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Home Posts tagged "Welsh Government"

Overhaul of Welsh school services a step closer after latest damning report

Published on May 17, 2013,

A radical overhaul of school services in Wales looks increasingly likely with the publication of a damning new report into education delivery. Education watchdog Estyn says standards at Blaenau Gwent council remain “unsatisfactory” – the lowest possible grade – and its “lack of capacity and competence” at all levels hampers progress. This is from Wales Online…

The authority, which became the first in Wales to require “special measures” in May 2011, was re-inspected in January but Estyn found little improvement. (more…)

 

Schools director for Wales leaving to join education consultancy

Published on May 15, 2013,

Wales’ schools director is leaving the Welsh Government to join a leading education consultancy, it has been announced. Chris Tweedale, director of schools and young people in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), will take up the position of UK director of CfBT Education Trust. This is from Wales Online…

In his new role, Mr Tweedale will be responsible for the leadership and development of CfBT’s UK operations and help support school improvement and reform. (more…)

 

Welsh government expands Flying Start childcare support programme

Published on May 14, 2013,

The Welsh government is spending an extra £19m to double the number of young children it helps for families living in poor areas. This is from the BBC…

It plans to add 146 projects to the Flying Start programme which offers part-time childcare for under-fours. (more…)

 

Welfare: Free school meals at risk – Welsh government minister

Published on May 9, 2013,

Welfare change could put access to schemes like free school meals at risk, a Welsh government minister has warned. This is from the BBC…

Anti-poverty minister Huw Lewis said Whitehall was not releasing key information about who will be eligible for benefits under universal credit. (more…)

 

Wales’ chief schools inspector ‘frustrated’ by pace of improvement

Published on May 8, 2013,

Wales’ chief schools inspector has admitted to being “frustrated” by the pace of improvement in the nation’s classrooms. This is from Wales Online…

Head of Estyn Ann Keane said levels of literacy and numeracy remain a “major issue” in Welsh schools and inspectors are not picking up the “systemic improvements” she wants to see. (more…)

 

‘Concern’ as man in charge of rescuing county’s schools sends his daughter to private school in England

Published on April 11, 2013,

The man put in charge of rescuing a Welsh county’s education service has sent one of his own children to an independent secondary school in England, it has emerged. This is from Wales Online…

Jeremy Patterson, the chief executive of Powys County Council, was last year made director of education as well following a critical report from Estyn, the schools inspection body.

Mr Patterson said his daughter had left Llandrindod High School last summer and is now a pupil at Bedstone College, a co-educational independent school for day pupils and boarders at Bucknell in Shropshire. (more…)

 

How has Leighton Andrews’ 20-point plan for Welsh education progressed?

Published on April 2, 2013,

It has been two years since Education Minister Leighton Andrews unveiled a 20-point plan to improve Wales’ schools system. Wales Online Education Correspondent Gareth Evans examines how much progress has been made…

1. Reorganisation of Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and introduction of School Standards Unit (SSU). (more…)

 

Study suggests Welsh Bacc may be worse for university performance but better for entrance

Published on March 27, 2013,

University students who studied the Welsh Baccalaureate are less likely to get top degrees than those who took A-levels, a report suggests, but more likely to get into a good university in the first place. This is from the BBC…

The Bacc was introduced about a decade ago to offer a more rounded education. (more…)

 

Sixth Welsh education authority faces special measures

Published on March 23, 2013,

A sixth Welsh local education authority has fallen foul of school inspector Estyn, and faces special measures. The education watchdog says Torfaen council has not delivered enough improvement after a critical inspection in 2011. This is from the BBC…

The Welsh government will now be asked to respond to the recommendation, which could see education responsibilities removed from the council. (more…)

 

Asbestos: Cwmcarn school repairs could cost up to £1.5m

Published on March 21, 2013,

An appeal has been made for emergency funding to help pay for up to £1.5m in works to remove asbestos from a Wales school which was forced to close. This is from the BBC…

Cwmcarn High School, in Caerphilly county, shut in October after a report said its 900 pupils were at risk. (more…)

 

Truancy prosecutions in Wales rise 700% over five years

Published on March 6, 2013,

Prosecutions of parents in Wales for truancy by their children have risen 700% over the past five years, BBC Wales has found. This is from the BBC…

Court cases for failing to send a child to school rocketed from 60 in 2007 to nearly 500 in 2011. (more…)

 

Wales’ Children’s Commissioner Keith Towler frustrated at illegal school exclusions

Published on February 28, 2013,

Wales’ children’s commissioner Keith Towler says he is frustrated at the slow progress being made in tackling illegal exclusions from schools. This is from the BBC…

Schools cannot ask parents to keep their children away from school without giving formal exclusion notification. (more…)

 

Fears of another GCSE grading fiasco raised by Plaid Cyrmu

Published on February 23, 2013,

Fears that last year’s GCSE grading fiasco could be repeated have been fuelled after it emerged Wales’ exams regulator has missed crucial UK-level meetings. This is from Wales Online…

Draft minutes show regulators from England and Northern Ireland attended the latest meeting of the Exam Taskforce Association – but the Welsh Government, which is responsible for exams in Wales, did not. (more…)

 

Parents in Wales offered ‘transparent’ schools performance data online

Published on February 23, 2013,

Parents in Wales can find out how well their children’s schools are performing through a new website. The My Local School site contains information about all state secondary and primary schools in Wales. The website includes information on pupils’ attainment in exams, attendance rates and school budgets. This is from the BBC…

The Welsh government said it wants more transparency, but a teaching union said comparing schools that face different challenges “doesn’t make sense”. (more…)

 

Failing Welsh schools: Merthyr Tydfil and Monmouthshire warned of special measures

Published on February 21, 2013,

The education services in two more areas of Wales should be taken into special measures, according to the education watchdog Estyn. This is from the BBC…

Merthyr Tydfil and Monmouthshire are the latest councils deemed to be failing pupils, following Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent and Pembrokeshire. (more…)

 

Welsh children in poverty left behind by school activities, warns report

Published on February 19, 2013,

Children living in poverty are being held back from joining in on activities and events that are crucial in helping their educational development, a leading charity is warning. This is from Wales Online…

The report by Save the Children has taken in the views of nearly 200 young people aged between 11 and 14 from across Wales. (more…)

 

Welsh reject Gove’s EBacc exam reforms

Published on January 30, 2013,

The Welsh Government delivered a snub to Education Secretary Michael Gove’s English Baccalaureate last night, announcing that it intends to stick to GCSEs when the new exam is introduced in two years’ time. This is from the Independent…

 
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