Schools are working to reduce the impact of poverty and break the
link between educational attainment and financial background.
Thanks to £85,000 of Welsh Government funding, six school
clusters across Wales will receive training and support to tackle
the impact of poverty on day-to-day school life and identify ways
to reduce its impact on children and their families.
In Rhondda Cynon Taf, Ferndale Community School and the primary
schools in the cluster are one of the first groups of schools to
take part in the scheme.
Teachers have been undergoing training from Children North East,
an organisation specialising in identifying the barriers
children living in poverty face to engage fully with school life
and its opportunities.
By listening directly to the experiences of young people and
their families, schools can identify often unseen barriers in
their activities, helping them to reduce the risk of stigma for
children from low-income households, making education a cost
neutral experience.
Resulting interventions are often high impact, quick wins.
Changes can include ensuring charity days such as the Christmas
jumper day do not have financial implications for families and
class discussions don't lead to stigma, for example asking pupils
where they have been on holiday after the summer break.
One of the teachers from Ferndale Community School who has
received training as part of the scheme is starting to see the
powerful impact it can have on learner attainment. She said:
"The last two days have inspired me to go back to school and do
my best to drive the changes that will be identified.
“It really has helped to prompt us to think differently and
challenge opinions."
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, said,
“Socio-economic background should never a determinant of outcomes
or progress.
“As part of a wider set of interventions such as the PDG access
funding, this scheme is helping to tackle the impact of poverty
on educational attainment and set high standards for all
learners.
“I am so pleased to see how this work is directly supporting
schools in addressing educational disparities, stigma and social
inclusion, as well as impacting on pupil wellbeing and mental
health.”
The other areas of Wales where the pilot scheme is taking place:
- Cardiff – Ysgol Plasmawr Cluster
- Carmarthenshire – Ysgol Dyffryn Aman Cluster
- Ceredigion – Ysgol Bro Pedr Cluster, Lampeter
- Wrexham - Y Grango Cluster
- Rhyl High School cluster (schools to be confirmed)
Every school in Wales will have pupils from low-income
households, stigma can be heightened in schools where there are
pupils from a range of different household incomes.
As the work progresses, solutions to key themes informed by
independent evaluation will eventually be shared with all schools
in Wales.
Notes to editors
The headteachers at Ferndale Community School and Pontygwaith
Primary School are available for interview.
For more information please contact: Education Press team:
educationpressoffice@gov.wales
Children North East – poverty proofing the school day: Nine things you can do to
start Poverty Proofing your school - Children North East
