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8 News


THE HERALD FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3 2017


Follow us on Twitter @ceredigherald


HERALD INTERVIEW: MAIR HUGHES MAIR HUGHES was born and


brought up in the small village of Trefnant in Denbighshire. She attended Ysgol Glan Clwyd


kelvin.mason@herald.email


secondary school in St Asaph, the first Welsh-medium secondary school in Wales, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Mair went on to study music at Somerville College in Oxford University. At the time, Somerville was a women-only college but began admitting men when Mair was in her third year. She tells The Herald that is was quite a change to the small Welsh community she grew up in, but she ‘enjoyed it thoroughly and it certainly expanded my horizon’. Mair completed a Master’s degree in the Psychology of Music at Sheffield University before returning to Wales to complete a PGCE in Secondary music at University College of Wales, Cardiff. Mair’s teaching career began in


Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Pontypool where she taught music for two years. Following her partner to London, she got a job as Head of Music at Brentford School for Girls. And there she stayed for nearly 13 years, progressing to be appointed Deputy Head. In 2012, Mair moved to Hampton Academy as Associate Principal before becoming Principal in 2015. Last year, Hampton Academy changed to Hampton High, becoming part of a local trust of schools, the Richmond West Schools Trust. Mair Hughes is married with two children.


THE EXAM The Herald asked Mair how it


felt leaving behind the bright city lights and coming back to rural Wales. “When I first moved to London, I said I would stay for five years. It is now 18 years later and we feel more than ready to leave and return to Wales. Whilst London has the advantages of all the amenities, entertainment, culture at your doorstep, it has quite a frenetic pace to life and getting to the real countryside and country air is an hour’s drive away. As a family, we enjoy the countryside and the attraction of having such a lovely area on your doorstep is now more appealing than the shops and traffic. Aberystwyth was very attractive


to us because of the combination of beautiful landscape and the liveliness and culture that being a university town brings. We are also closer to my family and we are all looking forward to being part of a close-knit Welsh community. The Herald asked: “What


challenges do you think Penglais faces and what are your hopes for the school?” Mair said: “Penglais should


absolutely be in the top 25% of schools in Wales and that is what


we will be working hard to achieve. There are many students who do very well at GCSE level and the sixth form consistently produces excellent results. Our challenge will be to ensure that all students achieve the grades that are expected of them, including students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. I look forward to working with staff to continue developing the teaching and learning, and ensuring the highest standards of conduct and attainment is achieved at all times. Of course, there is more to schools than exams. Ensuring that the students leave Penglais as rounded, inquisitive, healthy and considerate citizens who will be able to contribute to their local community is as important as the string of qualifications they achieve.” “How will the school cope with


a seemingly constantly dwindling budget?” we asked. Mair said: “The financial


challenges for schools across England and Wales are well-documented, with schools having to be ever more creative in responding to budget cuts whilst trying to maintain high quality education for students. The vast majority of schools have had to consider cutting staff, increasing class sizes, and reducing the number of options available at GCSE and post-16. It is difficult to see how this will improve over the next few years. The government must understand the impact the budget cuts are having on schools and the demand they are putting on teachers and leaders to increase standards of education whilst also dealing with budget cuts.” “What do you think about


bilingual education in Wales?” The Herald asked. Mair replied: “Having been


brought up as a Welsh speaker and in a Welsh community myself, and having always spoken Welsh to my children in London, it is probably not a surprise that I am a keen advocate of bilingual education in Wales. The cognitive benefits of being a bilingual speaker are well-known, but there is much more than that. Learning the language of the country develops a deeper appreciation of its culture and heritage. It also prepares young people for living in Wales, opens up job opportunities and ensures that they will be able to converse with the people of Wales in the language of their choice.” “What do you anticipate the main


differences will be between working in London and Aberystwyth?” Mair was asked.


She replied: “To some extent,


children are children wherever they are and the challenges of ensuring a good education for students have similar building blocks wherever the


school. I would expect there to be some difference with staff recruitment and retention. This can be particularly challenging in London where the cost of living can be so high and the competition between schools is strong. However, I can also imagine that staff recruitment in Aberystwyth could be similarly challenging for different reasons.


“England’s schools have been


through many curriculum changes and accountability changes which are also coming through now in Wales. The main challenges coming up in Wales will be the implementation of the new curriculum and ensuring that the Welsh Baccalaureate is taught successfully to all students.” The Herald asked Mair:


“Conductor Owain Arwel Hughes recently expressed sadness at the record-low number of applications to join the National Youth Orchestra of Wales (NYOW). Given your musical background, what do you think about calls for the Welsh Government to ring-fence music funding in local authorities to address a looming ‘crisis’ in music education?” She said: “That is very sad to


hear. Experiences such as the NYOW are so important for young people to develop as rounded individuals. Music is such an important aspect of Welsh culture and one that we should fight to preserve. It is certainly an aspect that I missed when in London: the richness and diversity of music in all aspects of Welsh life.


“Learning a musical instrument


and being part of a musical ensemble develops skills and characteristics that are important in life beyond music. I would applaud any efforts by the Welsh Government to allow schools and local authorities to ensure that as many children as possible are exposed to the benefits and life-enriching experiences that music can bring.” We asked: “A new curriculum


is set to be introduced in September 2021, The Herald understands. If you personally had a say, what would a new curriculum feature?” Mair said: “A new curriculum


should be broad and should allow all students to enjoy studying. There should not be a one-size-fits- all approach because children are stimulated by different experiences and it should be broad enough to allow students to experience different subjects before then being allowed to follow their own path, with vocational and academic paths being equal. “Students need to be taught the


skills and develop the characteristics that allow them to be successful in the 21st century and it is good to see that the Welsh Government are developing a curriculum that is underpinned by four clear purposes.” “Final question, how do you think


secondary schools should engage with social media? And what impact have you seen it having on kids and their education?” we asked Mair. She said: “Social media, when


treated with care and caution, can be a positive way to communicate with a variety of people. Twitter and Facebook, for example, can be a good way to showcase the positive events from a school, as well as being one of a range of communication tools with parents and students. There are other social media tools that young people use positively to communicate with each other, too. “However, the relentlessness of


it, the constant access and the false confidence that the detachment of it brings can cause extra emotional burden on young people today, sometimes having a negative impact on their mental health. Students have to be taught to treat it with respect. In the end, social media is simply another communication tool and if all children are taught to communicate with respect at all times, whatever the means of communication, then it can be used safely. Importantly, this is not just for schools to reinforce with students, it is everyone’s responsibility and parents also need to understand how they can support their child in using social media safely and responsibly.”


THE REPORT Well, The


Herald thinks Mair Hughes deserves top marks


for


taking time out to answer our questions so thoroughly. And we’re sure


our


readers will a p p r e c i a t e t h i s


PENGLAIS’ NEW HEADTEACHER


 Kelvin Mason


introduction to the views of the new Headteacher of one of Aberystwyth’s finest schools. Richard John, Chair of Governors at Penglais School, told The Herald that Mair Hughes was the first outside headteacher appointed in 35 years. She will also be the first female permanent headteacher in the school’s 44 year history. Richard John said: “We are


delighted to welcome Mair to Penglais as our new Headteacher. She impressed the appointment panel with her vision for the school and her assessment of the practical steps which need to be taken to make Penglais one of the best secondary schools in Wales. We are very grateful to Hayley Griffiths for taking on the role of Acting Head during this academic year and we are very pleased that she will remain at the school as Deputy Head following Mair’s arrival. “The effect of the financial cuts


over the last three years cannot be exaggerated. Our challenge is to continue to provide pupils with a broad and varied curriculum, and to enable them to fulfil their potential despite significantly reduced income. Although it is an English-medium school, Penglais attracts many pupils whose first language is Welsh. As a Welsh speaker herself, I know Mair will want to enhance and deepen their use of the Welsh language while maintaining a largely English language curriculum.”


Mair Hughes: “Penglais should


absolutely be in the top 25% of schools in Wales”


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