Latest news with #AdditionalLearningNeeds
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Hefin David MS on important health topics discussed in Senedd
This week, I was pleased to speak on a panel on child health, hosted in the Pierhead by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Joined by Sioned Williams MS, James Evans MS and Jane Dodds MS, we discussed what children and young people's health means to us. I took this opportunity to talk about diagnosis and provision for Additional Learning Needs, as well as how ALN affects young carers and how we can support them in what they do. The event was a really valuable chance for Senedd Members, professionals and those affected by child health matters to share what they would like to see taken forward as key priorities by the Welsh Government after the next Senedd election. On Wednesday, I also held a debate in the Senedd calling for Owain's law, in memory of my constituent Owain James - a young father from Caerphilly. Owain's wife Ellie has made it her mission to ensure a gold-standard approach to preserving human tissue for future cancer patients, after Owain passed away from a brain tumour last year. I tabled the cross-party motion after I heard that Owain had 7cm of tissue surgically removed, but only 1cm of this was fresh frozen. This meant that there wasn't enough tissue remaining to make a further personalised vaccine to treat Owain's tumour. Ellie says that had they had more fresh frozen tissue available, more vaccines would have been available, and Owain would be alive today. The non-binding motion was agreed upon unanimously. However, Owain's law is unlikely to proceed without Welsh ministers' full support, and this is something I will continue to work on, alongside Ellie. In the meantime, I'd like to take this opportunity to remember Owain for everything he's done in this. Even in his passing, he's contributed to the debate on keeping patients alive for longer. Hefin David is Senedd Member for Caerphilly.
Cambrian News
5 days ago
- Business
- Cambrian News
Powys council records £5.3m surplus on budget
The huge turnaround that has been seen in the finances, according to a report, is down to the Welsh Government awarding the council £2m on 24 March that lessens the impact of 'spending pressures' in several parts of the council including, Additional Learning Needs (ALN), Homelessness, Social Services and the Highways service.
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Pupils with additional needs thrive at inclusive Aberystwyth school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Fight gains momentum to save historic Pembrokeshire school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Milford Haven Buffaloes thank Waterloo Club for support
New pledge to gather school choice data from all parents — not just those choosing Welsh-medium education PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has revised its position following mounting criticism over its handling of Welsh-medium education policy, agreeing to broaden the scope of its planned parental survey. The move comes after a political and public backlash to comments made during the Council Cabinet's April meeting, where Deputy Leader Paul Miller suggested that some parents were choosing Welsh-medium schools not for the language but for newer facilities. His remarks, and the nature of the Cabinet debate, drew sharp criticism from opposition leader Cllr Huw Murphy, the Welsh Language Commissioner, and Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language and Culture, Mark Drakeford. Critics accused the Cabinet of taking an 'anti-Welsh' tone and of singling out parents who chose Welsh-medium education. The row escalated after Mr Drakeford told BBC Cymru: 'I can't see why we would ask parents why they choose Welsh or why they choose English… Local authorities should be making the case for choosing Welsh-medium education, not questioning those who do.' Now, in an apparent attempt to address those concerns and reset the debate, the Council has issued a fresh statement following its Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 21). It confirms that data collection will be considered for all parents, not just those opting for Welsh-medium education. A Council spokesperson said: 'Cabinet has today agreed to explore the collection of information from all parents, regardless of language preference, in order to better understand school choice across the county.' The updated resolution now asks the Director of Education to explore methods for capturing data on the relative importance of different factors influencing school choice. These include language preference, learning outcomes, quality of facilities, transport provision, and support for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). The Council says the data will help inform future decisions on modernising the school estate, ensuring they reflect the priorities of a broad and representative sample of parents. Despite the softened stance, the issue remains politically sensitive. Cllr Huw Murphy, whose formal 'call-in' prompted the Council to revisit its earlier decision, has argued that any perception of bias against Welsh-medium provision risks undermining public trust and the Council's obligations under the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). The Welsh Language Commissioner had also expressed concern over the original approach, stating that questioning only parents choosing Welsh-medium schools was 'not compatible' with the Council's statutory duties. The revised position may go some way toward cooling tensions, but the debate has already highlighted deeper divisions over language policy, school choice, and how local authorities should approach data collection in the context of bilingual education. The Herald will continue to follow developments closely as the Council works through the next phase of its data-gathering plans.
