Leighton Andrews AM

School standards - Estyn report

Penblwydd Hapus, Carwyn

School Closure debate

Tonypandy Riots

 This November is the centenary of the Tonypandy Riots, and as I have written before, there are lots of plans locally to mark the anniversary, including the plans to raise money to bring the Powerhouse of the Glamorgan Colliery back into community use. Tonight I was pleased to help Spectacle Theatre Company launch their plans for the Community Play they are working on, when they showed their production From the Horse's Mouth - currently touring schools - to an adult audience in Coleg Morgannwg's performing arts centre in Llwynypia. 

My old school

I went back to Barry Island Primary School this morning. I left this school at the age of ten in 1967. Today the school became an Apple Computer Regional Training Centre, and they have impressive ICT equipment which the children were demonstrating. Amazingly, six pupils are being entered for ICT GCSE. They have excellent Estyn scores and an impressive and creative approach to teaching. Some parts of the school were still familiar. But of course it all seems smaller now! I visited the playgrounds, my old classrooms and the hall where I learned to sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. (Though I was thrown out of the school choir aged 7 for being tone deaf!). Barry Island now has an online prospectus on Youtube. Congrats to the Head Deputy Head and teachers. And yes, Lee, the governing body....

Someone will get killed - by a grass fire

The Rhondda has been plagued by grass fires over the last week - as sadly, it has often been before.

I got home to Llwynypia tonight after the Spectacle Theatre play - more later - to find the mountainside on fire a couple of hundred yards to the side of the house, above the Scotch Terraces. I phoned the fire brigade who were already aware and shortly a fire engine arrived and the firefighters had the flames beaten out in 15 minutes or so. I have a picture and a short video but I am not going to post them up because no doubt there is some idiot arsonist out there who would like to see their handiwork on the web.

As my Ministerial colleague Carl Sargeant said in the Assembly this week, anyone with any information should phone Crimestoppers. Tonight's fire seems to have been mild in comparison with others recently. But, sooner or later, someone will get killed.

Education Questions March 10th

Carwyn in Swansea