County gets good report from school inspectors

Denbighshire County Council has welcomed the findings of the recent inspection of its education services.

The report, produced after an inspection in February, judged leadership and management to be excellent and the outcome and quality of education to be good. 

A notable feature of the report stated that "outcomes in Denbighshire are strong across nearly all key indicators over several years in primary and secondary schools, and particularly at Key Stage 4".  

Denbighshire was one of only two authorities to receive excellence for leadership in the last round of inspections and is the first to be awarded an excellent rating for leadership under a new inspection framework introduced across Wales.

One of the other main findings highlighted the recent merger of education and children’s services in the county as having a “positive impact” on services for children, young people and their families.  

Estyn have also asked Denbighshire to prepare a case study on the amalgamation of the education and children’s services, to share as best practice with other councils across Wales.

The report also finds that “the authority has a strong moral purpose that underpins its education services, focusing on an ambition to maximise the life chances of every learner”.

The report also says:

• The authority knows its schools very well.
• The authority has a strong moral purpose that underpins its education services, focusing on an ambition to maximise the life chances of every learner.”
• Pupils’ standards in Welsh first language remain strong over their time in school.
• The authority has a very secure understanding of the extent of elective home education in the county.
• A very strong feature of the authority is the way it consults with children and young people when making decisions that affect them and when evaluating the wide range of services it offers.
• Children can influence decision making.
• Schools work well in clusters of primary schools and their partner secondary schools
• The authority sets clear expectations of all schools and parents in relation to pupil attendance.
• The authority’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan demonstrates a strong commitment to developing services through the medium of Welsh.
• There are good quality youth services are provided by the authority that meets the needs of a wide range of young people.
• Officers and elected members implement the authority’s modernising education programme successfully.
• The authority’s political and strategic leadership is highly effective.
• The authority’s approach to managing complex change are very effective.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Cabinet Lead Member for Children, Young People and the Welsh Language, said: “The opportunities for our children and young people are at the heart of everything that we do. We want them to have the best education possible and have plenty of opportunity to thrive and develop as individuals.  We are delighted that this has been reflected in the report in such a comprehensive way.

“The report itself makes very positive reading and we must pay tribute  to the tremendous amount of work that goes on in the local authority to support schools and ensure that all children receive the best than can with the resources available.  

"The approach to working with our partners in the public sector is also a key factor in this success, as is our commitment to enhancing Welsh medium education.   We are all working together with a common goal:  to improve education and opportunities for our children and young people.

“Education in Denbighshire has been a priority for a number of years and this is paying dividends. We have also made a further commitment to improving education over the coming years and our vision for the best possible education for our children and young people has not changed.

“The report does include a small number of recommendations, as we would expect and we will be drawing up an Action Plan to make these changes."

* The full report can be found on: www.estyn.gov.uk

Plaid fights for three valley schools

Schools in the Ceiriog Valley should be kept open, according to Plaid Cymru.

Plaid Cymru's group of councillors has come out against council plans to close Ysgol Pontfadog and continue dual-streaming in Ysgol Cynddelw.

Group leader Marc Jones said: "The three schools in the Ceiriog Valley federation serve differing needs. Ysgol Llanarmon DC is Wrexham's only naturally Welsh-speaking school serving the higher end of the valley.

"Ysgol Cynddelw has been a dual-stream school but, of late, the Welsh-medium stream has proved so popular that it is effectively becoming a Welsh-language school. Ysgol Pontfadog currently offers English-medium education for the valley. 

 "We recognise the reality of developments in Cynddelw and believe it should become a Welsh-medium school to serve the main population centre of the valley. We also believe Ysgol Pontfadog should continue to serve the community as an English-language school.

 "This option safeguards provision in both languages and provide the best choice for parents. It is also supported by the federation's governing body."

The group has challenged the council to explain how their proposals to close Pontfadog would result in school improvements, given that there will be a need to invest in increasing provision at Cynddelw as well as providing transport for pupils from Pontfadog.

Cllr Jones added: "In many ways, this is a good news story for the Welsh language right on the border. Parents who don't speak Welsh currently have the choice of two streams and are increasingly opting for the Welsh-language stream. It makes no sense that this positive advance for the Welsh language should be undermined by closing Ysgol Pontfadog, which should continue to provide a dedicated English-language provision.

 "The federated school appears to be working well and the three sites offer pupils on the valley good options. Only 16 of the 253 respondents to the consultation favoured what the council is proposing, which in itself raises questions about the purpose and value of such consultations."

 "Our other concern, if the council's proposal to close one school is taken, is that it could ultimately lead to the centralisation of all education in the valley on one site and that would be problematic for pupils living in the very uppermost reaches of the valley."

A decision on the three options facing Wrexham Council's Executive Board will be taken today (Tuesday).

Health centre café needs volunteers

Friends of Llangollen Health Centre have sent out the following plea:

Have you a few hours to spare?

Would you be interested in giving a little time to help in our friendly café?

We are looking for volunteers to help in the café which offers hot and cold drinks and various snacks to the patients and visitors.

The café is completely run by volunteers and the proceeds are used to raise funds for the benefit of the Health Centre, with over 9,000 patients registered at the practice, covering Llangollen, Plas Madoc and Glyn Ceiriog surgeries.

* If you are interested in being involved with the general charity activities or helping at the café, please contact: Audrey Brameller – 01978 860684, or email: brameller@btinternet.com

World Heritage Site up for discussion

Alison Powell, Associate Technical Director at Arcadis, will address the next meeting of the Civic Society at 7.30 on 18^th April, at Seion Chapel Vestry. Entry next to former Nat West bank.

She wants to discuss the future of the Pontcysyllte World Heritage Site with local interested parties.

If you want to hear what is proposed and make your views for the future known, you are welcome to attend.

The Civic Society Award for 2017 will also be presented at that meeting.  The recipients will be Llangollen Silver Band, for “service to the community”.

Operatic get ready to stage My Fair Lady

* Fellow cast members drag reluctant dustman
Alfie Doolittle, played by Bill Hughes, second from right, out of the pub.

It's now just over a week until the curtain goes up on the latest show from Llangollen Operatic Society.

Fresh from their recent successes with Sister Act, the Producers and 9-5, a cast of almost 40 will present one of the most popular musicals of all time, My Fair Lady, on the Town Hall stage from Tuesday-Saturday, April 17-21.

And, according to producer Helen Belton, they can’t wait to tackle the Lerner and Loewe masterpiece based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

She said: “The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from Professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she can pass as a lady.

“The original Broadway and London shows memorably starred Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews but we’ve also got some exceptional performers waiting in the wings.  

“Eliza is played by talented Llangollen Operatic newcomer Esme Sallnow while two of our most experienced members, Christopher Sims and John Clifford, take the parts of Higgins and Colonel Pickering respectively. Alison Ravenscroft, who has also appeared in many of our past productions, is Higgins’ housekeeper, Mrs Pearce.”

* Key cast members line up for a picture session in the park.

Helen added: “The society last performed My Fair Lady around 30 years ago and a few of the people who were in it then are also in the new production.

“Back in the 80s the show proved a massive success for us and we’re aiming for a similar audience response this time.”

Musical director for the show is Leigh Mason and artistic director is Joanne Lloyd.

My Fair Lady is on at 7.30pm each evening of the run and there’s also a 2pm matinee on the Saturday.

Tickets, at £12 and £10 concessions, are available from Bailey’s, Gwyn the Butcher and Jades in Llangollen town centre as well as by phoning Stella Bond on 01978 860441 or by going online at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety (fee applies). 

* "I'm getting married in the morning" ... but not if Doolittle can help it.

Tidy Town Team readies site of Centenary Square

* Tidy Town members uproot a yew hedge at what will become Centenary Square.

Members of Llangollen Tidy Town Team were hard at work this morning (Friday) preparing the ground for work to start soon on the creation of the new Centenary Square at what has been the Royal Gardens.

They were removing a yew hedge from the site which will be replanted on an area of land between the station and the cemetery.

They were also taking up a number of rose bushes which will be put temporarily in pots outside the RAFA Club before being replanted in the new-look Centenary Square.

The square, of which the war memorial will be a centre point, is being created by the Town Council to mark this year's 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

* Rose bushes are removed by Tidy Town Team members.

Royal Warrant for Rhug Estate

Lord Newborough, owner of the Rhug Estate, near Corwen, has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales.

The warrant is for Rhug Organic Farm which incorporates the farm, the wholesale meat business, the cutting plant, the butcher’s counter at Rhug Farm shop and Rhug’s stall at London’s Borough Market.

Lord Newborough (pictured) said: “Being awarded the Royal Warrant is a dream come true, I am so thrilled for my team at Rhug who work so hard to embrace the highest standards of animal welfare and all the rewards of sustainable farming we practise here at Rhug.

"To have this recognition means everything. We are proud to fly the Welsh flag wherever we sell our meat in the world. As far as I know there are less than 20 warrant holders in Wales and I believe, we will be the only organic farm and cutting plant. This is an honour that cannot be bought and only earnt. I am so proud of what we have achieved here at Rhug over the last 20 years this is truly wonderful news.”

The Royal Warrant of Appointment Certificate states Rhug Organic Farm is certified, by command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, to supply organic meat to His Royal Highness’ households.

Rhug has been supplying meat to the royal households for the past six years including Welsh lamb, chickens, turkeys and bison meat.

Lord Newborough added: “It might be my name on the certificate when it arrives but the Royal Warrant is wonderful recognition and reward for the hard work, vision and dedication to sustainable farming shown by the whole team here at the Rhug who all share the same vision and passion and rewards for sustainable farming.”