Schools and education

[SteveH]

FROM September, all children in Conwy primary schools will be offered a free meal.

Welsh Government introduced the Universal Primary School Free School Meals (UPFSM) scheme last year, with a target that all primary school children will get free school meals by April 2024.

Conwy will be introducing their scheme seven months ahead of the target date.

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have been offered free school meals this year, and as a result, primary schools have served an extra 1,200 meals a day.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23662770.conwy-primary-schools-offered-free-meals-september/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

SCHOOLS in Conwy are unlikely to be affected by crumbling concrete panels.

Ysgol David Hughes and Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi on Anglesey have closed amid concerns regarding concrete; reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found at both schools.

Conwy County Borough Council said they have a "regular inspection programme" for all properties and have not identified concerns relating to RAAC.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23768283.conwy-county-borough-council-update-raac-schools/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Young people leaving Wales looking for higher pay may actually be better off if they stay, according to a company trying to halt graduate "brain drain".

A founder of Darogan Talent said on average they could have more money if they were in Cardiff than in London because of the cost of living.

A Tory politician said Wales must invest in skills to retain the young.

The Welsh government said it was doing everything it could "to help young people to plan their futures in Wales".

Darogan - which translates as predict or foretell - was established in 2018 with the aim of attracting students who studied outside Wales to return after graduation.

It said that a lack of information about opportunities in Wales has contributed to the loss of young people to other countries.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67299095

[SteveH]

Adults in North Wales can access free numeracy courses thanks to this government-backed scheme
A ?4.8m investment in adult numeracy in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Conwy and Denbighshire has been aimed to make maths simpler for everyone

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai has launched a new service aimed at helping individuals brush up on their maths skills and become more confident with numbers.

The ?Numeracy for Life/Multiply? project has received ?4.8m of funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and is supported by Gwynedd Council, Isle of Anglesey County Council, Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council.

The initiative has been designed to help people improve their understanding and use of maths in their daily lives, including at work and at home. This may include by improving household finances, helping children with homework, making more sense of facts in the media, or improving numeracy skills specific to a line of work.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/special-features/adults-north-wales-can-access-28508912?%3Futm_source=inyourarea&utm_medium=iyaweb&utm_campaign=carousel&utm_term=cm_carousel_click&utm_content=content-marketing&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Whether you're a young person preparing for an independent life, a parent looking to boost your numeracy skills, or simply someone who wants to get a firm grasp on numbers to help you keep on top of your finances - the Multiply Scheme can help.

This free online course and in-person workshops could help you get a handle on numbers
The fully-funded Multiply course from COPA can help enhance your numeracy skills in everyday life

Maths - some of us take to it like a duck to water, while for others it's like trying to understand a foreign language with a totally different alphabet.

But while it can be hard to relate the algebra, quadratic equations and endless times tables we had to study at school to everyday life, the fact is that we encounter maths all the time - from measuring for DIY to totting up bills, and from estimating distances to following recipes. Above all, if you want to make progress with your career, then maths cannot be ignored.

COPA - the Welsh word for peak or summit - is an organisation committed to helping people gain the skills and qualifications that will make them more employability, helping people take control of their future and boosting their confidence so that they can reach the peak of their potential.

Now, COPA is offering a free and flexible numeracy course to support you in your journey to conquering numbers.

cont https://www.walesonline.co.uk/special-features/free-online-course-person-workshops-28867934?%3Futm_source=inyourarea&utm_medium=iyaweb&utm_campaign=carousel&utm_term=cm_carousel_click&utm_content=content-marketing&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Children's reading standards in Wales are being left "completely to chance" amid concerns about levels of attainment, a teacher has said.

In international tests, Welsh 15-year-olds scored lower than pupils in all other UK nations in maths, science and reading with results showing the gap had widened.

Teacher Rob Randel said parents were getting "a lottery ticket" for their children's English reading standards without a consistent approach across schools.

The Welsh government said it was taking steps to improve attainment with more details of its plans due in the autumn.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn051y04e4qo

[SteveH]

Conwy council has outlined a long term strategy for capital investment in education that includes a major review of schools in Llandudno. Welsh Government have requested all local authorities provide them with a 9-year "Strategic Outline Programme (SOP)".

This sees councils identifying areas/projects they would like to develop as part of their Sustainable Communities for Learning - a long term capital investment programme.

This will look to address the under-capacity currently in Llandudno schools and could include closures and mergers, including creating a 3-19 through school. Predicted pupil numbers in the Llandudno area are forecast to drop by 11-18% by 2028/29.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/major-reshape-education-llandudno-could-29560190

[SteveH]

A COUNCILLOR criticised a council report for omitting the reasons why plans for a multi-million-pound new school had been scrapped.

Speaking at Conwy’s education and scrutiny committee meeting at Bodlondeb this week, Cllr Paul Luckock said a report proposing the amalgamation of schools was lacking information.

At the meeting, councillors backed plans to start a public consultation on streamlining proposals to amalgamate four schools into two whilst placing another two under single management.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24618899.conwy-report-missing-information-scrapped-31m-school/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589