30 Education
THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 27 2017
Fund to cut class sizes introduced 10 weeks in Tanzania A NEW £36m fund to reduce
infant class sizes and raise standards has been announced by Education Secretary Kirsty Williams. Directed at the front line and starting
with the largest class sizes, it will target classes where teaching and learning needs to improve and where there are high levels of deprivation. The money, consisting of both
revenue and capital funding, will be invested over the next four years, up until 2021. The latest figures show that 7.6%
(8,196) of infant pupils in Wales were in classes of over 30. Kirsty Williams said: “Our national
mission is to raise standards and extend opportunities for all our young people. “Time and time again parents
and teachers tell me that they are concerned about class sizes. We have listened to these concerns, looked at the international evidence, and are today announcing a new £36m fund to address infant class sizes. “There is a positive connection
between smaller classes and attainment, particularly for pupils from poorer backgrounds. This is most significant for younger children, which is why we are targeting this investment at infant class sizes. “This announcement, linked to our
other reforms, will create the space for teachers to teach and for pupils to learn.” Jess Turner, UNISON Cymru
organiser for schools, said: “Classroom- based support staff really welcome this news. Smaller classes reduce workload and give support workers more time with pupils and this more personalised support helps to tackle inequalities. UNISON would like Welsh Government to go much further and also apply additional funding to junior and secondary schools too. The evidence around class size shows they need to be reduced very significantly to make a real difference to student attainment. “It’s essential teaching assistants
are properly deployed in the classroom and never used as cheap stop-gap replacements for teachers.” “While we welcome this statement,
it’s important to put it in context. When one considers that the money will be paid out over a five year period, it is not a vast amount; it is, however,
Investment: Targeted at infant classes
most certainly a small step in the right direction,” said Ywain Myfyr, Policy Officer with UCAC. “We hope that in helping to reduce
class sizes this money will go some way towards reducing teachers’ workload and improving standards of attainment, especially for pupils living in areas of social deprivation,” he added. “The introduction of the Foundation
Stage was a visionary step but it was not properly funded from the outset. It is essential that we ensure that no child in the Foundation Phase in Wales is educated in a class which exceeds the legal limit in terms of size. It is now important that this money is shared carefully to ensure fairness.” “We now call on the Welsh
Government to go one step further and make classes of under 25 statutory for all age groups and to plan for a general reduction in class sizes for the benefit of pupils and the education workforce in general in Wales. We believe that this would match the principles expressed in this morning’s statement.” NUT Cymru Secretary David
Evans said: “This announcement is very welcome news. Kirsty Williams and the Welsh Government should be congratulated for responding to the concerns of parents and the teaching profession who see unmanageable class sizes as one of the most concerning issues they face. For too long, this problem has been ignored. Putting it on the agenda has been a major campaign for the NUT and we are grateful there has been a positive reaction from the Cabinet Secretary for Education. “Naturally, we will have to monitor exactly how this money is utilised.
What we do not want to see is local authorities using it to fill holes in their budgets. The Welsh Government are absolutely right to demand that any and all business cases show explicitly how they will contribute to reducing class sizes. It will be crucial that local authorities are not only clear about how they are going to use this funding, but also that they are accountable at the point of implementation. “If this funding is put to good use
it could have a profound impact on an issue that is at the very top of the agenda for teachers, which is why it absolutely must find its way to the front line.” The Welsh Conservatives’ education
spokesperson gave a less enthusiastic reception to the Education Secretary’s announcement. Questioning how the policy can
feasibly be implemented in the face of Wales’ teacher recruitment crisis, Darren Millar AM said: “The scant evidence base for this policy is well documented with a Welsh Government adviser having publicly spoken out against the idea of its implementation back in June. “Conversely, there is growing
evidence of Wales’ worsening teacher recruitment crisis, and so it remains unclear how this policy can be made to work; smaller class sizes mean more classrooms, which in turn demands more teachers - of which our country is in woefully short supply. “Today’s announcement is little
more than a multimillion pound sop to the remaining Welsh Liberal Democrat and will not be the silver bullet to solving the education crisis facing Welsh schools.”
Ella Wilkinson: Volunteering in Tanzania ELLA WILKINSON, a student
at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, recently returned from 10 weeks volunteering in Tanzania with Raleigh International as part of the UK Government-funded International Citizen Service (ICS) programme, and is now calling on other young people to take the plunge and consider volunteering overseas. Ella, 20, worked in partnership
with Tanzanian volunteers on a project run by international development organisation Raleigh International as part of the ICS programme, where she worked alongside Tanzanian volunteers to providing training and resources to support young entrepreneurs in rural communities. ICS volunteers, aged 18-25, work
on long-term projects that seek to end poverty in some of the poorest countries in the world. The scheme offers young people the chance to gain valuable new skills while working on projects that make a genuine difference to the people they work with and their communities. Those aged 23-35 can also apply to be ICS team leaders. Ella studies Environmental Conservation and is now in her second year at UWTSD. An end to global poverty is considered essential for achieving the UN’s 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which include 'Climate Action' as well as 'Affordable and Clean Energy', directly related to the course offered by UWTSD. Ella looks forward to her module in Sustainable Development next academic year and hopes that
her time in Tanzania will enhance her learning. Ella said: “I would not have had the
opportunity to volunteer in Tanzania if it wasn’t for UWTSD. Opportunities like this are life changing and I’m so fortunate to have been able to take part in such a fantastic scheme with the support of my university – I was overwhelmed by people’s generosity! “Raleigh ICS is a unique
opportunity to work alongside people from a different culture and make a difference at the same time. I’d encourage young people like myself to apply!” Lili Marfani, Director of ICS, said:
“It’s great to hear Ella is encouraging other young people to apply for ICS. We’re passionate about supporting young people from across the UK and using their energy to tackle poverty. Our experience of working with young people shows they really can take on the big issues and make a difference in people’s lives.
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