Increased Apprenticeships assist to Elevate Requirements at Newtown Excessive Faculty

Participating with Increased Apprenticeships has helped Newtown Excessive Faculty to maneuver out of particular measures by enhancing management and administration, instructing and studying requirements.

The varsity, which has 1,200 pupils, was put into particular measures following an Estyn inspection in 2015 when weaknesses had been recognized in management and administration, self-assessment and total planning for steady enchancment.

To handle these points, 18 employees members have both accomplished or are working in the direction of a Increased Apprenticeship (Ranges 4 and 5) in Management and Administration delivered by Cardiff-based coaching supplier Portal Coaching.

Newtown Excessive Faculty headteacher Robert Edwards with Cate Harnden, the primary Portal Coaching assessor to work with the varsity

The varsity was faraway from particular measures in October final yr and all however one of many present management crew of 5 have engaged with Increased Apprenticeships.

Management and administration, instructing and studying requirements and attendance ranges have all improved.

The variety of college classes rated nearly as good or greater has elevated considerably and the attendance degree elevated from 94% to 95.5%, taking the varsity from the underside 25% to the highest 25% in Wales inside 12 months.

In recognition of this transformation, Newtown Excessive Faculty has been shortlisted for the Small and Medium Employer of the Yr Award on the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2022. The winners shall be introduced at a digital awards ceremony on November 10.

The awards spotlight the excellent achievements, throughout unprecedented occasions, of employers, apprentices and work-based studying practitioners.

Spotlight of the yr for apprentices, employers and work-based studying suppliers and practitioners, the awards are organised by the Welsh Authorities and supported by the Nationwide Coaching Federation for Wales (NTfW). Headline sponsor for the third yr is Openreach.

Praising Portal Coaching’s contribution, headteacher Robert Edwards says Increased Apprenticeships have given employees the information and expertise to work in senior positions, safe inner promotion and turn out to be efficient leaders each inside and outdoors of the varsity.

Newtown Excessive Faculty headteacher Robert Edwards with Cate Harnden from Portal Coaching and employees Natalie Havard, Ben Jones, Hannah Walton and Sally Huxley

Employees at the moment are contributing to Powys-wide schooling methods and speaking to different faculties throughout Wales about Newtown Excessive Faculty’s profitable enchancment journey.

Because the final Estyn monitoring go to, the varsity has adopted a spread of methods to allow center leaders to be simpler of their roles.

Partnerships have been established linked to work expertise placements in native companies and group wellbeing initiatives.

Describing the impression of Increased Apprenticeships as “huge”, Mr Edwards dedicated to proceed them alongside a management and administration improvement overview toolkit to assist succession planning with the intention of future proofing the varsity.

He added,

“By partaking with Increased Apprenticeships in Management and Administration, we strongly imagine that sturdy leaders with an ethical conscience have been and can proceed to be developed, who will purchase into the senior leaders’ imaginative and prescient for the varsity. This can subsequently create a whole-school strategy to enchancment.”

Clare Jeffries, Portal Coaching’s operations director, mentioned:

“Newtown Excessive Faculty has been on a outstanding journey, demonstrating resilience and keenness to implement adjustments to enhance requirements, employees motivation and the arrogance of fogeys and the group within the college.”

Economic system Minister Vaughan Gething congratulated Newtown Excessive Faculty and all the opposite shortlisted finalists.

He mentioned,

“Apprenticeships make an enormous contribution to our economic system and shall be essential as Wales continues to bounce again from the pandemic.”

“They can assist futureproof, inspire and diversify a workforce, providing folks the prospect to achieve high-quality vocational expertise.”

“As a part of our Younger Particular person’s Assure, the Welsh Authorities shall be investing £366 million over the following three years to ship 125,000 all-age apprenticeships throughout Wales throughout the present time period of presidency.”

“We wish to improve alternatives for folks of all ages and backgrounds to develop transferable expertise within the office and enhance their lives. The funding can even assist sort out expertise shortages and gaps in precedence sectors crucial to drive productiveness and financial development, supporting our web zero ambitions, the every-day foundational economic system and public companies.”

The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Authorities with assist from the European Social Fund. For extra details about recruiting an apprentice, go to: https://gov.wales/apprenticeships-genius-decision or name 03000 603000.

Mae Prentisiaethau Uwch wedi helpu Ysgol Uwchradd y Drenewydd i symud allan o fesurau arbennig trwy wella arweinyddiaeth a rheolaeth yr ysgol, ynghyd â safonau addysgu a dysgu.

Rhoddwyd yr ysgol, sydd â 1,200 o ddisgyblion, o dan fesurau arbennig yn dilyn arolygiad gan Estyn yn 2015 pan nodwyd gwendidau mewn arweinyddiaeth a rheolaeth, hunanasesu a chynllunio cyffredinol ar gyfer gwelliant parhaus.

Er mwyn mynd i’r afael â’r materion hyn, mae 18 aelod o’r employees naill ai wedi cwblhau neu’n gweithio tuag at Brentisiaeth Uwch (Lefelau 4 a 5) mewn Arweinyddiaeth a Rheolaeth a gyflenwir gan y darparwr hyfforddiant Portal Coaching o Gaerdydd.

Codwyd y mesurau arbennig oedd ar yr ysgol ym mis Hydref y llynedd ac mae pawb ond un o’r tîm arwain presennol o bump wedi cymryd rhan mewn Prentisiaeth Uwch.

Mae arweinyddiaeth a rheolaeth, safonau addysgu a dysgu, a lefelau presenoldeb oll wedi gwella.

Mae nifer y gwersi yn yr ysgol a ddyfarnwyd yn ‘Dda’ neu’n uwch wedi cynyddu’n sylweddol a lefel presenoldeb wedi codi o 94% i 95.5%, gan fynd â’r ysgol o’r 25% isaf i’r 25% uchaf yng Nghymru o fewn 12 mis.

I gydnabod y trawsnewidiad hwn, mae Ysgol Uwchradd y Drenewydd wedi cyrraedd rhestr fer gwobr Cyflogwr Canolig y Flwyddyn yng ngornest fawreddog Gwobrau Prentisiaethau Cymru 2022. Cyhoeddir enwau’r enillwyr mewn seremoni wobrwyo rithwir ar 10 Tachwedd.

Mae’r gwobrau’n tynnu sylw at y rhyfeddodau y mae cyflogwyr, prentisiaid ac ymarferwyr dysgu seliedig ar waith wedi’u cyflawni yn y cyfnod anodd hwn.

Y gwobrau yw uchafbwynt y flwyddyn i brentisiaid, cyflogwyr, a darparwyr ac ymarferwyr dysgu seiliedig ar waith. Cânt eu trefnu gan Lywodraeth Cymru a’u cefnogi gan Ffederasiwn Hyfforddiant Cenedlaethol Cymru (NTfW). Eleni, am y drydedd flwyddyn, Openreach yw’r prif noddwr.

Canmolwyd cyfraniad Portal Coaching gan y pennaeth, Robert Edwards, gan ddweud bod Prentisiaethau Uwch wedi rhoi’r wybodaeth a’r sgiliau i employees weithio mewn swyddi uwch, sicrhau dyrchafiad mewnol a dod yn arweinwyr effeithiol yn yr ysgol a’r tu hwnt.

Erbyn hyn, mae’r employees yn cyfrannu at strategaethau addysg Powys gyfan ac yn sôn wrth ysgolion eraill ledled Cymru am daith lwyddiannus Ysgol Uwchradd y Drenewydd tuag at wella.

Ers ymweliad monitro diwethaf Estyn, mae’r ysgol wedi mabwysiadu nifer o strategaethau i alluogi arweinwyr canol i fod yn fwy effeithiol yn eu gwaith.

Ffurfiwyd partneriaethau sy’n gysylltiedig â lleoliadau profiad gwaith mewn busnesau lleol a phrosiectau llesiant cymunedol.

Yn ôl Mr Edwards, roedd effaith Prentisiaethau Uwch yn “enfawr”. Ymrwymodd i barhau i’w cynnig ochr yn ochr â phecyn cymorth ar gyfer adolygu datblygiad arweinyddiaeth a rheolaeth er mwyn helpu i gynllunio olyniaeth gyda’r nod o ddiogelu’r ysgol at y dyfodol.

Dywedodd,

“Trwy gynnig Prentisiaethau Uwch mewn Arweinyddiaeth a Rheolaeth, rydyn ni’n credu’n gryf ein bod wedi datblygu, ac y byddwn yn dal i ddatblygu, arweinwyr cryf â chydwybod foesol a fydd yn cyfrannu at weledigaeth yr uwch arweinwyr ar gyfer yr ysgol. Bydd hyn, yn ei dro, yn golygu bod yr ysgol gyfan yn ymroi i wella.”

Dywedodd Clare Jeffries, cyfarwyddwr gweithrediadau Portal Coaching:

“Mae Ysgol Uwchradd y Drenewydd wedi bod ar daith ryfeddol, gan ddangos gwydnwch ac angerdd i roi newidiadau ar waith er mwyn gwella safonau, cymhelliant employees a hyder rhieni a’r gymuned yn yr ysgol.”

Llongyfarchwyd Ysgol Uwchradd y Drenewydd a phawb arall ar y rhestrau byrion gan Vaughan Gething, Gweinidog yr Economi.

“Mae prentisiaethau’n gwneud cyfraniad enfawr at ein heconomi a byddant yn hollbwysig wrth i Gymru barhau i ddod dros y pandemig,” meddai.

“Gallant helpu i baratoi gweithlu at y dyfodol, ei ysgogi a sicrhau amrywiaeth, gan roi cyfle i bobl ennill sgiliau galwedigaethol o safon uchel.”

“Fel rhan o’n Gwarant i Bobl Ifanc, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru’n buddsoddi £366 miliwn dros y tair blynedd nesaf i ddarparu 125,000 o brentisiaethau bob-oed ledled Cymru yn ystod tymor presennol y llywodraeth.”

“Rydyn ni’n awyddus i wella cyfleoedd i bobl o bob oed a phob cefndir i ddatblygu sgiliau trosglwyddadwy yn y gweithle a gwella’u bywydau. Yn ogystal, bydd y buddsoddiad yn helpu i fynd i’r afael â phrinder sgiliau a bylchau mewn sgiliau yn y sectorau blaenoriaeth. Mae hyn yn hollbwysig er mwyn hybu cynhyrchiant a thwf economaidd, gan gefnogi ein huchelgeisiau sero web, yr economi sylfaenol a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.”

Caiff y Rhaglen Brentisiaethau ei hariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyda chymorth Cronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop (ESF). Os hoffech wybod rhagor am recriwtio prentis, ewch i: https://llyw.cymru/prentisiaethau-dewis-doeth neu ffonio 03000 603000.