Welsh Government Dysg eNewsletter: 23 September 2016 (Issue 470)

23 September 2016 • Issue 470

 
 
 
 
 
 

WELSH EDUCATION NEWS

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Welsh teacher training revamp underway to raise school standards

The way teachers are trained in Wales will see an increased role for schools and more input from universities to raise standards, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams announced today (Tues 20th Sept). 

tax-free childcare 130x130

Does your school provide paid-for childcare, such as breakfast or afterschool clubs?

If so, parents could use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for these childcare activities. Sign up online when you receive your invitation letter from the UK Government this autumn to ensure you can receive payments via Tax-Free Childcare.

MORE WELSH EDUCATION NEWS

Date for your diary! Welsh Government and Show Racism the Red Card FREE workshop event

Four half day events

19 October 2016 – Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

20 October 2016 – Holiday Inn, Newport

3 November 2016 – Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

8 November 2016 – Wrexham Glyndwr University, Wrexham

End of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 assessment and statutory school target setting requirements

The Cabinet Secretary for Education has decided to withdraw the decision to amend the expected levels for Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 and therefore any resulting amendments to the target setting regulations, to increase the expected level of achievement for learners in English, Welsh (first language) and Mathematics at the end of Key Stages 2 and 3 from Summer 2018.

A copy of the letter sent to the education sector can be found here.

Pupil Deprivation Grant

Incorrect literature relating to a conference in Cardiff states that Pupil Deprivation Grant funding will end in March 2017. The Cabinet Secretary for Education agreed a set of priorities including ensuring every child gets the best start in life through an expanded PDG.  EYPDG will be doubled from £300 per eligible learner. Details will be provided in due course.  

Supply teachers & Supply Support Staff – Safeguarding & employment checks

Are you ensuring the correct safeguarding and qualification checks have been made in relation to the employment of all supply teachers and supply support staff? 

National EOTAS Conference - 4 October, Venue Cymru, Llandudno

This is your final chance to book your place at the conference.

Draft criteria for the accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programmes in Wales and the proposal for the Education Workforce Council to accredit initial teacher education

We invite views relating to draft criteria for the accreditation of initial teacher education programmes in Wales and the proposals for enhancing the functions and role of the Education Workforce Council.

Consultation

Registration fees for the education workforce in Wales (2017) – responses required by 30 September 2016

Reminder – The MoD Education Support Fund 2017-18 - Closing date 30 September 2016

The Ministry of Defence is inviting applications for 2017-18 from schools with service children whose parents experience frequent mobility and deployment. Application deadline is 30 September 2016.

This is the last year of the fund which is open to all maintained schools across the UK.  Further information and how to apply

HwbMeet Ruthin – Book now!

There are only a few places left available for our Ruthin HwbMeet on 29 September.

Welsh Physics Teachers Conference BRECON 2016

All physics teachers and technicians are invited to the Annual Institute of Physics – Welsh Physics teachers Conference on 5 October.

Our keynote speaker is Prof Sir Michael Berry, Bristol and Helen Francis from WJEC will also be providing an update.  The day is full of activities that can directly benefit your work. For more information and to book a FREE place.

St. David’s Awards – nominations close 21 October

Post-16 Updates

Employability and Skills Wales: our labour market and how to integrate employment and skills services?

13 October 2016, Cardiff City Stadium

Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2016

The Apprenticeship Awards takes place on 20 October at Venue Cymru, Llandudno and recognises the achievements of individuals, employers and providers across Wales.

Tickets are now available to attend this prestigious event. Book your place now.

For more information, contact 029 2049 5861

The Skills Show 2016 17-19  November

The Skills Show, the UK’s largest skills and career event, is taking place at Birmingham NEC from 17-19 November. Competitors from Wales will be fighting for gold in a range of skills, from hairdressing to aeronautical engineering, web design to plastering. A visit to The Skills Show offers the opportunity to support #TeamWales and watch these talented individuals in action, as well as visiting the Wales stand and trying your hand at a range of interactive sessions.

Opportunity for student groups to get involved in the #SkillsShow16 volunteer programme

Skills Cymru

Wales’ largest interactive careers and skills event is coming to Llandudno and Cardiff in October.

  • Venue Cymru, Llandudno: 5 - 6 October
  • Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff: 12 - 13 October

These highly interactive events welcome over 100 organisations who inspire up to 10,000 visitors, providing them with the vast range of career opportunities available as well as the routes to get there.

Be inspired and get interactive!

UK Commission for Employment and Skills - Employer Skills Survey

What skills gaps exist in Wales?  The Employer Skills Survey 2015 is the key source of information on employer demand for and investment in skills in Wales and the UK.  The Wales report breaks findings down to region, sector, size and occupation within Wales and also draws out changes from the previous surveys in 2011 and 2013. 

RESOURCES / competitions

New Hwb Resources

The latest resources on Hwb include:

National Science Academy funded project 2016-2018

Focus on transition between primary and secondary science

Techniquest Glyndŵr has been awarded funding from the Welsh Government to deliver a programme of sessions to better prepare primary pupils for life in secondary school, focussing especially on the transition between KS2 and KS3 science.

CLOSING DATE for entries for Côr Cymru and Côr Cymru Cynradd 2017 September 30th 2016.

Competition rules can be seen on www.s4c.cymru/corcymru and www.rondomedia.co.ukcorcymru@rondomedia.co.uk 

Macbeth, Romeo a Juliet ac Othello

These classics here have been translated into Welsh for a new audience. The stories are rich in contents and have been adapted especially for young readers. The resource brings the highlight of the classics and their characters to life for the younger generation.

Latest reports / Statistics

Leadership and Primary school improvement

This is the Welsh Government’s response to Estyn’s report on leadership and primary school improvement.

Absenteeism from secondary schools

National reading and numeracy test results

other news

Funding to visit your partner school in Germany this autumn to work together on an oceans and rivers project!

The German Ministry for Education and Research, together with its UK partners are offering travel grants to UK schools to visit their German partner school to form research teams to work on a project which targets the damaging effects of the tons of plastic dumped in our rivers and oceans each year.

Get ready for the World’s Largest Lesson

The World’s Largest Lesson is an initiative which aims to ensure that all children, everywhere, learn about the Sustainable Development Goals. This September, the focus is on Goal 5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”

The Global Learning Programme-Wales is keen to support schools in Wales to deliver the World’s Largest Lesson and has facilitated translation of the relevant resource into Welsh

 
 

ABOUT DYSG

Dysg is the official education e-newsletter from Welsh Government. Dysg aims to provide updates and developments on post-11 education and training sectors in Wales.

Find out more on the web:

learning.gov.wales

hwb.wales.gov.uk

gov.wales

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