any better than their recent counterparts.

“Global pupils test results cast a shadow over Welsh classrooms in 2010. Two years on, we can expect nothing better for the foreseeable future. Why?

“It’s time the First Minister took responsibility for his party’s consistent failings and apologised to the tens of thousands of teenagers who are being ignored.”

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On Saturday, 7 July, Ysgol Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd will celebrate providing education for primary aged children over the last century and a half.

The plans are for the celebration day to open with a short service at nearby St Mary’s Church at 1pm, followed by an afternoon of activities at the school, including the broadcast of a video that has been created to record ex-pupils’ memories of their school days.

Also on display will be specially commissioned artwork created by local artist, Ann Bridges, in co-operation with the children.  The children will also perform a ‘world premier’ of a new song written specially for the school by Robat Arwyn and Dafydd Jones.

Llinos Hughes, headteacher, said: “It is interesting to note that on the incised stone plaque on the main façade it states “Llanfair National School was erected in 1861 and enlarged in 1895”.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, the inscription is wholly in English – how things have changed since those days.  The school is now proud to be one of only four bilingual primary schools in the county”.

“We hope that many with connections, memories or just simple curiosity about Ysgol Llanfair, will join us to take a trip down memory lane and make this special birthday one to remember.”

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A Level Graphics student Lauren Goodland, 17 from Newport, was among 10 winners of a Bournemouth Arts College competition entitled ‘Who are You?’.  Lauren secured a place for her work at an exhibition in Bournemouth as well as on billboards in towns and cities across the UK including Bristol, Portsmouth, Weston-Super-Mare, Worthing, and Lauren’s hometown, Newport.

Lauren entered the competition whilst completing her final A Level graphic design project at Coleg Gwent’s Crosskeys Campus, and is delighted by her success: “When I found out I was just so happy,” she said.

“It was really a shock to me as I didn’t believe in myself or even think that I could win.

It took a while to sink in, it wasn’t really until I actually saw the billboards up that I realized how lucky I was to have my work super-sized!”

Working to the competition brief, Lauren came up with a list of key words relating to her personality and used graphic design software to form the central part of her work.

“I decided my entry would be typography based, as I’d studied this type of work for my final year graphic course work.  I chose quite a simplistic design which is unusual for me, as my work is often quite busy, but I decided to try something new and it paid off.”

Lauren’s graphics lecturer at Coleg Gwent, Leander Parker, said: “We are all so pleased for Lauren to have won in this competition.

“She’s a naturally creative student who is always bubbling over with ideas, and her dedication enabled her technical skills to really develop throughout the course.”

As well as expanding her portfolio, the experience has also been an opportunity for Lauren to develop many different skills: “I think it’s important these days to have experiences that make you stand out,” she said.

“Entering this competition has given me confidence and I now believe in myself. The brief was quite a personal one, so knowing that people are looking at the billboards and reading about who I am is quite strange, but on the other hand it’s really great, and I feel proud.”

The talented student will be going to University of Wales, Newport in September to study Art Foundation in Art, Design & Media. “I really can’t wait to continue my studies in art,” she said. “I hope to keep developing my skills on the foundation course, and then to go on to study a degree in Graphic Design.”

Photograph: Lauren with her winning entry displayed in Bristol

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Assisted by props Tidy Ted, Eco Ellie and Spick & Span, Carmarthenshire actors Paul and Adrian Gregory captivated children with their catchy songs and humorous acting while sending a clear message about reducing the use of materials, avoiding litter and recycling wherever possible.  This is the first time the duo has performed in the county and their visits created a wave of excitement among pupils.  To date, they have made regular appearances in west Wales and along the M4 corridor.  Paul Gregory said; “We hope to be invited back and look forward to returning to Monmouthshire”.

Monmouthshire’s cabinet member for county operations, Cllr Bryan Jones said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the performance when I caught the Gregory Brothers at Trellech Primary School.  Encouraging children to reduce, reuse and recycle and in turn, those children encouraging friends and family to do likewise can only be a good thing”.

Waste Strategy and Contracts Manager, Rachel Jowitt added: “Theatre performances such as these form an important part of the council’s waste education programme.  We use many different ways to communicate with our residents of all ages.  The shows prove that learning about rubbish and recycling can be fun as well as effective in getting the message across to children.”

The ten lucky schools that were entertained and educated by the Gregory Brothers were Thornwell Primary, Arch Bishop Rowan Williams Primary, Green Lane Junior, Rogiet Primary, Undy Primary, Our Lady’s St. Michaels Primary, Llantilio Pertholy Primary, Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni, Osbaston Primary and Trellech Primary.

Head Teacher of Trellech Primary School, Stephen King said: “It was evident that the children thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the Gregory Brothers conveyed a powerful message about caring for the environment”.

Photograph: Trelech pupils Oliver (left) and India (right) pose with Tidy Ted, C Cllr Bryan Jones and Eco Ellie while the Gregory Brothers kneel in front

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Katie Jones, a former pupil of all-girls Howells School, has been awarded one of just fifteen available places for a summer term at one of the world’s most famous universities.

The 18-year-old has had a globe-trotting education that has seen her study at top independent all-girls Howells School Denbigh, then graduate from high school at Dana Hall School in Massachusetts.

She has just completed the first year of her Law Degree at another renowned university Griffith College in Dublin.

At Harvard she will be following in the footsteps not only of President Barack Obama but also seven other US Presidents including John F Kennedy, George W Bush and Franklin Roosevelt.

Other distinguished alumni include Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, philosopher Henry David Thoreau, actors Jack Lemmon, Natalie Portman and Matt Damon, conductor Leonard Bernstein and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Katie has her eyes firmly on a career in the law in the USA. She said: “I will be living in Boston from June to August. This will be a very intensive course but I am really looking forward to the challenge.

“I was in the legal team in high school and took part in many competitions at places like Harvard and Yale Universities. We studied hypothetical law cases and then fought those cases against other schools, either as the defense or the prosecution.

“I really enjoyed this, and I have many school friends in the States, but I have really fond memories of Denbigh and my time at Howells.

“I still come back whenever I can and as I am also a qualified riding instructor and I sometimes teach at the school’s equestrian centre at weekends.

“My horse Lottie is still stabled at Howells and I enjoy riding her whenever I can.

Katie applied online to Harvard and was accepted after completing an application form and submitting an essay.

After Harvard Katie will return to continue her law degree at Griffith College and then hopes to take a Masters in Law at King’s Inn in Dublin to qualify as a barrister before retunring to the USA to study for the New York Bar exam.

She said: “I studied Latin, English and History at school and I am so pleased to see that Howells girls now study Latin at school from age seven. It’s a great foundation subject and it really helps with English vocabulary, languages, biology and law.

“I grew up in the Vale of Clwyd, in Rhuddlan and Rhyl, so it’s still the place I call home.”

Katie’s mum, Nicola Locke, is a Trustee at Howells school and said: “We’re so proud of Katie. It seems only yesterday that she was a four-year-old girl going to Howells for her first day at school. Now she is all grown up and leaving this week to start another chapter of her life.”

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Eating a balanced diet is vital for a child’s health, growth, and development. Good nutrition also boosts concentration levels, which is perfect for helping improve children’s performance at school. Having a school meal also helps children to develop important social skills as they sit down, eat and talk together, and try new foods.

The Flintshire School Meals Service always encourages eating a balanced diet throughout the week and, coupled with the Welsh Government’s free breakfast initiative, sees school meals as a health and well being service for the sake of future generations. All food is freshly prepared daily in the school kitchen by cooks who have been fully nutritionally trained.

School meals in Flintshire already offer excellent value for money. For £1.90 (junior school pupils), a child receives an appetising main meal, dessert and drink. The ‘Buy four, get one free’ promotion means that when parents and carers of primary school children buy five meals in one week, they will only need to pay for four. If the promotion proves to be successful, it will be rolled out to other schools within the County.

Councillor Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Education, said:

“The benefits of a balanced diet to children’s behaviour and learning abilities during the school day are now well known. I’m delighted that Flintshire Schools Meals Service, by offering the ‘Five 4 Four’ promotion, is giving even better value for money to parents whose children take a school lunch.”

Photograph: Pictured with acting school cook Kevin Price are Ysgol Mynydd Isa pupils Ellie Bradbrook, Olivia Jones, Amber Porter and Daniel Beckett

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I wish to propose to the National Assembly the motion before us today tabled in the name of William Graham.

And it is I admit a lengthy motion however the problems that beset education in Wales are also lengthy and have been apparent for a lengthy time. For the past 15 years in fact ever since a succession of Labour ministers took the helm and laid waste to education.

There has been a tremendous waste of leadership effort, of process, of thought.
A waste of monies whether revenue or capital, there’s been a wasteful misspent grants culture.

A waste of time by poor management, lack of monitoring and a suffocation of red tape, ideology and diktat.

Above all there has been a waste of opportunity for teachers, for students, for the country.  We have a decade of wasted souls, of children who have not fulfilled their potential, of teachers who are disenchanted & demoralised, of Local Education Authorities always seeming to fail, always being castigated.

And before the apologists here start to leap up and say but we are stopping this waste, things are changing, we are trying, look at the new programmes, and this Minister is different…

Perhaps, maybe, I don’t deny there is an intellectual effort going into reviewing the situation that has been missing in education for years.

However it’s been 2½ years of this Minister and 15 years of Labour with a bit of tinkering around the edges from the Liberal Democrats and more recently Plaid Cymru and we must remind ourselves that not only has not a lot changed but this Government has effectively washed its hands of the current cohort of teenagers whilst they work out how to get into the top 20 PISA results by 2015.

It’s a terrible time to be a teenager.

Now that really is a waste, and a shame and a national disgrace. So our motion today very carefully challenges the Assembly to accept the hard cold facts. That 40% of pupils cannot read as well as they should by the time they enter secondary school.

That the 2009 PISA results were worse than our 2006 results and very poor compared to other similar countries.

That the number of A ‘Level students getting top grades is worsening
That we are worse than England, the country that we seem to hate being compared with, in terms of GCSE & A level exam performances and there are No, none, zip, zero welsh universities in the World Top 200 Times Higher Education Rankings. And that matters. Scotland is just over twice our size. We have zero. They have five.

Llwydd, we do ask the Assembly to regret the Welsh Government has not effectively utilised the education budgets to drive up standards.

We are all aware of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report into the costs of administering education in Wales published in May 2010. This report highlighted how “significant potential exists to release support costs.”

A delivery plan was developed to push resources to the front line. PwC found that a “cost shift in the range of £104 – £192 million from support services to front line delivery might be achievable.”

Given the economic climate and changing world, PwC found that “that it is not possible to continue on the current basis and secure front line education” They were of the opinion that the “pain of inaction is real and worse than the pain of action.”
That comment would chime with any half decent business manager, if you are in the fire, it might hurt to move but you sure as hell need to get out. The PwC view surely demonstrates the importance of the Welsh Government utilising education spending far more effectively to ensure that resources, where possible, are delivering services to learners directly.

And yet delivery is painfully slow. For example, The Minister is seeking to rationalise education grants and does have a grants management project and yet officials are still working to streamline & standardise grant processes. The 2009 Finance Committee report into the Grants process in education was crystal clear as to what should be done and put forward a concise set of recommendations. I will never forget the testimony from the Principal of an FE College who said he was given millions to run the organisation yet had to jump through hoops and fill forms in triplicate for an extra £3,000 for a one off project.

What a waste of his time and what a waste of money having all these civil servants administering a complex web of grants that should be swept away. How can this be so difficult to do and why does it take over 3 years. Or is the reality that it’s more tinkering around the edges. The bold move, the original thought is a leap too far?

Ineffective spending to the frontline must also be stamped out. There’s an old saying, look after the pennies…. well it applies to the thousands and the hundred thousand. Assembly Members the Welsh Government spent £40,000 producing the Skills Framework, and significant resources seeking to implement the document but in February last year the Minister said that implementing this document on a non-statutory basis was a “weakness” in his department – and large parts of it are to be replaced.

£662,364 on free laptops scheme for schools, with 943 laptops purchased. The scheme was scrapped, I thought it was a daft scheme anyway but what really gets me is that each laptop cost over £700. Has no-one been to PC World recently?

The real kicker in the PwC report is that 32% of the £4.162billion of expenditure analysed by PwC is spent on support costs representing the ‘back office’ and other administrative functions  The report broadly defined administration costs as a “set of support activities that do not deliver services to learners directly.”

Recommendations were made to the Welsh Government that suggested shifting the balance of cost around the two themes of simplifying governance and standardising and sharing provision.

Again I know the Minister is signed up to this Governments collaboration agenda but let’s be clear. A world renowned external organisation has said that ONE THIRD of the entire education budget is spent on admin & back office functions. One third! That’s tough on the schools who would love that extra teacher, or the trip to the museum, or who have to sacrifice just so they can pay the exorbitant costs of re-sits.

That’s tough on the Heads who are deeply unhappy about the banding system, who feel, as the NASUWT do, that the plans for school improvement were “in crisis.”

I welcome some of the work done by the Minister in the Front Line Resources Review. I do welcome the Government’s estimates that by 2013/14 some £120 to £198 million of net expenditure will have been shifted to front line services – but that’s years on from the report and more could still be done. I also wonder how much has been factored in as to the costs of the new regional consortia.

And talking of the regional consortia, I know the Minister is keen on governance as am I. However functions of system governance have been pushing up costs in education. The PwC report found a “strong perception that the functions of system governance are unnecessarily driving cost.

It found £117million was spent on strategic support and at least 60 institutions outside of schools in Wales are involved with the delivery of education in Wales. PwC found that each of these institutions delivers “its own strategic and support services and has distinct arrangements for managing access and education support services.

£117 million and 60 non schools? Minister can you assure us that this is NOT a waste? I don’t think PwC were convinced and I most certainly am not. And can you assure us that the regional consortia will not add to this waste and be yet another level of red tape between Schools and the funding?

And this is even more important in the context of the Welsh Government’s Managing with Less programme. For those who are not clear on this let me recap for you. The Welsh Government says they are facing HUGE financial challenges. No doubt some labour backbencher at some point in this debate will leap to their feet and bemoan the “cuts from England” The Welsh Government says that they need to deliver a reduction of £42 million over 3 years and yet with a THIRD of the education budget poorly targeted, with a funding gap that keeps growing, with school buildings leaking, paint peeling and children thinking demountables are the norm I say to the Government.

What on earth have you been spending all the money of the past 15 years on? All we see is waste and there is simply no point in trying to blame the failings of the past 15 years on the reduction in the Welsh block grant given the inheritance left to the Coalition Government. A decade of poor financial management by the UK Labour administration and a spine chilling world meltdown.

Llwydd, we would like the Welsh Government to outline exactly how they intend to monitor outcomes against the resources deployed, we do urge them to ensure that resources are delivered directly to learners which is why we cannot support the amendments by the Liberal Democrats. Partly, as a principle. The Pupil Deprivation Grant is a cheap price for propping up a lacklustre budget but mostly because there is no sustainability built into the grant and no real definition of what the outcomes should be for that particular pupil. Not his or her school but for that individual.

And I think the PwC report clearly makes the case for less grants, more frontline, more outcome monitoring.

Finally Llwydd we call upon the Government to re-prioritise education spending effectively in order to deliver improvements in educational attainment in Wales. This is why I am surprised and disappointed by the amendment proposed by Plaid Cymru.
Do you really think Labour is spending the money the best way possible?

You may not like our ideas but at least we have them and we are more than happy to debate them whereas the Government are mired in waste and exhausted with trying to find a way out that makes sure everyone, especially teachers, are blamed bar themselves.

Minister 15 years of Labour fiddling with welsh education. We still have slipping standards, disenfranchised stakeholders, and layers of bureaucracy. We have to brace ourselves for the majority of Estyn reports.

You called it a systemic failure I call it a waste. It’s poor management, a lack of inspirational leadership, a culture of blaming the profession, woefully slow implementation by civil servants, local education authorities that seem more & more pointless as central government & consortia swallow up their responsibilities and a lost generation of kids.

The Government’s in a quagmire over this, you have been in post 902 days and yet still feel that it would be unrealistic to set targets for this November.

Have your 902 days been a waste?

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“Young people in Wales must have the option to pursue internationally-recognised qualifications, which they can take wherever in the world their future careers take them.

“Perhaps in addition to its biased questions, the Welsh Labour Government should also consult on whether its own policies are fit for purpose, rather than seeking to direct blame for their persistent failures on the qualifications themselves.

“When Wales is underperforming compared to other countries in the UK, why does the Minister assume that it’s the qualifications at fault rather the Labour Party’s failure to raise standards during 13 years in power?

“This document further highlights the Labour Government’s obsession with England and their pursuit of difference for its own sake instead of acting in the best interests of Wales.

“Ministers should be working to raise academic performance within the current examination framework rather than proposing a disruptive, costly and unnecessary reorganisation of qualifications.

“It is regrettable that at a time when AMs are examining how to make Assembly proceedings more relevant and topical, that the Deputy Minister chose to launch this major policy consultation elsewhere.”

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The students presented a petition to Clwyd West AM Darren Millar in January calling for free bus passes for students under 25 and in full time education.

The Petitions Committee discussed the idea and decided to undertake further research in to proposal, including evidence from the students themselves.

Darren Millar said:

“I am delighted that the Petitions Committee are giving this proposal serious consideration and that students will meet directly with committee members.

“Students at Coleg Llandrillo feel very strongly about the issue. The meeting is a wonderful opportunity for the students to make their views heard. It is excellent to see young people engaging with the democratic process”

Photograph: Darren Millar with Coleg Llandrillo students, Richard Williams, Kayleigh Stone, Jenny Taylor and Welsh Bac Co-ordinator Debbie Williams

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Ysgol yr Hendre which provides places for up to 450 children – is one of the most environmentally friendly schools in the country. The £9.3 million primary school will provide a first-class educational environment for pupils in Caernarfon as well as a fantastic resource for the local community.

Speaking at the official opening, the First Minister said: “It is a real pleasure to be here today to officially open Ysgol yr Hendre and see the results of £4.3 million capital funding.

“The facilities here are excellent and both the pupils and community are benefiting from what is available here. It is an example of how capital investment makes a real difference. It is very much a school that is part of the community, and the fact that it will be used for community events and activities reinforces that. The new Ysgol yr Hendre shows the positive impact of delivering on investing in our schools.”

Gwynedd Council Leader, Councillor Dyfed Edwards noted:

“Ensuring that all Gwynedd’s children and young people have the best start in life is a key priority for us as a Council. Ysgol yr Hendre is a great example of a real team effort between Gwynedd Council, the Welsh Government, the school itself, its governors and the wider community to achieve this aim.

“The construction of this fantastic new school has also played an important role in assisting the local economy and we worked closely with the main contractors Wynne Construction to ensure the project delivered benefits for the local community.

“We made it clear from the outset that making the most of the local economy was vitally important and employment and recruitment days were held in Caernarfon as well as events to link the main contractor with potential suppliers in the area. As a Council, we are very pleased that a number of local people have benefitted from the building work on this flagship school project.”

Over 90% of the construction work on the project was carried out by workers from the north Wales area. Also, 79% of the budget was spent with companies based in Wales, with 92% of this figure – or £4.5 million – spent with small or medium sized businesses in Wales.

Councillor Roy Owen, Chairman of Ysgol yr Hendre Governors, added:

“The new Ysgol yr Hendre is a school that all the pupils, staff, and the wider community can be really proud of and we are delighted to see the school officially opened.

“The new Ysgol yr Hendre is much more than a school and the fact that the building is also home to facilities that provide adult education, health and social welfare initiatives as well as cultural and sporting activities means that it really is the heart of the local community.”

The innovative design of the new school gives the building a spacious feel with maximum use of natural light throughout, delivering a learning and working environment that is second to none in Wales.

As well as providing pupils and teachers with the modern learning and working environment they deserve, the new school building will achieve the BREEAM excellent standard which means that the school is one of the greenest schools in the country.

The construction methods used means that the building keeps warm in the winter and cool in the summer, reducing heating costs and leads to a 60% reduction in carbon emissions during the building’s lifetime and boasts such credentials as being able to recycle rainwater.

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Local Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert welcomed the £32.4 million-a-year Pupil Deprivation Grant for Wales and urged Caerphilly schools to make sure the extra money would be used to help those less-well-off children.

Schools have the flexibility on how to spend the extra Pupil Deprivation funding. Each school will receive an allocation according to the number of pupils aged between 5 and 15 who are eligible for free school meals which will equate to an additional £450 per eligible pupil.

Jeff Cuthbert AM said: “The Pupil Deprivation Grant is a great way of supporting pupils in our Caerphilly schools.

“It is so important that our children reach their full potential regardless of background and I intend to work closely with schools to make sure this funding makes a real difference.”

First Minister Carwyn Jones said:

“This new money is a major boost for our schools and has one clear aim – to reduce the link between deprivation and educational attainment. The Welsh Government is taking practical action to deliver better educational opportunities for our most disadvantaged children.”

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Tutor Billie Owens is helping 18 teaching assistants from local schools who have signed up for a pioneering scheme to learn conversational Welsh.

The 20-week course called Cwrs Iaith Meithrin (Nursery Language Course), is  being held at Gwersyllt Resources Centre and is being put on by adult education specialists Coleg Harlech WEA.

It is the first initiative of its kind for Coleg Harlech WEA  to run in North Wales and the experience is proving educational and enjoyable for the students.

The course is aimed specifically at teachers, nursery workers and childminders who work with very young children and who want to start learning or build their confidence with the language.

Under the guidance of tutor Billie Owens – herself a Welsh learner who hails from Harrogate – the students learn everyday words and phrases which a growing number of children now use in the classroom and playground.

Billie’s interest in the language began when she spent a holiday in North Wales at the age of 13. Until then she didn’t even know the language existed, and she later learned her first phrases from a fellow student at Manchester University who was from Anglesey.

She met her husband Geraint, who hails from Rhos, in 1996 and they married in 2000, when she took an intensive three-week Welsh course while still living in Manchester.

Other courses followed, including GCSE, A-level and, currently, a two-year course through the North Wales Welsh for Adults Centre to teach adults.

“Now my obsession has changed into my job,” she quipped.

The family now lives in Ruthin, where children Catrin, eight, and Math, five, attend the Welsh primary school Ysgol Penbarras.

Several of the assistants on the Gwersyllt course explained that they had asked their headteachers to find out whether any such courses existed so that they could improve their skills.

“There are plenty of courses for teachers but until now there has been nothing for teaching assistants,” explained Viv Valentine, one of eight assistants from Borras Park Primary School on the course.

Viv herself is a former pupil of Borras Park and her two daughters have also attended the school. She has been a classroom assistant there for eight years.

“When I was younger I spoke some Welsh although my parents didn’t and although the children in our school are largely from English families I think it’s important to be able to understand fairly elementary phrases,” she said.

“At the end of this course I may well want to take it further,” she added.

She said she found the weekly two-hour sessions not only stimulating but also relaxing.

“The way the lessons are conducted there is no pressure,” she added.

Karen Moore has been at Borras Park for about the same length of time and was also a pupil there as a child. As the family moved to live in Barmouth her son Liam quickly learned Welsh and after returning to Wrexham he attended Ysgol Bodhyfryd and then Ysgol Morgan Llwyd.

“He is fluent in Welsh but doesn’t use it at home because no-one else in the family can speak it, so when this chance came I was glad to sign up,” said Karen.

“It’s an opportunity to progress in work and the course has been even better than I expected,” she added.

Meinir Tomos Jones, Coleg Harlech’s Welsh For Adults co-ordinator, said the next step is to expand and run the course throughout North Wales and North Powys.

She said:  “Wrexham was chosen for the pilot following the National Eisteddfod last year and because of the surge of interest in Welsh in the area with a significant increase in the demand for Welsh medium education.

“Gwersyllt, where the course is held, has been identified as a possible location for a new Welsh medium primary school.”

“The Cwrs Iaith Meithrin course  builds on the success of Coleg Harlech’s Welsh For The Family courses which were  delivered in conjunction with the North and Mid Wales Welsh for Adults Centres and the Mudiad Meithrin which helps parents play a more active part in their children’s education, language and development.”

Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Fȏn Owen believes that Billie is the perfect role model for her students.

He said: “I am full of admiration for Billie who is a real inspiration to her students – a Yorkshirewoman who is proving to be an effective champion for the Welsh language.”

Photograph: Tutor Billie Owens with (l/r) Viv Valentine and Karen Moore

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The challenge formed part of the students’ BTEC Level 2 Public Services course with Gotcha International Academy, arranged as part of the Potensial project in Denbighshire.

The students from were from Ysgol Brynhyfryd (Ruthin), Ysgol Dinas Bran (Llangollen), Denbigh High School and Ysgol Glan Clwyd (St Asaph).

The expedition involved three days and  two nights of camping with an excursion to climb up to the top of Snowdon using leadership and motivational skills .

After a full term of work and planning the ‘Gotcha Expedition’ got underway by setting up camp.. All the students were issued with all required equipment for the expedition and the students were given a presentation by Mark Morgan on his recently completed South Pole expedition.

Vona Law, Potensial Project Officer, said: “On arrival at Snowdon the teams were briefed and headed up on their trek. With Brian Bloor leading the way all the students and members of the Potensial team achieved the goal of Snowdon summit by 11am and were greeted by clear, crisp views across North Wales.

“After a swift descent the students arrived back at their camp to prepare and eat their dinner, and spend some time enjoying evening entertainment, before heading to bed with tired legs all round.

“On the final morning, an inspection of the camp area was carried out before the youngsters turned their hand to a more fun kind of activity – paint-balling. They were presented with certificates before their challenge came to an end.

“This was an exciting challenge that helped them work together as a team, but also to motivate students to reach their goal.

Potensial is an European Social Fund project supported through Welsh Government and Denbighshire County Council.  The aim of the project is to support students by providing an alternative learning pathway to improve attendance, motivation and engagement.

For further information about Potensial, please contact Vona Law on 01824 708025.

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Estyn has rated the school’s teaching standards, care, support and guidance and pupil’s well – being as “Good” and says the valuable church links contribute to successful spiritual and moral standards.

Across the school they found, ” the school provides a good range of learning experiences, both within and out of school which engage most pupils’ interests well. All pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum….the Foundation Phase has been very successfully implemented.”

The school has been through a period of transition and change which is reflected in the content of the report, but it shows there is a caring ethos throughout the school and that all staff are committed to providing pupils with the best opportunities for learning.

Colin Roberts, Associate Headteacher said: “Although the school has been through a difficult period there is now stability, a sense of direction and purpose which is successfully and positively shared by all members of staff, governors, parents and pupils.

“The Governing Body,  ably led by the new Chair,  is clear of its roles and responsibilities and we’re delighted that the quality of teaching throughout the school is good and the staff are valued and respected for their commitment and professionalism.”

The recent improvements have yet to have a sustained input of improving Key Stage results and overall the Estyn Report gave the school an “Adequate” rating.  That means the school’s strengths outweigh the areas for improvement.  Estyn also deemed the prospects for improvement to be “Adequate”.

Mr Roberts added: “The inspection is fair and reflects the incredible amount of work put in by the school and we are especially pleased that the children were praised throughout the report.”

The Ven Shirley Griffiths, Chair of Governors said: “The positive comments in the report underline the tremendous amount of hard work undertaken by all staff and governors involved with Ysgol Dyffryn Iâl. The Estyn report has recognised the recent improvements in the school and we look forward to building on these and to providing all our pupils with an excellent education”.

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The current performance of Ysgol Gynradd Llandrillo is good with adequate prospects for improvement.

The Inspection states:  “In the Foundation Phase, pupils are making good progress in their literacy skills. Pupils’ oral language is good and they discuss confidently and use clear vocabulary and syntax when communicating with one another and with adults.

In Key Stage 2 the report stated: “By the end of key stage 2, most pupils are making good progress in their literacy skills in both languages.

Across the school they found that:” The school promotes the Welsh language effectively and models good language when communicating with pupils. This has a positive effect on pupils’ literacy standards. There is good provision for promoting awareness of Welsh culture and heritage and this reflects part of the school’s agreed vision.

Acting headteacher, Teleri Llwyd-Jones, said: “We are particularly pleased that the inspection found that pupils’ standards of wellbeing are a strength in the school and the relationship between pupils and staff across the school is a special one and has a positive influence on the classroom ethos and pupils’ achievement.

“I am very grateful to all the staff of the school who show their care to the children and dedication to the school daily. Not only are the teaching standards good but the Inspectors made reference to the teaching assistants being a very effective part of the teaching team and have a positive influence on learning and teaching.”

“Our standards are good and we will now work on the recommendations made by ESTYN to make them even better!”

The Inspection report said” Since the appointment of the acting Headteacher in September 2010, a clear vision has been created for the school and there is an obvious focus on getting pupils to achieve their potential. As a result of the leadership, the school’s standards have risen over the last two years. They now perform alongside the best in the family and this is considerably higher than expected based on the school’s level of challenge.”

Bryn Roberts, Chairman of Governors said, “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the inspection for their success and commitment to Ysgol Gynradd Llandrillo. Even with a dark cloud above us the staff  have shown their dedication. The report is positive and shows that we have good standards and gives us recommendations to move the school forward.”

“We will be making a post Inspection Action Plan to tackle issues raised in the report, so when Estyn come back next year we will show them the positive progress that has been made.”

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The Wales midfielder has been named as an ambassador for the new High 5 Awards being launched by Swansea Council last week.

The awards will highlight the positive actions and amazing achievements of children and teenagers in Swansea and have been sponsored by Gower College Swansea.

Allen, who has had an outstanding debut season in the Premier League, is thrilled to be involved in the awards, having overcome the odds to become one of the country’s leading young footballers.

Despite being told as a schoolboy that he was too small to be a footballer, Allen starred for Swansea City’s youth team before signing as a professional footballer at the age of 17.

He said: “I would not be where I am now if it wasn’t for the belief and support people had for me when I was a young player. I hope that the award winners will inspire young people to believe in themselves and work hard to follow their dreams. I hope they will also remind everyone that we should be proud of the young people in our communities.”

The idea for High 5 came out of Swansea Council’s consultation with young people over recognising the positive contribution they make and to counteract the negative publicity young people get nationwide.

Jack Straw, Chief Executive of Swansea Council, said: “Whether it’s through personal achievement, working for others or caring for someone, there are inspirational young people in all our communities who too often go unnoticed. Their amazing achievements are something we should be recognising and be proud of. I’d like to see these awards build young people’s self-confidence and send a clear message everyone can achieve their goal.”

Nick Bennett, Principal of Gower College Swansea, said: “It’s extremely important that young people are recognised and rewarded for the good work they carry out within their communities. We are very proud to sponsor the brand new High 5 Awards scheme and join in the celebration of these inspirational individuals.”

Nominations are now open for entries into the High 5 Awards. There are two age groups -  those aged up to 13 and 14 to 19-year-olds. Nominations can be received in five categories – Achiever, Caring, Community, Enterprise and Environment.

Any individual, organisation or school can nominate a young person for an award as along as the young person nominated is aged 19 and under and is either a resident or educated within the boundary of Swansea.

Each winner will receive a £50 prize, a tailor-made prize involving a personal activity or opportunity and they will be invited to the celebration awards evening along with their nominator and two guests.

Go to www.swansea.gov.uk/High5 to download or fill in a form or pick one up in the Civic Centre, Swansea, and return it to High 5 Awards, Canoldre Centre, Jockey Street, Swansea SA1 1NS. Further details area available on the website or e-mail queries to High5Awards@swansea.gov.uk

The closing date for all submissions is August  10, 2012.

The High 5 Awards are being organised by Swansea Council with sponsorship from Gower College Swansea and supported and kindly Swansea Sound and The Wave, Swansea City F.C and the Rotary Club.

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The event focused on encouraging respect within schools and communities and celebrated the work going on in Flintshire in line with the Welsh Government’s Anti-bullying guidance ‘Respecting Others’.

Respect is a core value at Elfed High School, and students worked with other pupils in the Buckley Mynydd Isa Consortium of Schools on a leaflet to make sure pupils know bullying is not acceptable.

Rosemary Jones, Head of Elfed High School said –

“It was a pleasure to welcome Respectfest to Elfed High School. The students who took part shared an important message about building positive relationships and avoiding conflicts. Congratulations to all who were involved in this event.”

The Flintshire Youth Forum, pupils from Elfed High School, Connah’s Quay High and Cornist Park Juniors facilitated the event and played key roles to make sure that the children and young people attending got the most out of the day.

Chris Ablett from the Flintshire Youth Forum said -

“It was brilliant to see so many young people supporting the issue of respect. Everyone got involved and applied themselves with infectious enthusiasm. This was an event where individuality and kindness were brought into focus and celebrated. Respectfest ‘13 is one to look out for!”

The delegates had an opportunity to share their thoughts on bullying and respect in two workshops. The Flintshire Youth Forum (FYF) ran a workshop using Theatre Forum to explore issues around respect and being an individual. Another workshop focused on staying safe on the internet, and all of the information will be used by the Flintshire & Wrexham Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (FWLSCB).

Jill Gilliam, FWLSCB Business Manager, said -

“I was very pleased to be invited to represent the Flintshire and Wrexham Local Safeguarding Children Board (FWLSCB) at the Flintshire Respectfest. It provided a great opportunity to raise awareness of the FWLSCB among professionals and children and young people and to obtain their views on staying safe on-line – the theme of this year’s FWLSCB annual conference. The young people at the event shared some great ideas with us which will be considered by our Junior LSCB in the future”.

Over 130 people attended across the day. Representatives from the Local Authority also offered their support on the day and local services had stands to help children, young people and the staff who support them become more aware of sources of support available if any of the issues particularly affect any one attending.

Ian Budd, Director of Lifelong Learning at Flintshire County Council said –

“It was great to see so many young people coming together to share their ideas on keeping safe and respecting others.”

The event has been kindly supported by The Children & Young People’s Partnership, Elfed High School, the Flintshire Youth Forum, the Respecting Others Multi-agency Steering Group and the Flintshire Youth Bank.

Alongside this event, multi-agency groups have been working to produce a toolkit of resources to support those who work with children and young people. The toolkit includes guidance on setting up a ‘Respecting Others’ policy in their setting, workshops on how to explore respect with children and young people and advice for parents if bullying enters their child’s life.

If you would like to find out more about the Respecting Others Project in Flintshire, please visit www.youngflintshire.co.uk/en/about/respecting-others

Photograph: left to right: Kezia (FYF), Chris(FYF), Jill Gilliam (FWLSCB Business Manager), Ali Thomas (Flintshire Youth Service), Brigitte (FYF), Becky (FYF), Rachel (Connah’s Quay High School), Lauren (FYF), Lori (Connah’s Quay High School), Hannah (FYF).

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Forty Year 9 pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe have been invited to participate in a ‘‘Taste of languages through the medium of Welsh”, day by Swansea University’s Department of Languages, Translation and Media and the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership.

The day has been sponsored by Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Swansea University and the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership which aims to widen access into higher education across south west Wales.

The aim of the day will be to promote modern foreign language opportunities through the medium of Welsh. The pupils will receive a tour of Swansea University campus as well as a talk about university life.

They will also participate in various workshops such as ‘German for All’, ‘Holiday Spanish’ and a ‘Surviving French Translation’ session.

Dr Geraldine Lublin from Swansea University’s Department of Languages, Translation and Media said: ‘‘It is great to see that so many pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe are interested in attending our taster day. I sincerely hope that they will enjoy each session and learn that there are great benefits to studying foreign languages through the medium of Welsh at Swansea University.”

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The visit was organised by Enterprise, Media and Performing Arts students at the Gorseinon campus.

Johnny, who is appearing in the new blockbuster film Snow White and the Huntsman alongside Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart, held a workshop with students and was able to provide advice on a one-to-one basis.

“This event was a result of a successful collaboration between three departments within the college,” says Enterprise event organiser Lucy Turtle. “Staff and students worked exceptionally well together to make this a very exciting occasion. It was great to meet Johnny and hear about his experiences in the acting industry.”

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Shadrach

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“We welcome the findings in the Estyn Report published today and we fully acknowledge that there is a problem. Welsh councils are committed to putting the educational needs of children and young people within their communities first.

The issue of surplus school places is indeed a major challenge facing Wales’ local authorities and the process is very complicated. Solving the problem is difficult especially with a 50% reduction in capital funding. However, local authorities are continuing to work with Welsh Government and Estyn to reduce surplus school places. The opening of new schools and closure of schools is not a decision that can be taken lightly. Local authorities have to undertake extensive consultation with communities before any decision can be taken, they have to balance both educational and community needs. Councils are committed to ensuring that the children and young people within their communities receive the best level of education possible.”

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The Sports Leadership Approved Assessment Centre at Crosskeys has been heralded for the outstanding work it is doing to get young people involved with sport in the local community.

Sports Leaders UK, the organisation that provides nationally recognised leadership awards and qualifications to help people develop skills such as organisation, motivation and communication, approved academy status for Coleg Gwent, highlighting the College as an example of best practice for promoting sport in the community.

Students can do the year-long, Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications and are taught how to plan and organise sports sessions and events, before going into the local community to help coordinate sporting activities. Coleg Gwent is one of 40 organisations across the UK to achieve academy status.

Scott Jarvis, aged 18, from Risca said: “I achieved the Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership last year and thought it was good and this year will achieve my Level 2 Award in Community Sports Leadership. This has been brilliant because I have been able to do lots of voluntary work including leading sports sessions at my old Comprehensive school, refereeing year five and six football matches and helping at a disability rugby festival. I would love to do this as a career.”

Currently in its sixth year of operation, the Sports Leadership Centre at Coleg Gwent has more than 50 students studying towards qualifications in sports leadership. It is now recognised as a beacon of good practice that not only benefits the learners involved but also has a positive impact on the local community.

Mererid Dark, the Sports Leadership Centre course manager at Coleg Gwent said: “I am really proud of all our students, it is an incredibly rewarding experience to see young people take control of their lives. Many students arrive with a lack of confidence and have never taken charge of a group of youngsters, but within a year they are running their own sport sessions and looking to start a career in the industry.

“We continually aim to raise standards and develop individuals, but the academy status is down to the hard work that students put in. While completing the Level 2 qualification, students must carry out a minimum of 10 hours voluntary work with 8 to 13 year-old children in the local community, across a diverse range of sports. Our students regularly exceed that minimum and some have completed as many as 60 hours as they find it such an enjoyable and rewarding experience.”

Students currently work with Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Newport local authorities as well as schools on projects including Sports Caerphilly Disability swimming galas, rugby tournaments and multi sport activity sessions.

Rob Guy, Foundation Manager for Wales Sports Leaders UK, said: “The staff at Coleg Gwent have really embedded the ethos of leadership into their work and have gone the extra mile in terms of delivery and excellence. Academy status is something that all centres should strive for, and Coleg Gwent will be showcased as a model of best practice to follow.”

Rob Guy presented the Campus with a plaque to acknowledge the academy status at an event on Wednesday 2 May, whilst Sports Leaders students demonstrated their skills, leading ILS (Independent Living Skills) students in a session on disability sports including boccia, new age kurling, seated volleyball and dodgeball.

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With the help of carbon fighting cartoon characters Sbarci and Fflic, pupils are learning how and why everyone can play their part in protecting the environment by cutting down energy use, carbon emissions and pollution.

The new ‘Sbarci a Fflic’ website was launched at Ysgol y Faenol recently, as the pupils there have proven themselves to be ahead of the game when it comes to making decisions about how we work, play and travel and our impact on the local and global environment.

The school is currently ranked top in the Sbarci and Fflic league – it has so far made significant carbon savings by reducing their energy consumption by nearly 40% compared to the same period the previous year.

This is the highest percentage of carbon savings out of the 34 schools taking part in the first year of the scheme which is monitoring energy use and carbon emissions in Gwynedd school buildings. The schools taking part in the project are battling it out against each other to see who can have a biggest impact on their carbon footprint over a nine month period.

The children have been learning why they should be thinking about these issues – the environmental and financial obligations of being careful with energy use and waste – and applying what they have learnt at school.

A website www.SbarciAFflic.org has been set up to help them learn, which features the fun characters Sbarci and Fflic, and their adventures as they try to reduce their carbon footprint. Officers from Gwynedd Council have also visited the schools to speak to the children about the topic and they have been shown a short cartoon film called Sbarci a Fflic Blow a Fuse.

The school at the top of the league at the end of school year in June will be awarded a tablet computer. The programme will then be rolled out to throughout all schools in the county over the next three years.

Amy Hughes, a pupil at Ysgol y Faenol said: “I have learnt how important it is that we try and save energy so that we don’t waste resources and money, and that we don’t pollute the environment. There are some useful facts on the Sbarci a Fflic website that helps us to do this. We have been checking the classrooms in school to make sure that the lights and computers are turned off, that water taps are turned off, and that doors and windows are kept closed when the heating is on”.

Gwenan Parry, Gwynedd Council’s Head of Customer Care who is responsible for energy conservation matters, said: “The project is part of Gwynedd Council’s campaign to reduce carbon emissions in all council-run buildings and service by 30% by 2015. It’s well reported that climate change will have a massive affect on communities here in Gwynedd and around the world so we all have our part to play to reduce the threat and I’m proud that the Council can take the lead.

“Sbarci and Fflic are great little characters which have gripped the imagination of the children and they have thrown themselves into the task of using equipment to measure energy use around the school and to use the information they have learnt to cut down on waste and conserve power. Schools account for a quarter of all Gwynedd Council’s carbon emissions, which is why we have decided to focus on raising awareness of energy efficiency and conservation in the Schools.

“Not only can this help protect the environment but also saves money. We hope that by learning about this at an early age we can instil good habits for life in the children, and they can take the message home to their own families.”

The schools programme is part of a wider strategy adopted by Gwynedd Council to reduce its environmental impact. Through implementation of its Carbon Management Plan, the Council aims to achieve the target to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2015, compared to a 2005/6 baseline. The Council has already achieved a 9% reduction in its carbon footprint compared to the baseline year figures.

Photograph: Year six pupils from Ysgol y Faenol with their teacher Steven Williams and Gwenan Parry, Gwynedd Council’s head of Customer Care Service

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This EU funded initiative will allow ten local students the opportunity to gain work placements in a choice of European countries including Greece, Italy, Spain or Sweden.

They will spend between four weeks and three months on their overseas placements, working in positions of responsibility within SMEs and receiving training in disciplines such as branding, sales, marketing and research and development.

Education Enterprise Manager Sue Poole and International Manager Caroline Townsend Jones, who submitted the bid, hope the programme will encourage young entrepreneurs to develop the relevant skills needed to start up and manage their own businesses.

Ten local companies will, in turn, have the chance to host European entrepreneurial students.

Business Minister Edwina Hart has congratulated the college on securing an invaluable educational opportunity for students.

“The exchange programme will give them the change to learn about the skills needed to run a business from experienced entrepreneurs in other countries and also give them an international perspective of the multi-disciplines needed to be successful in business,” said the Minister. “I would also like to encourage local businesses to host student visits from other countries to showcase the business opportunities available in Wales.”

“The Erasmus programme will open international doors to our students, with the prospect of travelling and working abroad and exchanging ideas with our European partners,” adds Sue Poole. “Gower College Swansea is the only college in Wales to participate in this programme so we are delighted to be able to offer this exclusive opportunity to our students.”

This partnership project, which begins in May, will run for two years.

It will be followed in September by the launch of a brand new BTEC Entrepreneurial Qualification as part of the Welsh Enterprise Academy, which will combine classroom learning with hands-on business mentoring.

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Welsh Baccalaureate and A Level students from Coleg Gwent’s City of Newport Campus researched survival techniques before spending a day at Allt-yr-yn Nature Reserve with Countryside Ranger and ex-Royal Marine Commando, Marc Benson.

To put their new skills into practice, students focussed on the three basic rules of survival, demonstrating how to construct two basic types of shelter, making fire using primitive methods and purifying and filtering water.

The group took the rough-and-ready conditions in their stride, impressing Countryside Ranger Marc Benson, he said: “Every one of them showed good subject knowledge, and gave 110% effort.  The groups’ determination to succeed in what were very difficult tasks was outstanding.”

The experience formed part of the Essential Skills Programme, which develops communication, team working and decision-making skills. Tutor Julie Benson said: “It was fantastic to see the students achieve such success and work so well as a team. I am very proud of them.”

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Cardiff Catering, the Council’s in-house education catering service which provides approximately 33,000 meals a day at over 140 locations across the city, is conducting an online survey to encourage feedback from parents. The information gathered will help to further improve the service and communications that the caterers and schools provide to pupils and their families.

The online survey should take less than ten minutes to complete, and parents are given the chance to win one year’s worth of school dinners for one child, between September 2012 and July 2013. Six prizes, each worth £350, are available. The deadline for taking part in the survey is 31 July 2012. Winners will be notified before 31 August 2012.

Cardiff Catering has already undertaken a number of popular initiatives to encourage families to choose school meals more often including:

o    Even healthier food and drink standards – since November 2011 the Primary School Menu has been compliant with Welsh Government Appetite for Life Food and Drink Standards, ahead of legislation in September 2012.
o    Tasters and Theme Days – a different theme or taster is promoted on the Primary School Menu every half term.
o    Photos of Menu Dishes – Primary Menu Cards are displayed in the dining hall daily to encourage children to choose a balanced meal.

In 2011, Cardiff Catering carried out a pilot survey of 217 parents of primary school children and discovered that 64% of parents make the decision whether their child has school meals or not.

Sue Eakers, Wellbeing and Compliance Manager for Cardiff schools said: “We are always looking for ways to improve our service by delivering an even better product to our customers.  We provide well balanced menus that meet the Welsh Government’s Nutritional Guidelines.  By choosing a school meal you can be sure that you are making the best choice for your child’s health, and we are keen to learn from parents about the choices they make regarding school dinners.”

The current survey and more information can be found in English and Welsh at the following websites:

www.surveys.cardiff.gov.uk/schoolmeals2012

www.surveys.cardiff.gov.uk/schoolmeals2012/cymraeg

Anyone with questions or comments about the survey should speak to their School Cook or email schoolcatering@cardiff.gov.uk

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The A Level Chemistry and Biology students from Tycoch were invited to The Maynard Centre in Cardiff where they saw the real life, practical application of their subjects.

“We were excited to see at first hand the transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care,” says lecturer Denise Thomas. “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to find out about the new advances being made in scientific techniques and to speak to leading professionals in the industry about future career paths.”

“I was delighted with the overall experience and we had great feedback,” adds Global Consumables R&D Leader Martin James, who coordinated the tour. “I believe this is an important thing for us to do periodically given none of the students – most of whom are planning to continue in the field – had previously had any contact with the ‘real world’ scientific / commercial community.”

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The Westminster Government has the current England-and-Wales system for setting teachers’ pay and conditions within its sights with the aim of “making pay more market-facing for teachers.”

Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “The Government wants to introduce a system that would pay less to teachers in disadvantaged areas for doing the same job as those in more affluent parts of the country.”

“That isn’t fair to individual teachers or to the profession, and it’s likely to cause shortages of teachers in areas where salaries are lower. These changes will either lead to protracted and acrimonious negotiations about all over the country about local pay levels, or otherwise a decision by the Westminster Government that Welsh teachers should earn less than the vast majority of teachers in England.”

“UCAC members can’t see any sense in a system like that, and the strength of their feelings will be plain to hear during the Conference this weekend.”

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Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews confirmed last night that he would be launching an investigation after the Catholic Education Service wrote to its schools urging them to support an online petition opposing equal marriage.

“We are pleased that the Minister has taken such swift action on this potential safeguarding issue” said Andrew White, Director of Stonewall Cymru “if any school in Wales has been involved in promoting this it would be a shocking breach of their duty of care.  No school, faith or otherwise, should be involved in such a live political issue, particularly in a way that demeans gay pupils.”

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The move comes as part of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Bill announced this week by Welsh Education Minister, Leighton Andrews.

This will mean  schools can be flexible at a local level over the price of school  meals,  subsidising school food where they feel this may be beneficial to children from families on low incomes. However, a cap will also be introduced to ensure schools do not charge more than the price of producing the food itself. There is currently no upper level on the price of school meals in Wales.

The Bill will place duties upon local authorities to provide, or continue to provide, primary school free breakfasts and school-based counselling on transfer of the specific grant funding to the Revenue Support Grant. The transfer will give local authorities flexibility to establish the level of need, make decisions based on local knowledge and circumstances and manage funding levels locally.

Commenting on the move, Lesley Griffiths said:

“Children cannot learn to their full capacity without the fuel to do so. This move will allow more families on lower incomes to afford school meals for their children.

“With this Bill, the Welsh Government will enable schools to decide at a local level whether meals should be further subsidised to help those on low incomes, where there is need.

“For the first time, schools will also have to ensure they serve meals at no more than cost price. This will ensure schools do not charge more than needed to the detriment of children of lesser means.

“This will make a massive difference to struggling families on low incomes who do not currently qualify for free school meals.”

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Starting on Saturday, June 2, people living in the Swansea area will have the chance to learn Latin in Singleton Park and the nine-week courses are on offer for absolute beginners and the more advanced who have studied Latin in the past.

Beginners classes will take place from 2pm-3pm, advanced classes from 3.30pm-4.30pm, and participants will also have chance to participate in a weekly workshop on a topic connected with Roman antiquity.

On the final Saturday, there will be a Roman BBQ and cooking demonstration for participants and their families.

Project coordinator Dr Evelien Bracke said: “The Latin language lies at the basis of most Western European languages, and a grasp of Latin makes it easier to learn languages such as French, Spanish, and Italian. English too has a lot in common with Latin, with over 60% of English words derived from Latin.

“Latin was the language of ancient Rome, the common language of Europe ever since, and has in fact shaped much of European history up to the present day. Knowing Latin unlocks access to a wide variety of beautiful and timeless texts and stories; it is a skill which provides pleasure and understanding for a lifetime.”

The course fee is either £3 per class if participants prefer to just turn up on the day, or the full course can be paid for in advance at the discounted rate of £22 for nine classes. Under-18s are welcome when accompanied by an adult.

For the first class on Saturday, June 2, participants should meet outside the Pub on the Pond in Singleton Park and bring something to sit on and something to write with.

All the money raised will be used to help fund the Department’s Literacy through Latin project, which teaches Latin to local primary school children.

For further information, please contact the project coordinator Dr Evelien Bracke, on Tel:  01792 295745, or email: e.bracke@swansea.ac.uk, or visit http://www.southwestwalesclassicalassociation.co.uk/learning-latin-and-greek.php.

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Local government has been working with the Welsh Government to develop aspects of the Bill and much of the detailed work is yet to come. The WLGA will continue to work with the Welsh Government to raise standards in education across Wales.

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An open day will be held on Saturday, 21 April between 11am and 2pm. Teaching staff and members of the board of governors will be on-hand to show people around and to talk about some of the school’s modern facilities and unique features.

The school opened its doors for the first time on 12 March and was the culmination of £9.3 million of investment in Caernarfon and many months work by Gwynedd Council and its partners in the Welsh Government and Wynne Construction.

Ysgol yr Hendre promises to provide the town’s children with the most modern learning resources and includes community facilities which can be used as a base for adult education, health and social welfare initiatives as well as cultural and sporting activities.

Arwel Jones, head teacher at Ysgol yr Hendre, said: “The last couple of months have been very exciting in our school’s history and the children, their families and the wider community have been enthusiastic and supportive about the new school.

“Saturday will be a chance for anyone who is interested to call by and have a look around the striking building and its state of the art facilities. Hendre is the largest primary school in Gwynedd with room for 450 children and will also be used by the wider community for all sorts of events and activities.

“I am sure people will be keen to learn about how we can lay claim to being one of the greenest schools in Wales, if not the UK, with our innovative use of energy and resources.

“I look forward to welcoming the local community to our new school on Saturday.”

Photograph: The new Ysgol yr Hendre

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Coleg Gwent e-Learning Manager Matt Smith led the 12 month Motivate project, which was funded by JISC SWaNI FE Teaching and Learning Innovation Grants programme.

The initiative investigated how technology, particularly text messaging, benefited both teaching and learning.

Coleg Gwent staff, Principal Jim Bennett and project partners attended a conference to discuss the findings of the initiative, which included improved retention rates on courses engaged with the project, and good support through use of the technology.

“The project has been a great success,” said Coleg Gwent e-Learning Manager Matt Smith.

“We plan to continue to develop our knowledge of mobile messaging beyond this project to improve teaching and learning.”

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Now it has a regular spot on the sporting timetable at Howells School, Denbigh, and the school are looking for fixtures.

The idea for the reintroduction of the game has come from the school’s new PE teacher, Tanya Hunter, who says the girls have taken to it enthusiastically.

She said: “It’s a real action-packed sport, very fast, very athletic and a lot of fun and the girls really enjoy it and just by way of variety we’ve actually got one girl in Year 13 whi actually plays pololacrosse which is lacrosse but on a horse.”

In lacrosse the players carry a stick with a net on the end which they use to to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by hurling the ball into an opponent’s goal.

The defending team tries to prevent scoring by stick checking and body positioning and traditionally the game as originally played could be quite violent but Tanya, 24, who took over as head of PE at the school this year, says the modern form of the game is quite safe.

She added: “I have played lacrosse and we’ve been getting the younger girls here to play it and the school have been very supportive in providing the equipment.

“The girls are really pushing their skills to the max and it’s great to see them trying something different.

“We’re now hoping to be able to arrange some fixtures for them after Easter so we’re keen to hear from other schools.”

Tanya, from Foleshill, Coventry, was educated at Sidney Stringer Secondary School, now the Sidney Stringer Academy in Hillfields, Coventry, and gained a BA Honours in Sports Studies at the University of Central Lancashire, in Preston, before going on to get her Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Liverpool John Moores University.

She now lives in Liverpool and also spends her holidays working for the STARS organisation, which runs residential courses at Howells and other schools such as Ellesmere College.

Nicola Locke, Trustee of Howells School, said: “Tanya brings so much enthusiasm and technical knowledge to the school’s sporting activities and she communicates that so well to the girls.

“At Howells we believe sport is so important on so many levels to a young person’s development and so we give them every opportunity we can to take part and enjoy it.

“Sport isn’t just for people who are particularly good at it. It benefits people at all levels of ability and most of all it is fun.”

Tanya said: “I play netball and badminton and those are my main sports. I think it’s important to be involved in sport and to keep playing as that way you keep up with the latest developments.

“I’m really just a sports fan at heart and you have to be. There are some sports which you have never played but when you see someone who is really good then you can appreciate their skills.

“I also like to involve the older girls in sport here at the school as they can be really good mentors for the younger pupils and they can get a lot out of that role as well.

“The school teams are doing really well and we’re building good relationships with other schools.

“We had three girls reach the finals of the North Wales Cross-Country Championships and we’ve been very successful in netball with the Year Seven girls just back from a residential weekend in Shropshire where they finished third which was brilliant since they’ve only been playing competitively since November.

“The hockey has also been going well and the girls are working incredibly hard to get themselves in the right state of mind and fitness and it’s really paying off for them.”

Photograph: PE Teacher Tanya Hunter with members of Year Seven lacrosse team, from left, Emily Davies, Siobhan Benson, Emma-jade Simpson, and Sophie Vawdrey

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The message comes after 29 children from local schools were found in the city centre when they should have been in lessons.

In just four hours on March 28, a single team of police officers and Swansea Council education welfare officers picked up the youngsters all of whom were accompanied by their parents or guardians.

Birthday treats, shopping, and buying the correct shoes for school were among the excuses given alongside ‘not feeling too well’ and ‘recovering from a trip to the dentist’.

Parents who condone truancy are liable to court action and can face fines of up to £1,000 or, in the worst cases, imprisonment for not ensuring their children attend school regularly.

Susan Griffiths, the Council’s Principal Education Welfare Officer, said: “Truancy checks are vital in backing up the work already being carried out by our team of dedicated Education Welfare Officers.

“They work hard to identify any issues faced by young people and their families which could have an impact on their future school attendance.

“Truancy prevents young people from achieving their full potential. But it can also make them vulnerable to crime. That’s one of the reasons why South Wales Police is so supportive of the work we do.”

She said: “The message to parents is that we are working together to combat truancy and that parents need to take responsibility in ensuring their children attend school every day.”

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Swansea Council’s meals team is calling on parents to check out if they are eligible for the meals and missing the chance for their child to join Captain Jack’s healthy eating crew for free.

Parents who sign-up from April 2012 will also be securing additional funding to boost education in their schools.

The new Welsh Government pupil deprivation grant means £450 will go directly to schools for every child entitled to receive free school meals. This will target key skills such as reading and maths.

Bet Jenkins, Swansea Council’s Catering Facilities Manager, said: “There are very clear benefits for children who have free school meals.

“But under the new Welsh Government grant schools will be given extra funding to specifically dedicate to supporting all pupils in the school with literacy and maths if eligible families apply for free school meals.”

She added: “School meals offer great value for money by offering two courses and a drink at the bargain price of £1.95 with free salad and bread, but there are hundreds of children in Swansea who could be getting all of that for free.

“We would like to reassure parents that who gets free school meals is confidential between the parent and school. The children are not treated any differently at meal times; they’re served the same meals in the same way as their fellow pupils so they are not singled out in any way.

“Children get a choice of meals which meet strict government guidelines as well as the fussiest of appetites and the team ensure that they are as healthy as they are tempting to the eye and tasty to eat

“We actively encourage parents who qualify to make a claim for free school meals. It’s easy to do as parents now only have to fill in the form once and they will be treating their children to a delicious meal while also adding extra funding to schools.”

Parents fill out a form just once to claim a free school meal. Details of who is eligible are available at http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=40836

Forms are also available from schools.

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The money will allow an extra five colleges to join the Bilingual Champions scheme. As set out in the Welsh Government’s Welsh Medium Education Strategy, this scheme allows each college to employ a champion to increase Welsh-medium and bilingual provision for learners.

The colleges selected for the extension to the Bilingual Champions scheme are:

• Bridgend College
• Coleg Menai
• Coleg Powys
• Pembrokeshire College
• The College Ystrad Mynach

Each of the five Colleges will receive £50,000 per annum for the next three academic years.

They join four colleges already part of the scheme since 2011, Coleg Gwent; Yale College; Coleg Ceredigion and the Coleg Glan Hafren/Barry College/WEA South/YMCA Community College Partnership, and the four colleges that were part of the pilot phase of the programme.

Next year it is planned to extend the scheme to the remaining further education colleges in Wales.

The aim of the Bilingual Champion is to increase the number of modules and courses available to learners through the medium of Welsh or bilingually, and to create opportunities for learners to maintain and develop their Welsh-language skills through a range of informal activities.

A number of objectives have been set out to achieve this aim, such as establishing a college mentoring programme for staff that require additional support to teach through the medium of Welsh or bilingually, and increasing the number of college staff available to assist with portfolio building and assessment through the medium of Welsh.

Mr Andrews said:

“I am delighted that we have been able to extend this scheme to give students in FE colleges more opportunities to continue their studies through the medium of Welsh or bilingually, and to offer the support needed to encourage students to continue to use the language.

“Extending this scheme will develop and strengthen Welsh-medium provision in further education in line with the target set in the Welsh Government’s Welsh-medium Education Strategy. It also supports our new Welsh Language Strategy which aims to create more opportunities for people to use Welsh in every aspect of their lives.”

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Cardiff Council’s Reading Power campaign was launched in 2010, an innovative new literacy strategy to help improve standards in reading and writing across schools in the city. It aims to tackle the issue of poor literacy and has been developed to help parents and carers understand the importance of good reading and writing skills to help children succeed in the future.

As part of the initiative, more than 160 volunteers from local businesses and organisations have given time and support to 14 schools in the city. The volunteers from companies including Price Waterhouse Cooper, Admiral, Legal & General, Media Wales and Eversheds spend an hour a week in a school reading with two or three pupils during that time.

Organisations including Albany Church, Cardiff Rotary Club and Llanishen Rotary Club also have volunteers offering support in schools. Pupils in primary and secondary schools including Mt Stuart Primary, Fitzalan, Glyn Derw, Cantonian, Glan yr Afon and Albany Road Primary School have already greatly benefitted from the visits.

Since its launch, Reading Power has been making good progress and schools involved in the campaign are showing signs of improvement. The feedback from volunteers based in secondary schools is that they have noticed clear progress in the students they read with, especially in terms of reading fluency and comprehension, concentration, confidence and enthusiasm.

The Council recognises that literacy plays a fundamental role in people’s lives and the importance of raising standards so that everyone can fulfill their potential. Poor literacy has a dramatic effect on both an individual’s life and wider society and has been linked with an increased tendency for crime, poor educational attainment, health issues and also causes problems for business and the wider economy from skills shortages.

Cardiff Council’s Chief Executive Jon House said: “Reading and writing are the basic building blocks of education. Teachers in schools across the city are working incredibly hard to ensure children have these key skills. Since the launch of our literacy strategy, there has been a marked increase in the number of functionally literate children leaving primary education and going on to high school.

“The support and commitment from Headteachers, local businesses and organisations working closely in partnership has had an extremely positive impact on students taking part. The excellent work the teachers and volunteers do is key to the good progress we are making and hope to continue.”

For more information on the Reading Power campaign, visit www.cardiff.gov.uk/readingpower which provides information on how parents can help their children.

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