The Staff Wellbeing Service continues to offer free Professional Supervision for school leaders and managers in Wales. Supervision has a professional focus and is totally confidential. It is time dedicated to your role as an education leader, and will help you to improve your wellbeing.
Since 2020 they have supported nearly 2,500 school and college leaders with 99% recommending the service to a colleague or friend. Subjects that are explored in supervision can include:
Dealing with emotionally challenging aspects of your role
Balancing a demanding career with a healthy home-life
Your professional identity and the personal cost of doing your job
Managing tricky work relationships
Reconnecting with what’s great about a career in education
Supervision makes a real difference to the lives and wellbeing of managers and leaders. Studies show that supervision is associated with job satisfaction, improved emotional wellbeing and less burnout (Dawson et al, 2013).
Discover why supervision is essential for school leaders and managers and what to expect from a session, in this Q&A with Supervisor, Toby Cooper. Learn how supervision protects staff wellbeing, strengthens decision-making, and helps transform school culture for the benefit of pupils, teachers, and the wider community.
Gareth Morgans has been appointed to lead the national landscape review of ALN advocacy provision in Wales.Having recently retired as Carmarthenshire Local Authority’s Director of Education and Children’s Services, Gareth brings nearly four decades of experience spanning the classroom, 18 years as a primary headteacher, and senior local authority leadership.
This combination of classroom experience, school leadership, and strategic oversight means Gareth brings a uniquely comprehensive perspective to this crucial review. The review and its recommendations are important to children, young people and their families as the ALN system is built around person centred practice, putting learners’ voices at its heart.
We sat down with Gareth to hear directly about his plans for the review.
Q. What prompted this landscape review of ALN advocacy services in Wales?
Evidence from multiple sources highlighted systemic issues regarding provision of ALN advocacy in Wales. This included findings from the ALN legislative review, parent/carer surveys, and direct examples of families struggling to navigate the ALN system. Many families noted that they were unaware of their right to advocacy, or how to access advocacy services, although local authorities are promoting it. Good practice certainly exists, but there are inconsistencies across Wales that need addressing.
Q.What is ALN advocacy, and why is it so important for families?
In practical terms, advocacy means having independent, trained support to help share a learner’s views, wishes, and feelings about their education and specific needs. It means helping learners to understand their rights, supporting them to participate confidently in decisions about their ALN support and helping challenge decisions if they feel something isn’t right.
Crucially, advocates don’t work for the school or the local authority and are solely independent. Their role is to stand alongside the child or young person and their family, making sure their voice is heard and their rights are protected throughout the ALN process.
Q. How will you map what’s currently happening across Wales’s 22 local authorities?
The review follows a three-stage approach. First, a comprehensive mapping exercise of current practice across Wales, both in ALN and other sectors such as children’s social care. Direct engagement with all local authorities in Wales will be essential to build a full and robust understanding of what is being offered to our children, young people and their families in respect to advocacy. A review of the associated costs will also be needed to inform discussions and options for the future.
Second, desktop research into other models of advocacy provision and practice in Wales and elsewhere, meeting with key stakeholders and examining available evidence.
Third, individual meetings with key stakeholders e.g. local authorities, advocacy providers, Estyn, to hear about what’s working well and what needs improving.
This will lead to a report setting out what has been learned and areas for development, with clear options and recommendations for consideration.
Q.How will you ensure families and young people themselves shape the findings?
User voice is central to this review. Engagement with children, young people and their parents will be facilitated through a parent survey.
Research and reports from partners including Children in Wales, SNAP Cymru, Education Tribunal Wales will also inform the work. Learner and family experience of ALN advocacy will directly shape the report and recommendations.
Q. What are the early findings and emerging themes
Gareth: This is a complex area of provision. The ALN legislation places duties on local authorities regarding information and advice,avoidance of disagreements, disagreement resolution and independent professional advocacy for children and young people.
Understanding the ALN system and how to access support can be very confusing for children, young people, and their families. The recently published Additional learning needs (ALN): parent and carers toolkit goes some way to addressing this issue. However, more work is needed to ensure consistency of message across local authority websites and improvements in how information is shared.
A shared definition of what effective advocacy looks like is clearly needed. This will be developed through engagement with key stakeholders including local authority leads and advocacy providers.
It is also evident that in other sectors advocacy provision is regulated and regularly inspected and monitored to ensure that service users receive high-quality support. This is something to consider.
Advocacy provision also needs to move from being a last resort to being used earlier to support children and young people and their families. Advocates can ensure a learner’s voice is heard and that their wishes and feelings are respected from the outset.
Consistency in training requirements for advocates is another priority. Some practice in Wales have clear training requirements and service-specific frameworks ensuring quality and consistency. Questions around registration and quality assurance remain underdeveloped.
Finally, high-quality advocacy service requires proper investment. We need to attract and retain qualified, well-trained advocates and ensure robust support infrastructure around them.
Looking Forward
Q. What will the final report include?
The review report will provide a comprehensive map of current provision across each local authority, establish a clear and shared understanding of what high‑quality advocacy should look like, set out evidence‑based options and recommendations for improvement, and offer clear proposals for a defined information, advice, and advocacy offer for families.
The landscape review is currently underway, with findings and recommendations to be reported to the national ALN Delivery & Improvement Board and the Cabinet Secretary for Education at the end of March.
Gareth is clear that this isn’t simply an academic exercise, it’s a commitment to improvement, backed by strong ministerial support and driven by the voices of the education sector, families and learners themselves.
The history of Wales is a complex tapestry of different but overlapping stories and experiences that reflect the diversity of the nation’s people and communities. Some of these stories stretch back millennia. Others have more recent roots. Some are rooted in the land and geography of Wales. Others reach out across the globe. Understanding and valuing the diverse range of experiences of the peoples and communities of Wales can help us better appreciate what makes Wales what it is. It can help us see that diversity is a strength rather than a weakness.
Image: Corb Davies
The Curriculum for Wales seeks to ensure that children in Wales have rich, engaging and authentic opportunities to learn about, and understand this history.
To help achieve this, the Welsh Government set up our Expert Group in 2024 to advise on the creation of resources that would support and inspire schools in their teaching of Welsh history in all its variety. Our initial brief focused only on the development of a single timeline resource, but it was clear to us that much more needed to be done to fully empower educators and enrich learners’ understanding of Welsh history.
We have developed a vision statement for embedding Welsh History in the Curriculum for Wales:
To deliver a sustained and coherent offer of accessible and bilingual resources and professional learning, across the 3-16 continuum that will inspire and equip teachers and learners to explore and discover the breadth, richness and diversity of Welsh history in a local, national and international context through the Curriculum for Wales.
We have proposed the creation of an accessible and comprehensive platform of innovative and modern resources that will support and help enable impactful and engaging teaching of Welsh history. We want to see a package of high quality, bilingual resources that are easy for teachers to find and to use. Resources are needed that align with wider curriculum principles, enhance teachers’ knowledge and understanding and support them to design authentic and engaging learning experiences, both in and out of the classroom. All teachers know that good learning builds on direct experience, so history, like geography, is best learned when grounded in learners’ familiar environment – their cynefin.
We want the new platform to be a place where teachers can be inspired and enthused by the breadth and depth of Welsh history. We want a platform where they can consider new perspectives and viewpoints, and where they can find up to date, interesting and authentic resources that help them to inspire the next generation.
We hope that this will enable schools to build upon the many strengths that already exist in the teaching of Welsh history. The prizes awarded annually by Menter Ysgolion y Dreftadaeth Gymreig/Welsh Schools’ Heritage Initiative demonstrate the impactful teaching that is already taking place in schools across Wales. We want to enable schools to build upon their strengths and to share and reflect on the best ways of teaching Welsh history.
This vision is now starting to take shape. Adnodd (the National body responsible for resource development) has this week launched a dedicated Hanes Cymru Collection on Hwb. This subject-specific collection is arranged in a timeline format, providing a chronological framework and thematic collection to reflect Welsh history in all its richness and diversity. Working in close collaboration with Dysgu (the new National Professional Learning body), we are pleased to see that Adnodd is committed to bringing our vision for Welsh history to life.
We look forward to seeing this work continue to evolve and to supporting educators across Wales in delivering rich, inclusive, and meaningful Welsh history education.
The Curriculum for Wales Policy Group continues to meet monthly in locations across Wales. Workshops focus on the ongoing process of reviewing and refining the Curriculum for Wales Framework guidance, co-construction of supporting materials, and contributing to the work of Welsh Government’s partners where our work dovetails. Representatives of Adoption UK, Adnodd, Arad Research, DARPL, and Microsoft have all met with the Group over the last year.
They’ve contributed to work around curriculum and assessment design, enabling learning guidance, literacy and numeracy, and international languages.
We operate a reserve list to make sure the Policy Group remains representative of all types of schools and settings across Wales. If you currently work in a school or setting using the Curriculum for Wales and have a passion for working with others to co-construct solutions, please complete the Expression of interest form. We’ll contact practitioners on the Reserve list when a place becomes available. We are especially keen to hear from practitioners in pupil referral units (PRUs) and other providers of education other than at school (EOTAS), and those working in Blaenau Gwent, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Merthyr Tydfil, and Monmouthshire
The current members are:
Jane Altham-Watkins, Y.G.G. Gellionnen , Swansea
Leon Andrews, Llanwern High School, Newport / Cardiff Met
Lisa Ashton, Llanidloes C.P. School, Powys
Shubnam Aziz, Mount Stuart Primary school, Cardiff
Rebekah Bawler, Risca Community Comprehensive,Caerphilly
Dawn Bayliss, Ysgol Merllyn, Flintshire
Suzanne Chamberlain, St. David’s Catholic Primary School, Torfaen
Kirsty Davies, Crownbridge Special School, Torfaen
This is not just about understanding history or geography it is about preparing learners to become active, informed, and responsible citizens who can engage with democratic processes and make thoughtful decisions about the world around them.
For teachers, this matters because it shapes what and how we teach, from early years through to age 16, learners are expected to explore concepts such as rights, responsibility, justice, and governance, and to understand how political systems operate locally, nationally, and globally. By embedding these ideas into your curriculum design, you help learners develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning skills essential for life in modern Wales and beyond.
The next Senedd election will take place on 7 May 2026. Anyone aged 16 and over who lives in Wales can vote. This is a great opportunity to bring real time politics to life in the classroom.
There are lots of resources and organisations available to support you to engage your learners in democratic education ahead of the election.
Resources, events and more
Senedd Election 2026 Resources
The Children’s Commissioner for Wales, the Senedd Commission, and the Electoral Commission have worked in partnership to create new resources that support young people to learn about the Senedd and how to vote. The resources are aimed at first-time voters but are suitable for all young people in year 10 and up.
The resources cover key topics including:
1. Children’s rights and the importance of voting
2. The role and history of the Senedd and how it is changing in 2026
3. How to register and vote at a Senedd election
Resources include an assembly, lesson plans, short activities, and educator guidance.
The Senedd Commission’s free online Teams sessions are designed for educators who are beginners when it comes to learning about the Senedd. It aims to boost educator confidence when starting conversations with young people about politics, voting, and elections.
In this 45-minute session, educators will learn about the Senedd, democracy in Wales, and they will be provided with step-by-step guidance on delivering sessions to young people.
Educators can arrange a free school educational session to the Senedd and receive a bespoke session from the Senedd’s Education Team. The sessions are designed for all ages and provides an insight on how the Senedd, and democracy works in Wales. A travel subsidy is also available.
An opportunity for those who work with young people to start a conversation about democracy and voting. Every year the Electoral Commission invite schools, youth groups, and local elections teams to join them in celebrating democracy by running activities that help young people understand how it works and how to get involved.
This year’s theme is ‘Why Voting Matters’. Discover the difference voting makes and how young people can have their voices heard.
Electoral Commission resources including resources about how to design a voter registration campaign, run a registration drive and on mis and disinformation.
Guidance on how to embed democratic education within the Curriculum for Wales
Videos for young people about the Senedd and Senedd elections.
Host a Hustings Cymru
Here teachers and youth practitioners can access help to organise and deliver their own youth hustings events for the 2026 Senedd elections.
Youth Hustings provide a platform for young people aged 14–25 to engage directly with electoral candidates in Welsh elections. They give young people the chance to ask questions, voice their opinions, and take part in meaningful dialogue in the run-up to local and national votes. Events can be run in person or online.
Support for learners across Wales to have meaningful conversations with their elected representatives.
It also helps teachers to prepare learners for those conversations through delivering engaging workshops with learning resources that empower learners to become ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world, directly supporting one of the four core purposes of the Curriculum for Wales. To find out more about Digital Dialogue: Wales
Shout Out UK (SOUK)
Is running a two-year programme of interactive workshops across schools and colleges in Wales to inform and empower young people (aged 14-18) to participate actively in the country’s democracy.
The programme aims to increase participants’ likelihood to vote and their understanding of political processes. It will also equip students with skills to evaluate election-related information, identify mis/disinformation, combat online hate, promote candidate safety, and become responsible, active, and informed digital citizens. Contact caitlin@shoutoutuk.org to organise free sessions in your school!
Information and links to all of the above, as well as additional resources to support you in the build up to the 2026 election can be found on the Senedd Elections page of Democracy Classroom.
Wales is shaking up how teachers and education staff develop their skills. As of September 2025, Dysgu, the new National Professional Learning and Leadership Education Wales body, will steer professional learning opportunities across the country.
Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Dysgu’s CEO, leads a team of thirteen staff members who are spearheading the change.
Dysgu represents a significant shift toward a more streamlined, consistent approach to professional development in education, ultimately aiming to improve support for educators and outcomes for learners across Wales.
During its first year – a transitional year – Dysgu will take on responsibility for national programmes in areas such as literacy, numeracy and well-being, alongside developing support for leaders at all levels.
Dysgu will build capacity around three key themes:
Leadership
Curriculum and Teaching
Well-being and Inclusion
Dysgu’s offer will deliver high-quality Professional Learning in Welsh and English reflecting the needs and aspirations of the sector and responding to national priorities.
Work is already underway delivering the newly-revised NPQH Wales programme for aspiring headteachers and providing experienced headteachers with coaching opportunities. In early November a new pilot, Calm Classrooms Thriving Minds: professional learning for educators, was advertised on Hwb and a Maths roadshow aimed at secondary schools is being delivered by Dysgu and Estyn in February. Dysgu’s new Chair – Professor Dylan Jones – starts in post this January and new Board members are being recruited.
Dysgu will work alongside the Welsh Government on policy, with Estyn on inspection findings, and with local authorities, who will focus on providing tailored training to address specific school needs through school-to-school collaboration models.
Dysgu will develop professional learning that is accessible, consistent, and impactful, empowering educators to thrive and improving outcomes for every learner in Wales.
Be part of the journey
Sign up for Dysgu’s newsletter to discover new opportunities, events, and resources shaping the future of education in Wales.
Our research evaluating the policies that support Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Wales is underway. The research has been guided by a stakeholder steering group with representatives from:
Education Workforce Council
Estyn
ITE Partnerships
The Teacher Education Accreditation Board
Welsh Government
Welsh Local Government Association
Since the summer term Alma Economics has been working with our steering group to scope out the evaluation and prepare the field work phase of the research.
This research will help us understand how our policies can better support the recruitment, development and ongoing support of student teachers as they begin their professional journey as well as the wider ITE sector.
If you are involved in ITE, are a student teacher or early career teacher, here’s your opportunity to provide your views on our ITE system.
What the research is examining
High-quality ITE is fundamental to ensuring excellent education for all children and young people in Wales. The evaluation focuses on Wales’ education policies and legislative reforms that support our ITE system and examine how ITE incentive schemes have influenced the recruitment of student teachers.
Get involved
If your school is involved in ITE, you may be approached by your ITE Partnership to participate in this research.
You can also help us by completing an online survey. Please complete one survey only.
If you work in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or are an ITE student, please follow the HEI survey link:
The survey takes around 10-15 minutes to complete, and your participation is anonymous and voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time by closing the browser window. You can find more information about how your data will be stored and used here: https://tinyurl.com/2rymvv45
We are pleased to introduce the updated School Improvement Guidance, which strengthens the way we support improvement across Wales. The guidance reflects the outcomes of the recent review of roles and responsibilities and sets out a clear, shared ambition: that every learner is supported to achieve their full potential within an equitable and collaborative education system.
At the centre of the guidance is a straightforward principle: improvement is a shared responsibility.
Schools should not work in isolation. By developing strong local improvement communities, partners can draw on collective expertise, respond to challenges more effectively, and develop solutions that are sustainable and focused on learners’ needs. This is about building a culture rooted in openness, trust and ongoing learning.
The guidance is underpinned by five core principles:
Collective responsibility for raising standards for every learner.
Purposeful collaboration that brings in external perspectives and fosters professional dialogue.
A focus on activity that improves learning.
Building capacity within the school system, so expertise is shared and strengthened.
Clarity and coherence across partners, connecting local needs with national priorities.
This is an exciting opportunity for schools, local authorities, and partners to work together in new ways – through vertical and horizontal collaboration, robust self-evaluation, and strategic planning that truly makes a difference. The aim is clear: better outcomes, stronger leadership, and a more inclusive education system for Wales.
We encourage all partners to engage fully with this guidance and play an active role in shaping an improvement system that works for everyone. By working collectively, we can build a system that responds to today’s challenges while laying firm foundations for future success.
We’d like to congratulate Simon Roberts on receiving the ‘Exceptional Contribution to School Business Leadership’ award, at ISBL National Conference for School Business Leadership at the end of November
Earlier this year Welsh Government launched an exciting pilot project with the Institute of School Business Leaders (ISBL), facilitated by Simon Roberts, Director of Business Finance at Olchfa School in Swansea, who has 24 years’ experience working in education, and 16 as a Senior Leader and School Business Leader.
Working with a cohort of 50 School Business Professionals (SBPs) across Wales, the pilot aims to assess and support the development needs of the profession, provide coaching and mentoring alongside professional accreditation, and support the creation of SBP Champions to provide peer review and system leadership.
Bethan Cullen, Deputy CEO of the ISBL stated: “Simon Roberts has played a pivotal role in shaping the pilot programme for Welsh school business professionals, an initiative that will significantly raise the profile of the profession in Wales. His leadership has strengthened the understanding and application of Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP) metrics and empowered school leaders to more effectively evaluate and maximise the resources available to them.
Simon’s unwavering commitment, both through his advocacy for the profession and his impactful delivery of programme content, has been central to the success of this work. ISBL is proud to recognise Simon’s outstanding achievements and celebrate him as one of our Fellows.”
On winning the award, Simon said: ‘It’s a real honour and privilege for me, mostly because it is awarded by the Institute who represent my profession. I would never have won the award without the support, trust and professional freedom I have been fortunate enough to get from all the Headteachers I have worked with in my career. I have championed the SBL role in Wales for a number of years and was delighted to get the opportunity to work with Welsh Government recently on a project to amplify the role of School Business Leaders in Wales and generate the recognition the role deserves, which, without doubt, was a significant contributing factor in me being given this award, and I really appreciate having the opportunity to do so.
“This project is ongoing, but gaining rapid traction and buy-in from stakeholders across the education sector, which is fantastic, but must continue if schools in Wales are to become financially sustainable in the future – it is a real indication of progress for the role of SBLs in Wales and a significant sign of intent by Welsh Government that they are supporting it in the way they are.”
The Food and Fun programme started as a pilot by Cardiff Council to help children during school holidays. The programme now runs in schools across the whole country, delivered by the Welsh Local Government Association.
Winners of the awards were:
Council Co-ordinator: Paul Williams, Neath Port Talbot Youth Service
Co-ordinator award scheme: Sabrina Amor, Herbertt Thompson Primary School
Scheme Staff award: Luke Cross Ysgol Cwm Brombil
Catering award: Sarah Lever and Caroline Clatworthy, Bridgend Catering
Volunteer Award: Harri and Sion Colthard, Ysgol Calon y Cymoedd
Health Board Award: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Sports Coach Awards: MonLife
Working together award: Neyland Community Primary School
School Impact Award: Gemma Ness Ysgol Awel Y Mor
Outstanding Contribution award: Angharad Williams Ysgol y Gogarth, Chantelle Matthias Howardian Primary School
Children’s Choice award: Justin Johnson Torfaen Play
We asked Gemma Ness, Ysgol Awel y Môr, winner of the School Impact Award, to tell us about her journey.
“The anticipation began long before the event, it started with an unexpected email. Excitement, and a little nervous energy began to unfold.
The days before were filled with laughter and banter around potentially giving a speech. Although i was personally nominated it was for us. There’s no I in team.
The morning of the event was a steady one. The journey itself was a mix of reflection and excitement. When I arrived, the atmosphere was calm. The room set up was fabulous! This felt official and special.
Then my name was called up for School Impact Winner in Wales. I was in genuine shock. As I proceeded to collect the award, I could hear the audience erupt.
When I returned home, I shared the news with my Family, my eldest child gave me a high five. I did not expect to see such beautiful comments all echoing the same “You deserve it”.
Sharing the achievement with everyone at Awel Y Môr Primary School was a proud unforgettable moment. This wasn’t just my achievement – it was ours.”
