Today (12 April 2018), 24 education professionals from across Wales have been revealed as finalists of the second Professional Teaching Awards Cymru.

The awards were created to celebrate the commitment, dedication and hard work of teachers across Wales. Nominations were received from parents, students, colleagues and employers.

The winners from each of the nine categories including Supporting Teachers and Learners and Best use of Digital learning will be announced at a special ceremony at Hensol Castle in May.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said:

“Our national mission is to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and confidence. An integral part of this is about elevating the status of the teaching profession in Wales.

“That’s why it’s so important that we recognise the excellence we see in our schools every day, right across the country.

“The calibre of nominations we had this year for the Professional Teaching Awards Cymru was absolutely phenomenal.

“The finalists are a credit to the profession. They should all be exceptionally proud of themselves and I am very much looking forward to meeting them all in May to celebrate their hard work.”

To be the first to find out the winner on Sunday 13 May watch on Facebook ‘Live’ and visit gov.wales and keep an eye on the Education Wales social channels @WG_Education

Join the conversation with #TeachingAwardsCymru

The Professional Teaching Awards Cymru 2018 finalists

Supporting Teachers and Learners

Jackie Marshall, Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthen

Anne Garner, Ysgol Bryn Elian, Old Colwyn

Adam Griffiths, Penydre High School, Merthyr Tydfil

School Business Manager/Bursar

Brian Crossland, Ysgol Bryn Elian, Old Colwyn

Helen Avery, Cornist Park Primary School, Flint

Jon Caple, Bishop Hedley High School, Merthyr Tydfil

Promoting Collaboration to Improve Learning Opportunities

To Be Announced at the Ceremony

Promoting wellbeing, inclusion and relationships with the community

Louise Morgan, Canolfan y Gors, Carmarthen

Inclusion Department Team, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic High School, Newport

Monkton Priory Community Primary School, Pembroke

Teacher of the Year

Carol Hesden, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Caerffili, Caerphilly

Hannah Hopkins, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School

Lorraine Dalton, Ysgol Esgob Morgan, St Asaph

Headteacher of the Year

Meryl Echeverry, Monnow Primary School, Newport

Eleanor Jarrold, Maes Y Coed Primary School, Pontypridd

Janet Waldron, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School

Outstanding New Teacher

Hollie Sinclair, Caerleon Comprehensive School, Newport

Helen Jones, Flint High School

Natasha Williams, Ysgol Bryn Elian, Old Colwyn

Best use of Digital learning

Dylan Lewis, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School

Ysgol Bro Lleu, Caernarfon

Ysgol O.M Edwards, Bala

Inspirational use of the Welsh Language

Jordan Tobin, Dwr y Felin Comprehensive School, Neath

Sarah Mansfield, St Francis Catholic Primary School, Milford Haven

Gwenan Ellis Jones, Gwynedd Council Education Department

The Cabinet Secretary has today announced, that the three FRAs in Wales are to receive £1,424,000 to continue to support their arson reduction and youth engagement schemes, as well as for the purchase of home safety equipment.

He said:

“Our Fire and Rescue Services work incredibly hard to keep us safe and educate us about the threat fire poses. There are, however, many other risks to people’s safety besides fire; and the decline in the incidence of fire means FRAs can play an increasing role in addressing those too.

“Everyone agrees that preventing fires from happening in the first place is much better than responding to them. That is what these programmes aim to do. Some of them alert young people to the dangers of fire and fire-setting and divert them away from fire-related crime and other offending. Others help to keep our most vulnerable citizens safe from fire and other hazards in their homes, such as falls and electrical safety.” 

One of the schemes to be funded is Operation Dawns Glaw. This aims to educate the public and landowners, about the dangers and impact of deliberate fire-setting and raises awareness about the consequences of deliberate grass fires, which can result in prosecution.

Dawns Glaw was established in 2015 and includes representatives of Welsh Government, FRAs, Police Services, Local Authorities, Met Office, Natural Resources Wales, Young Farmers Clubs, Crimestoppers and others. Multi-agency work like this has led to a reduction of 50% in grass fires in Wales over the past two years and a reduction of over 1,000 in the number of attendances made by the Fire & Rescue Services. Their interventions with young people at risk of offending has showed to consistently achieve exceptional levels of behaviour change and minimal reoffending rates, a positive example of how engagement through prevention has a long lasting effect.

Mydrian Harries, Chair of the Dawns Glaw taskforce said: 

“Deliberate grass fires endanger lives. If the Fire and Rescue Service are tied up tackling a deliberately set grass fire it can result in a delayed response to a life-threatening emergency, such as a house fire or road traffic collision. Deliberately set grass fires also severely damage our countryside and our environment, pose a threat to wildlife and livestock, and costs the Welsh economy millions of pounds each year.

“We all have a part to play to reduce and eliminate deliberately lit grass fires in Wales. I would appeal to the public to remain vigilant and help us protect our communities and our countryside, by reporting any suspicious activity immediately to the Police.”

This additional funding also allows FRAs to provide free “Safe and Well” visits to check the safety of people’s homes, including the free provision of items such as smoke alarms and flame-retardant bedding. Around 50,000 such checks are carried out each year, focusing on those most at risk of fire such as frail, or elderly people, people with disabilities, smokers and single parents.

The funding will improve access to and within Deeside Industrial Park by supporting the acquisition of a site for a proposed park and ride service, enhancing the Deeside shuttle service and improving the bus link from Zone 2 to Zone 3.

Flintshire County Council has also been working closely with communities to develop innovative and sustainable community minibus schemes. The Welsh Government will be providing £127,000 to enable the local authority to purchase two Euro 6 standard minibuses for two schemes in rural communities within Flintshire. This will improve links to local transport hubs, connections with mainline transport services and access to employment and education.

The Cabinet Secretary made the announcement during a visit to the site of the proposed Deeside Parkway railway station which is a big part of the metro developments in the area. Progress is also being made on plans for the integration of Shotton High/Low stations. Transport for Wales is working in collaboration with Flintshire County Council and Network Rail to develop these schemes.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates said:

“The Welsh Government’s investment in Deeside is a clear demonstration of our commitment to delivering an integrated transport hub approach which will benefit commuters and businesses in the area and beyond.

“The £1.8 million Welsh Government investment I am announcing today will be a boost to delivering important schemes which will improve access to and within Deeside Industrial Park and the wider Enterprise Zone, linking communities with jobs and services. They also offer a low carbon travel option enabling people to leave their own vehicle at home which will be of benefit to our environment.

“I’m very pleased we are working closely with Flintshire County Council, Network Rail and Transport for Wales in taking forward important work in Deeside which is a key part of the North East Wales metro vision and also supports the local authority’s Deeside Plan. This reinforces our commitment to deliver major changes to the transport system in the area through engaging and joint working with our key partners.

“The investment is also a great example of the steps we are taking as a forward-looking government in driving prosperity and building a regionally focussed model of economic development, which are important parts of our new Economic Action Plan.”

Cllr Aaron Shotton, Leader of Flintshire County Council, said:

“Today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary progresses our long held, shared ambition to improve and strengthen public transport links to and within Deeside Industrial Park.  

“‎I particularly welcome the clear commitment to facilitating the creation of a new rail station on Deeside. Ensuring direct rail access for workers locally and across the region has the potential to be a real, ‘game changer’ for Deeside Industrial Park, a new transport connection is vital to the continuing success of Deeside Industrial Park, enabling it to continue as the premier employment hub within our region.”

Alan Edwards, Executive Director of Infrastructure Development at Transport for Wales said:

“Transport for Wales is pleased to be working with our partners at Flintshire County Council and Network Rail to deliver improvements at Deeside Industrial Park and Shotton High/Low Level.

“These projects are key components of the North East Wales Metro, realising the Welsh Government’s vision for an efficient, reliable and high quality transport system which will make it easier for people to travel by public transport.  

“Our collaborative approach will help us to ensure that improvements truly meet the needs of local people, improving links between public transport and active travel routes so people can walk or cycle to and from stations, and facilitating more convenient access to stations by other modes of transport.”

Bill Kelly, acting route managing director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said:

“We will continue to work with the Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and other partners to support schemes which deliver a safe, reliable, affordable and growing railway. Working together helps to keep the people of Wales and Borders moving and supports economic growth.”

The funding will improve access to and within Deeside Industrial Park by supporting the acquisition of a site for a proposed park and ride service, enhancing the Deeside shuttle service and improving the bus link from Zone 2 to Zone 3.

Flintshire County Council has also been working closely with communities to develop innovative and sustainable community minibus schemes. The Welsh Government will be providing £127,000 to enable the local authority to purchase two Euro 6 standard minibuses for two schemes in rural communities within Flintshire. This will improve links to local transport hubs, connections with mainline transport services and access to employment and education.

The Cabinet Secretary made the announcement during a visit to the site of the proposed Deeside Parkway railway station which is a big part of the metro developments in the area. Progress is also being made on plans for the integration of Shotton High/Low stations. Transport for Wales is working in collaboration with Flintshire County Council and Network Rail to develop these schemes.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates said:

“The Welsh Government’s investment in Deeside is a clear demonstration of our commitment to delivering an integrated transport hub approach which will benefit commuters and businesses in the area and beyond.

“The £1.8 million Welsh Government investment I am announcing today will be a boost to delivering important schemes which will improve access to and within Deeside Industrial Park and the wider Enterprise Zone, linking communities with jobs and services. They also offer a low carbon travel option enabling people to leave their own vehicle at home which will be of benefit to our environment.

“I’m very pleased we are working closely with Flintshire County Council, Network Rail and Transport for Wales in taking forward important work in Deeside which is a key part of the North East Wales metro vision and also supports the local authority’s Deeside Plan. This reinforces our commitment to deliver major changes to the transport system in the area through engaging and joint working with our key partners.

“The investment is also a great example of the steps we are taking as a forward-looking government in driving prosperity and building a regionally focussed model of economic development, which are important parts of our new Economic Action Plan.”

Cllr Aaron Shotton, Leader of Flintshire County Council, said:

“Today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary progresses our long held, shared ambition to improve and strengthen public transport links to and within Deeside Industrial Park.  

“‎I particularly welcome the clear commitment to facilitating the creation of a new rail station on Deeside. Ensuring direct rail access for workers locally and across the region has the potential to be a real, ‘game changer’ for Deeside Industrial Park, a new transport connection is vital to the continuing success of Deeside Industrial Park, enabling it to continue as the premier employment hub within our region.”

Alan Edwards, Executive Director of Infrastructure Development at Transport for Wales said:

“Transport for Wales is pleased to be working with our partners at Flintshire County Council and Network Rail to deliver improvements at Deeside Industrial Park and Shotton High/Low Level.

“These projects are key components of the North East Wales Metro, realising the Welsh Government’s vision for an efficient, reliable and high quality transport system which will make it easier for people to travel by public transport.  

“Our collaborative approach will help us to ensure that improvements truly meet the needs of local people, improving links between public transport and active travel routes so people can walk or cycle to and from stations, and facilitating more convenient access to stations by other modes of transport.”

Bill Kelly, acting route managing director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said:

“We will continue to work with the Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and other partners to support schemes which deliver a safe, reliable, affordable and growing railway. Working together helps to keep the people of Wales and Borders moving and supports economic growth.”

The funding will enable the hospital’s existing Ward 10 to be modernised to improve safety, clinical quality and provide a better environment for patients and staff. The former Ward 9 area will also be developed to serve as a ward area to allow Ward 10 patients to be cared for while the building works are carried out on the existing Ward 10, which will close for refurbishment. 

The local community in Pembrokeshire has played a significant part in helping to raise funds to improve these facilities with over £450,000 being raised to date by the Health Board’s Pembrokeshire Cancer Services Fund and Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal.

Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething said: 

“I am very happy to able to announce the £3.15m funding to complete the improvements to Wards 9 and 10 at Withybush Hospital. This project will transform these services at the hospital to provide a modern fit-for-purpose environment for staff, patients and their families. It was a pleasure to meet with staff and the Neville family today. Elly’s fundraising efforts have been truly inspirational and the new facility will be a tribute to her hard work and dedication.”

Hywel Dda University Health Board Chair, Bernardine Rees OBE, said: 

“This is fantastic news for Pembrokeshire. I wish to pay tribute to our staff, fundraisers and partners, for their part in reaching this milestone in the project, particularly Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal. We look forward to moving forward at pace now to make these improvements for our local population.”

Lyn Neville, Elly’s father, said: 

“On behalf of Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal we are very pleased that the funding has been given for Ward 10 which will be another step towards providing excellent cancer services for Pembrokeshire. On a personal note after many years of campaigning for Ward 10 I am also very pleased that, as seen with the new Pembrokeshire Haematology & Oncology Day Unit (PHODU), patients and staff will be able to receive and deliver care in excellent new facilities.”

Work is expected to start shortly and be completed by the summer of 2019.