A new approach to Additional Learning Needs designed to make fairer and more transparent the support available to children and young people in Wales is working its way through the education system. But, as Nanna Ryder explores, the changes are not as equitable as they might seem… Education in Wales is currently going through some major policy…
Yma, mae Natasha Young yn rhannu ei syniadau ar ddysgu gweithredol a dulliau cyfranogol mewn Addysg Uwch wedi’i seilio ar ei gwaith fel darlithydd blynyddoedd cynnar yn Athrofa Plentyndod, Ieuenctid ac Addysg PCYDDS. Mae gan Natasha brofiad sylweddol o weithio yn y sector blynyddoedd cynnar sy’n sail i’w haddysgu a’i diddordebau ymchwil yn ei rôl…
Natasha Young shares her ideas on active learning and participatory approaches in Higher Education informed by her work as an early years’ lecturer at UWTSD’s Childhood Youth and Education Institute. Natasha has significant experience working in the early years sector which informs her teaching and research interests in her current lecturing role. Her interests include…
Education and social care are built on strong working relationships and being responsive to one another’s needs. But life is about so much more than that. Here, university lecturer and doctoral student Paul Darby reflects on the power of professional love and its many manifestations… I have recently been talking to my early years students…
COVID-19 has changed the way we think about education, and opened to question many long-held practices. Parents’ evenings are one such thing but, explains Janet Hayward, there is an innovative new approach ready and waiting for schools willing to try something different… It’s no breaking news that the COVID-19 Pandemic has forced schools to work…
Ongoing changes to Wales’ education system are being made against the backdrop of collaboration and policy co-construction. In this insightful blog, Yvonne Roberts-Ablett reflects on her own involvement in the curriculum ‘Pioneer’ process and calls on others to join in the educational reform movement… ‘Co-construction’ is rapidly becoming a key phrase in education in Wales.…
In this blog, the first in a series looking at how student-teachers are supported through their journey to becoming a qualified teacher, Laurence Thomas reflects on the benefits of effective mentoring for all those involved… As student-teachers’ second placement approaches (Professional Teaching Experience, hereafter ‘PTE 2’), we celebrate the role of the mentor at this…
The events of the past year have been challenging for everyone, least not educators who have had to adapt to new ways of working and respond to a number of different barriers to learning. But so too has the pandemic presented opportunities, and as we emerge from our battle against COVID-19, Yr Athrofa and its…
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our education system has been profound and we’re all adapting to new ways of working. Here, Linda Kelly explores the extent to which college students have engaged in online learning…. My current intake of students were mostly born after the year 2000. They are the digital generation. They…
A collaborative research project involving the Athrofa: Centre for Education and partner schools is helping to develop understanding of global competency and citizenship across Europe. Think Global, an Erasmus project designed to foster global competence in schools, brings together seven organisations, including schools, local authorities and universities, from Catalonia, Belgium, and Wales. The aim is…
Before the moment is lost, staff and student-teachers from the Athrofa: Centre for Teacher Education capture a positive development in practice… Imagine being a student-teacher in a global pandemic. Whatever was expected about life on an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme has well and truly been re-imagined and re-invented – sometimes with very little notice…
It is well known that children’s formative years are crucial to their development in later life. But how well are we preparing our youngest learners for the world around them? Allison Jones investigates… In recent months, we’ve witnessed changes to education in Wales, albeit some temporary, potentially with the most significant yet to come. Curriculum…
The need to ensure a more consistent approach to professional learning of the education workforce has been highlighted in a new report by a guiding coalition of international experts. In its fourth report to the education community, the Wales Education Commission noted the wide variation in teachers’ development opportunities that exists across Wales. The Commission, which brings together…
Bu academyddion o’r Drindod Dewi Sant ar ymweliad ag Awstralia i ddysgu gan gydweithwyr a rhannu datblygiadau’n ymwneud â thaith diwygio addysg Cymru. Derbyniwyd papur gan staff o’r Athrofa Addysg a’r Dyniaethau yng nghynhadledd flynyddol Cymdeithas Ymchwil mewn Addysg Awstralia (AARE) – sy’n dod ag arbenigwyr addysg at ei gilydd o bob cwr o’r byd.…
Raising the profile of teaching has been highlighted as crucial to supporting recruitment and retention in Wales, in a new report by a guiding coalition of international experts. In its third report to the education community, the Wales Education Commission considered making teaching more attractive to graduates and school leavers essential. The Commission, which brings together educational thinkers…
The importance of leadership in driving forward educational change in Wales has been highlighted in a new report by a guiding coalition of international experts. In its second report to the education community, the Wales Education Commission considered the quest for effective system leadership at all levels within Wales’ education system to be “of paramount importance”.…
A major conference focusing on a cornerstone of Wales’ new national curriculum attracted more than 100 delegates from across Europe. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Yr Athrofa – Institute of Education – hosted a special Languages, Literacy and Communication Conference at its Carmarthen Campus on April 6-7. Yr Athrofa’s inaugural Research in Education…
Teachers in Wales have contrasting perceptions of information communications technology (ICT) which impact on the way the subject is taught in schools, according to a new report. Researchers from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Cardiff Metropolitan University undertook teacher case studies in three different schools to unearth variation in both the perception…
Teachers in Wales have contrasting perceptions of information communications technology (ICT) which impact on the way the subject is taught in schools, according to a new report. Researchers from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Cardiff Metropolitan University undertook teacher case studies in three different schools to unearth variation in both the perception…
One of the leading figures in Welsh education was invited to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to inspire the next generation of teachers. Education expert and author of the Welsh Government’s ‘Successful Futures’ report, Professor Graham Donaldson, gave the keynote address at UWTSD’s annual ‘Aiming for Excellence’ conference about his proposals for a…
Some of the world’s leading educational thinkers have been brought together to support school improvement in Wales. The Wales Education Commission has been established by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to help facilitate improvements in teaching and learning. Members, each with their own record of outstanding success in their fields, will be…
A leading coalition of experts have put forward their proposals for how best to improve Wales’ education system. In its inaugural report to the sector, the Wales Education Commission urged ministers to consider the “practical structures” required to support school improvement and recommended the development of a “guiding framework” to underpin national objectives. The Commission,…
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David welcomed Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language Alun Davies to its Carmarthen Campus to discuss the opportunities afforded by collaboration between the Welsh Government and the higher education sector. It was agreed that by working together, the Welsh Government and the university could ensure the best possible…
Educators from each of the home nations have been brought together to share expertise and compare the challenges they face. Teachers, lecturers and academics from Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland spent a working weekend in Edinburgh to examine two key issues. The first looked at whether there should be some agreement across the UK…
A leading coalition of experts have put forward their proposals for how best to improve Wales’ education system. In its inaugural report to the sector, the Wales Education Commission urged ministers to consider the “practical structures” required to support school improvement and recommended the development of a “guiding framework” to underpin national objectives. The Commission,…
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams was presented with a radical new approach to teacher education during a recent visit to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Vice-chancellor Professor Medwin Hughes and Professor Dylan Jones, director of Yr Athrofa (Institute of Education), put forward their ambitious vision to empower teachers and support schools to develop the…
Teachers in Wales are more likely to use their outdoor spaces for curriculum-related learning than their counterparts in England, a new study has found. Research into the professed aims for outdoor learning in the early years by teachers from England and Wales uncovered a number of differences between the two countries. It found that Welsh…
A guiding coalition of experts have put forward their views on how best to improve educational leadership in Wales. The second meeting of the Wales Education Commission considered the major impact leadership has on school standards and reflected on what some of the world’s highest performing education systems have done to support school leaders. It follows…
They have been man’s best friend for thousands of years. But only now are the benefits of learning with dogs being realised in Welsh classrooms. Schools in South-West Wales have opened their doors to humble hounds in a bid to raise pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. The innovative ‘Burns By Your Side’ scheme helps children in…
Language experts from across Europe will gather in Wales next month to discuss the benefits of multilingualism. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Yr Athrofa – Institute of Education – will host a special Languages, Literacy and Communication Conference at its Carmarthen Campus on April 6-7. Focusing on one of Professor Graham Donaldson’s six…
A pilot project which uses music to encourage language learning is being rolled out across primary schools in South and West Wales. The trilingual music project, Listening to Language/ Cerdd Iaith, seeks to address the decline of language learning in Wales. Led by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, BBC National Orchestra of Wales,…
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has strengthened its teacher training and research development by signing a strategic partnership with one of the UK’s top-ranked education institutions. UWTSD’s Yr Athrofa – Institute of Education – is working closely with the University of Glasgow’s highly-rated School of Education to enhance its provision and help meet…
A report highlighting the benefits and challenges resulting from asymmetric school weeks has been published by Yr Athrofa: Centre for Education (University of Wales Trinity Saint David). The value of asymmetric school weeks: Lessons learned from schools in Wales builds on the nation’s ambitious education reform agenda, and offers unique reflections on two pioneering approaches…
Yr Athrofa, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Institute of Education and Humanities, has been ranked first in Wales for a number of key subject areas. The university was the top-ranked Welsh institution for education, history and forensic science and archaeology in the prestigious Guardian University Guide. Overall, UWTSD was ranked 15th in the…
Following the Welsh Government’s decision to re-open Wales’ schools on June 29th, Nerys Defis considers some of the challenges of remote learning and its impact on schools, teachers, pupils and parents… For some, the re-opening of schools in Wales at the end of June signals a return to some normality, following disruption caused by the…
Professional development of the education workforce will be crucial to the successful implementation of Wales’ new national curriculum. But learning is a gradual process that can’t be rushed, according to Catherine Kucia… ‘Wellbeing’ is no doubt one of the current buzzwords in education. A recent Twitter educhat (@networkEDcymru) highlighted that teachers from across Wales had…
The multitude of change working its way through Wales’ education system is daunting for even the most experienced teacher – so imagine what negotiating curriculum reform will be like for new entrants to the profession. Here, Elaine Sharpling encourages open and honest conversation between educators at all levels to ready everyone for the challenges that…
The blueprint for Wales’ new national curriculum is nearing completion, and with it comes the hope of an exciting new era for the nation’s education system. Here, in the first instalment of a two-part blog, Ty Golding explores the challenges and opportunities presented by the innovative new approach to education in Wales… It’s 2020 and…
Yr Athrofa has been supporting schools across South Wales to undertake close-to-practice research in their own classrooms. Here, in the first of a series of blogs, Jonathan Davies from Treorchy Comprehensive School explains his involvement in the ‘Research Schools’ project… Treorchy Comprehensive School (TCS) is set in the Rhondda Valley and serves a diverse rural…
Global competence and sustainability are becoming the talk of schools right across the country. Here, Alex Southern introduces a new international project designed to support the development of key 21st Century skills required for a constantly-changing world… Back in November last year, staff from the Athrofa were lucky enough to travel to Brussels and visit…
UWTSD academics have visited Australia to learn from colleagues and share developments relating to Wales’ education reform journey. Staff from Yr Athrofa: Institute of Education and Humanities had a paper accepted at the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) annual conference – which brings together education experts from across the world. One of the…
Staff from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and its partner schools have presented their innovative model of teacher education at a major UK conference. Leanne Prevel, of Gelliswick VC Primary School, and Rhonwen Morris, of Ysgol y Preseli, joined UWTSD’s director of teacher education Elaine Sharpling at the Universities’ Council for the…
Pop Up Projects, in association with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), has presented a series of workshops for teachers and authors to explore, engage and experiment with ways to bring books to life. Pop Up Lab took the form of a one-day practice-sharing conference, held in Swansea’s Village Hotel, enabling participants to…
One of Europe’s leading education systems will be the focus of a special symposium in Cardiff this autumn. Yr Athrofa’s Centre for Education Policy Review and Analysis (CEPRA) will present a unique insight into education in the Netherlands at its ‘Going global: Teaching outside the box’ event on Tuesday, November 12. Taking place at Tramshed Tech,…
Teachers from across South Wales were given a unique insight into Dutch education during an international study visit to the Netherlands. A five-day trip included a tour around three schools, a meeting with the VO-raad coalition of school governors, and a policy briefing from advisors to the Minister of Education in The Hague. The delegation…
Yr Athrofa, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Institute of Education, has moved further up a respected league table. The Guardian University Guide ranked Yr Athrofa 43rd in the UK – a rise of seven places from rankings published in 2018. Yr Athrofa was ranked 76 in the UK shortly after its launch in 2016. Programmes…
A new centre aiming to contribute meaningfully to the development and debate of education policy in Wales has been launched by Yr Athrofa, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. CEPRA – the Centre for Education Policy Review and Analysis, led by respected educationalist and commentator Gareth Evans – assumes the role of ‘critical…
University of Wales Trinity Saint David was delighted to welcome the Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, to the university’s Yr Athrofa to inspire the next generation of classroom teachers. The Minister for Education met student teachers at the university’s Carmarthen campus and took part in a live question and answer session with students, staff and…
One of the leading figures in Welsh education was invited to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to inspire the next generation of teachers. Education expert and author of the Welsh Government’s ‘Successful Futures’ report, Professor Graham Donaldson, addressed more than 600 future and practising teachers at Yr Athrofa, UWTSD’s Institute of Education. Professor Donaldson…
A free half-day conference focussing on equity in schools is being held next month at Yr Athrofa’s new waterfront campus. Aimed at educational leaders, regional consortia and professionals with an interest in supporting equity within school contexts, the event will explore key themes related to promoting educational equity. A series of stand-out keynote speakers include…
As the development of Wales’ new national curriculum reaches an important milestone, Elaine Sharpling calls on stakeholders to grasp the opportunity to both raise standards and address the attainment gap… In eager anticipation, those of us working in education in Wales await the launch of the curriculum later this month. Whatever the documentation looks like –…
Research informing the development of a new national framework for professional learning of the education workforce has been published today by Yr Athrofa. A team of researchers based at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David was commissioned last summer to conduct a series of ‘rapid reviews’ to support the evidence-base for the emerging National…
Wales’ national curriculum is developing apace and schools, colleges and universities across the country are gearing up for change. But with changes comes opportunity and, according to Professor Dylan E. Jones, there has never been a better time to be a teacher in Wales… Education in Wales is changing – and teachers have been…
As the development of Wales’ new national curriculum gathers pace, Professor Mererid Hopwood calls on all key stakeholders to remain open minded and ambitious for the opportunities it presents… As the new term races ahead, the Pioneers’ perseverance must be admired. The fast-approaching submission deadlines demand a shorter night’s sleep to make room for…
Preparing the next generation of classroom teachers is hugely important, but, argues Elaine Sharpling, over-protecting students and neglecting proper challenge can hamper their development. In this insightful blog, she offers an alternative to what has been dubbed the ‘snowflake generation’ and calls for a more pragmatic approach to teacher education… As a teacher educator I…
As Wales prepares for its biggest overhaul of the national curriculum in 30 years, Nick Rogers considers whether or not England should be following suit… In 2022 (all being well and with no further setbacks), Wales will begin rolling out its new national curriculum to all state schools across the country. The new curriculum,…
Black History Month was another roaring success this year, with celebratory events taking place across the country. But what is it all about? Dr Paul Hutchings and Katie Sullivan explain… Black History Month (BHM for short) has been celebrated every October since 1987 in the United Kingdom, but many people are either unaware even of…
Schools are innovative and inspirational places, in which no one day is the same. Yet so much of a teacher’s working life is based on tradition and doing what has always been done. In this insightful blog, teacher Sarah Withey reflects on her own practice and challenges established norms… It was a challenging Wednesday afternoon…
International education experts were given an insight into Wales’ education system during a recent visit to Yr Athrofa: Institute of Education. A delegation from Norway, including a member of the Sami Parliament’s Education Department and a group of students and lecturers from the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, were welcomed to UWTSD’s Carmarthen Campus by…
Yr Athrofa: The Institute of Education is looking forward to an exciting new chapter in its long and illustrious history after moving into state-of-the-art facilities in the heart of Swansea’s waterfront. The eye-catching development includes purpose-built facilities for learning, teaching and research as well as social, leisure and recreation space. Yr Athrofa is relocating from…
Future-proofing our education system for the demands of the 21st century is a significant task. But so too is it an opportunity. Here, Dr Jan Barnes champions creativity as a necessary skill in a modern Wales… I think it is fair to say that the world as we know it is not only changing,…
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and its partner schools have been successful in their application to deliver innovative new programmes of initial teacher education (ITE) from September 2019. Programmes put forward by the Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership (APLP), a collaboration involving UWTSD’s Yr Athrofa: Institute of Education and a network of more…
A Welsh academic has presented two papers at a major international conference in the United States. Dr Helen Lewis, a senior lecturer at Yr Athrofa: Institute of Education, spoke at the 18th International Conference on Thinking (ICOT) in Miami, Florida. The conference brought together leading researchers and practitioners from across the world. The event sought…
Yr Athrofa, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Institute of Education, has made major strides up two leading league tables. Both the Guardian University Guide and the Complete University Guide show significant improvements. In the Guardian 2019 table, UWTSD was ranked 50th for education – up 23 places from first entry last year. The…
The CAMAU Project has today published a major Research Report informing a crucial aspect of Wales’ curriculum reform. Developed in partnership by the University of Glasgow and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), the CAMAU project seeks to develop a shared understanding of ‘progression’ in the learning of children and young people between the…
One of the leading figures in Welsh education was invited to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to inspire the next generation of teachers. Education expert and author of the Welsh Government’s ‘Successful Futures’ report, Professor Graham Donaldson, addressed more than 600 future and practising teachers at Yr Athrofa, UWTSD’s Institute of Education. Professor…
Wales is in the midst of radical education reform. Here, Nerys Defis reflects on recent pronouncements from two key players in our system’s development and questions the role of assessment as Wales’ exciting new curriculum develops… Exams and tests are nothing new and, across the UK, the beginning of summer marks the beginning of exam…
A major national conference focusing on mathematics research will take place at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) this summer. It is the first time the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) has held its summer conference in Wales. UWTSD’s Swansea Business School will host the event on Saturday, June 9…
Curriculum doyen Professor Graham Donaldson is the keynote speaker at Thursday’s Aiming for Excellence Conference. Organised by Yr Athrofa to celebrate the excellent practice going on in Welsh schools, Aiming for Excellence features presentations from lecturers, school staff and a host of talented student-teachers. One of the leading figures in Welsh education, Professor Donaldson authored…
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has presented her vision for Post-Compulsory Education and Training as part of the Athrofa Seminar Series. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Yr Athrofa: Institute of Education, in partnership with the Welsh Government, hosted a major keynote from Ms Williams on Monday at Tramshed Tech, Cardiff. Ms Williams told an audience…
Connor Williams is one of hundreds of students training to become a teacher in Wales. Here, in this insightful blog, he presents his own unique perspective on the opportunities presented by Successful Futures… The Welsh Government have set their sights on a new curriculum in Wales, meaning they have understood the challenges and frustrations faced…
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams will deliver a keynote address as part of the Athrofa Seminar Series. Yr Athrofa, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Institute of Education, in partnership with the Welsh Government, will host Ms Williams at Yr Athrofa in Cardiff’s Tramshed Tech, on Monday, April 23 at 6pm. Ms Williams will discuss her education agenda and plan…
Verbal feedback using technology can decrease teacher workload and give pupils a more personalised feedback experience, according to a new report. Research undertaken by academics at Yr Athrofa found the versatility of verbal feedback using technology to be a particular strength, as it could be related to a pupils’ age and stage of development or…
Gareth Evans considers the ongoing debate around Wales’ new national curriculum – and what lessons we can learn from others in a similar situation… Curriculum reform has dominated debate among educators in Wales for the past three years. And with good reason, given the major implications for each and every state school across the country. The…
There are a number of ways to train as a classroom teacher. Here, Dr Alex Southern introduces her own research in this field, and considers the impact of bespoke teacher training programmes on the profession itself… Teaching in Wales is changing. It has always been a dynamic profession, but the launch of the Welsh Government’s…
Sarah Stewart is taking part in a new collaborative project focussing on equity in education. Drawing on expertise from across Europe, it seeks to tackle some of the biggest obstacles to pupil success. Here, she explains her involvement in the project… As Wales embarks on curriculum reform, the focus on the quality of children’s life…
When does responsibility for education begin and end? And whose job is it to educate our youngest children? Here, Natalie MacDonald looks to answer the questions that are often swept under the carpet… One of the questions that has been forefront in my mind recently is where education should begin. Current and proposed policy and…
A major research project informing a crucial aspect of Wales’ curriculum reform has presented its first findings. Developed in partnership by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and the University of Glasgow, the CAMAU project seeks to develop a shared understanding of ‘progression’ in the context of Successful Futures. Professor Graham Donaldson’s wideranging…
Mererid Hopwood and Siân Brooks put their best foot forward during a new project linking language, music and dance… It all started with a ‘balanceo’, the rhythmic swaying to check your partner’s position, and then we were off for an Argentine Tango lesson – this was a training event like none we had ever experienced. The two-day…
A leading international Education Minister was given an insight into innovative new models of teacher education during a visit to Yr Athrofa. Debbie Schafer, Provincial Minister of Education for the Western Cape Government, South Africa, led a delegation to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD’s) Institute of Education to learn more about its…
Pupils across Wales are set to benefit from a new £2.5m grant to support small and rural schools. But will it make a difference? Nanna Ryder investigates… Once more this week, one of the main headlines in the weekly local newspaper, the ‘Cambrian News’, refers to the closure of small schools in Ceredigion. During the last…
University of Wales Trinity Saint David was delighted to welcome Education Secretary Kirsty Williams to the university’s Yr Athrofa to inspire the next generation of classroom teachers. The Cabinet Secretary met student-teachers at the university’s Townhill campus and took part in a live question and answer session with students, staff and school-based colleagues. She was…
Cabinet Secretary Kirsty Williams has visited the next generation of classroom teachers at Yr Athrofa. After an inspirational presentation, during which she described teaching as ‘the best job in the world’, Ms Williams spent an hour answering questions from the university’s student-teachers. The event was designed to introduce future teachers to the Welsh Government’s ambitious education strategy, ‘Our…
Helen Lewis explores how the bond between a child and a dog may have benefits that impact on learning… Dispositions are ‘relatively enduring habits of mind and action’, linked to our attitudes and feelings. Dispositions affect how we view ourselves as learners and how confidently we tackle new learning situations. Whether we refer to these dispositions…
Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership has submitted three programmes of initial teacher education for accreditation with the Education Workforce Council (EWC). In doing so, the APLP has signaled its intention to be part of an exciting new ITE offer that takes into consideration a series of new education policies being rolled-out by the Welsh Government.…
Successful Futures has garnered plenty of attention since its inception in 2015. But its focus on entrepreneurial skills has been less well-documented. Alison Evans explains… One of the key purposes of the curriculum outlined in ‘Successful Futures’ is to ensure all learners will be ‘enterprising, creative contributors’ who are skilled in creative thinking, able to…
Curriculum reform is as daunting as it is exciting. But we must not lose sight of the bigger picture, explains Natalie Williams… I’ve been delighted to read time and again the positive reception that the Donaldson report and its recommendations have received. Having spent more than 10 years publishing resources and support for curriculum change within…
Gareth Evans looks at the development of Successful Futures and a new approach to implementation… There is a tendency in education to whirl around in circles. New policy comes in with a bang and goes out with a whimper. Then the cycle starts all over again. Wales’ education system has, it is fair to say,…
Teachers interested in motivational professional development are being encouraged to sign up for two exciting professional learning opportunities. The Outstanding Teacher Programme (OTP) and the Improving Teacher Programme (ITP) are practical and interactive courses committed to taking professional development in education to a higher level. Both programmes have a strong track record of success in…
The Welsh Government has recently announced plans to reduce the number of pupils sitting their GCSE exams ahead of schedule after a marked rise in early entries. Here, writing exclusively for Yr Athrofa, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams explains why… This summer we saw a huge increase in the number of young people being entered a…
Headteachers from across South Wales have told how they are already putting into practice what they learned on a study visit to Canada earlier this year. School leaders from the EAS, ERW and CSC regions reflected on their summer trip to Ontario at a special event hosted by Yr Athrofa. A study visit funded by…
The Welsh Government’s new education strategy has been launched by Education Secretary Kirsty Williams. Gareth Evans reflects on its content and Wales’ new long-term vision for education… Teachers, policymakers, union leaders and other key players on the Welsh education scene will have been forgiven for breaking into a cold sweat as they walked into the…
The Welsh Government has published its new national education plan. Here, writing exclusively for Yr Athrofa, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams presents her ambitious vision for education in Wales… In Welsh education, we are building on strong foundations. The global experts on education performance, the OECD, recently recognised government and the sector are working closely together…
One of the world’s leading education systems will be the focus of a special symposium in Cardiff this autumn. Yr Athrofa will present a unique insight into education in Ontario, Canada, at its ‘Tales from Toronto’ event on Thursday, September 28. Taking place at Tramshed Tech, near Cardiff Central Railway Station, the symposium will feature…
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has signed a strategic partnership with one of the UK’s leading digital learning organisations. The Big Learning Company (BLC) will support the Institute of Education’s plans for teacher education and further enhance the opportunities available to partner schools and Yr Athrofa staff. It is anticipated that the university’s…
Professor Graham Donaldson reflects on curriculum development to date and explains why teachers in Wales are at the heart of education reform… One of the most satisfying aspects of my work in Wales is the opportunity it gives me to meet young people, students and teachers and to see excellent practice at first hand. The…
ResearchED is a teacher-led organisation aimed at improving research literacy in the education community. Elaine Sharpling and Siân Brooks discuss their recent visit to one of its conferences… After an inspirational opening speech from Tom Bennett, director and founder of ResearchED (which describes itself as “a grass-roots teacher led organisation”), the conference began. Tom asked…
Headteachers from across South Wales took part in a study visit to Canada for an insight into one of the world’s leading education systems. A delegation led by Yr Athrofa, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Institute of Education, spent four days in Toronto as part of its Global Leadership Programme funded by the…
Teachers across Wales are being invited to take part in a special one-off event to share knowledge and understanding of enterprise education. Hosted by the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), the event – ‘Future-proofing education: The Entrepreneurial Imperative in Wales’ – will take place on Friday, July 14 from 9.30am-3pm at Townhill Campus,…
Gareth Evans considers the importance of positive communication in delivering Wales’ ‘national mission’ for education… Wales’ education system has, it is fair to say, withstood a fair amount of flux in recent years. It was former Education Minister Leighton Andrews who really triggered the reform agenda, ripping up and overhauling much of what had gone…
Advancements in technology are changing the world as we know it. But at what cost? Carys Jennings investigates… Children are now bombarded from infancy with a diet of fast moving sounds and images produced by gadgets. In restaurants, shopping centres, cafes and homes our youngest are being pacified with digital dummies – (a term coined…
One of the leading figures in Welsh education was invited to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to inspire the next generation of teachers. Education expert and author of the Welsh Government’s ‘Successful Futures’ report, Professor Graham Donaldson, gave the keynote address at UWTSD’s annual ‘Aiming for Excellence’ conference about his proposals for a…
A recent survey of school staff shone a light on the many challenges facing the Welsh education workforce. In a fascinating blog post, Nerys Defis explains the everyday reality for teachers in Wales and opens up on why she swapped the classroom for university… For almost 20 years I spent my professional life as a teacher.…
The link between physical activity and academic performance is well-documented. But changes in society have brought about new challenges, according to Dr Nalda Wainwright… We are facing issues that we have never encountered before in our society. As a result of the increased levels of inactivity in children it has been predicted that they may…
As Kirsty Williams nears an important milestone, Gareth Evans looks back on the Cabinet Secretary for Education’s first year in post… They say a day is a long time in politics. If that’s the case, a year must feel like an eternity to Kirsty Williams. When Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Education marks her first…
Inspired by a recent conference, Mererid Hopwood considers the lessons we can learn from our forefathers when teaching language… By now, delegates have returned home from the Athrofa’s first ‘Research in Education’ conference, having given the great cauldron of Languages, Literacy and Communication a good stir. It was almost inevitable that one of the key ingredients…
The importance of leadership in driving forward educational change in Wales has been highlighted in a new report by a guiding coalition of international experts. The second meeting of the Wales Education Commission considered the major impact leadership has on school standards and reflected on what some of the world’s highest performing education systems have…
Strengthening research in teacher education was the focus of a recent OECD workshop commissioned by the Welsh Government. Elaine Sharpling reflects on a productive meeting of minds… I certainly found the recent OECD workshop in Cardiff to be an enlightening experience. Fellow teacher educators from the international community led a series of workshops which…
The results of Wales’ first National Education Workforce Survey have been published and, according to Gareth Evans, cannot be ignored… Against a backdrop of shrinking budgets, concerns around accountability and a steady stream of negative press, it was perhaps no surprise that Wales’ first National Education Workforce Survey returned something of a mixed bag.…
As the Athrofa finishes preparations for its first research in education conference on ‘Languages, Literacy and Communication’, Mererid Hopwood revisits a report published 90 years ago: ‘Welsh in Education and Life’… 1927 It’s a significant year. This is the year the British Broadcasting Corporation was established under the leadership of Sir John Reith as Director…
Language tutor Siân Brooks takes us on a journey of discovery using virtual reality… Seeing a photograph of the Eiffel Tower is significantly different from standing opposite the Eiffel Tower itself. When you are in Paris on a school trip, the sheer joy of seeing pupils look up at the tower in front of them…
As Wales develops its new national curriculum, Gareth Evans warns that teachers will need room to innovate and we should not seek to overload those responsible for educating future generations… It is often said that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. And it is little wonder, given the…
With a new National Academy for Educational Leadership currently under development, Professor David Woods considers the wider benefits of system leadership for all schools in Wales… Put at its simplest system leadership refers to the form of leadership that goes beyond the individual school to influence the education, achievement and wellbeing of children and young…
Gareth Evans responds to the Chief Inspector’s criticism of Wales’ schools system… It is often said that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. And it is little wonder, given the significant and lasting impact teachers have on the pupils in their care. Teachers are the agents of change…
Gareth Evans calls for calm ahead of the publication of influential ‘PISA’ results… Education in Wales will undergo its biggest test in a week’s time. The influential Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results are published again on December 6 and the Welsh Government is said to be bracing itself for bad news. Conducted every…
Dr Sofya Lyakhova and Dr Howard Tanner consider the development of a National Network of Excellence for Mathematics… The recent announcement (3.11.16.) by Education Secretary Kirsty Williams that a National Network of Excellence for Mathematics (NNEM) is to be created should be welcomed by parents, teachers and students in Wales. In these troubled economic times,…