Welsh Government

All children aged two and three years olds (age on 31 August 2017) are eligible for a free nasal spray flu vaccine at their GP surgery each winter. 

The vaccine has been offered to eligible children in reception class and school years 1 to 4 in primary school. Parents and guardians are required to give consent before their child receives the flu nasal spray vaccine in school.  

The nasal spray vaccine provides good protection for children against influenza and is most effective if given before flu starts to circulate. This particular vaccine has a short shelf life and parents are urged to vaccinate their two and three year olds as soon as possible. 

Dr Atherton said: 

“We know that children are super-spreaders of germs.

“Illnesses like flu spread easily within families and because of the nature of nurseries, playgroups and the school environment, toddlers and children are often in very close proximity to each other, where they are especially susceptible to any circulating germs. 

“Young children are at risk of serious complications of influenza, their immune systems are not yet fully developed so they can’t fight off infections, such as flu, as well as older children and adults.

“That is why I am urging two and three year olds to get vaccinated. It will help protect them from the flu and stop it spreading to family and friends in the wider community this winter.”

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All children aged two and three years olds (age on 31 August 2017) are eligible for a free nasal spray flu vaccine at their GP surgery each winter. 

The vaccine has been offered to eligible children in reception class and school years 1 to 4 in primary school. Parents and guardians are required to give consent before their child receives the flu nasal spray vaccine in school.  

The nasal spray vaccine provides good protection for children against influenza and is most effective if given before flu starts to circulate. This particular vaccine has a short shelf life and parents are urged to vaccinate their two and three year olds as soon as possible. 

Dr Atherton said: 

“We know that children are super-spreaders of germs.

“Illnesses like flu spread easily within families and because of the nature of nurseries, playgroups and the school environment, toddlers and children are often in very close proximity to each other, where they are especially susceptible to any circulating germs. 

“Young children are at risk of serious complications of influenza, their immune systems are not yet fully developed so they can’t fight off infections, such as flu, as well as older children and adults.

“That is why I am urging two and three year olds to get vaccinated. It will help protect them from the flu and stop it spreading to family and friends in the wider community this winter.”

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The plan builds on the 2010 Welsh-medium Education Strategy and sets the direction for the development of Welsh-medium and Welsh language education over the next four years with the aim of ensuring that all young people, from all backgrounds, come out of the education system ready and proud to use the language in all contexts.

The plan’s five main objectives, to be delivered by 2021, are:

• to develop a new Welsh language curriculum that will inspire learners to learn and use the Welsh language;
• to increase opportunities for children and young people to use their Welsh in various contexts and embed their language use patterns from an early age;
• to support leaders and practitioners in Wales to continue to develop their Welsh language skills and have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum through the medium of Welsh and Welsh as a subject;
• to increase the number of learners in Welsh-medium settings;
• to ensure that all learners can have equal access to Welsh-medium education and experience the best opportunities to develop their language skills.

The Minister made the announcement at her former school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. When the Minister attended the school it was the only Welsh-medium secondary school serving Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. There are now three in Cardiff and one in the Vale.

Making the announcement, the Minister said:

“I was one of a handful of children from my estate in Cardiff who had my  education through the medium of Welsh and distinctly remember having stones thrown at our bus full of primary school children as they objected to having a Welsh language school in their neighbourhood. I am delighted that the attitude towards the language has changed fundamentally from when I was a child and that we now have the opportunity to build on this goodwill.

“Reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050 is a significant challenge. Inspiring the next generation, particularly those from non-Welsh speaking families, to embrace the language and to use it in all contexts is vitally important in achieving this target.

“Whether our children attend Welsh-medium schools or learn the Welsh language in an English-medium school, education is key to the success of this ambition. This is why the Welsh in Education Action Plan is so important and why it is a priority for the rest of this Assembly term.”

During her visit, the Minister watched rehearsals for the Christmas concert and spoke to pupils and teachers, many of whom come from non Welsh speaking families, about their experience of Welsh-medium education. She said:

“My visit today highlighted the excellent all round education provided through the medium of Welsh. 61% of the pupils come from non-Welsh speaking homes but at school, all are immersed in the language, culture and traditions of their nation and they will be able to carry that with them right through their lives and pass it on to their children.”

Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams said:

“Our national mission of education reform seeks to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that enjoys public confidence and is a source of national pride. The Welsh language is integral to those reforms and this action plan will ensure that it will be at the heart of the new curriculum, the professional development of the education workforce and the reform of how we support our learners with additional learning needs.”

Head teacher of Glantaf, Alun Davies said:

“We welcome the publication of the Welsh in Education Action Plan. As a Welsh-medium school whose motto is ‘Coron Gwlad Ei Mamiaith’ which translates to ‘A Country’s Crown is Her Mother Tongue’ we are of course committed to putting the Welsh language at the heart of school life. This action plan provides us and other schools with a framework and support to work towards ensuring all learners leave school confident to speak Welsh in everyday life”.

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The plan builds on the 2010 Welsh-medium Education Strategy and sets the direction for the development of Welsh-medium and Welsh language education over the next four years with the aim of ensuring that all young people, from all backgrounds, come out of the education system ready and proud to use the language in all contexts.

The plan’s five main objectives, to be delivered by 2021, are:

• to develop a new Welsh language curriculum that will inspire learners to learn and use the Welsh language;
• to increase opportunities for children and young people to use their Welsh in various contexts and embed their language use patterns from an early age;
• to support leaders and practitioners in Wales to continue to develop their Welsh language skills and have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum through the medium of Welsh and Welsh as a subject;
• to increase the number of learners in Welsh-medium settings;
• to ensure that all learners can have equal access to Welsh-medium education and experience the best opportunities to develop their language skills.

The Minister made the announcement at her former school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. When the Minister attended the school it was the only Welsh-medium secondary school serving Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. There are now three in Cardiff and one in the Vale.

Making the announcement, the Minister said:

“I was one of a handful of children from my estate in Cardiff who had my  education through the medium of Welsh and distinctly remember having stones thrown at our bus full of primary school children as they objected to having a Welsh language school in their neighbourhood. I am delighted that the attitude towards the language has changed fundamentally from when I was a child and that we now have the opportunity to build on this goodwill.

“Reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050 is a significant challenge. Inspiring the next generation, particularly those from non-Welsh speaking families, to embrace the language and to use it in all contexts is vitally important in achieving this target.

“Whether our children attend Welsh-medium schools or learn the Welsh language in an English-medium school, education is key to the success of this ambition. This is why the Welsh in Education Action Plan is so important and why it is a priority for the rest of this Assembly term.”

During her visit, the Minister watched rehearsals for the Christmas concert and spoke to pupils and teachers, many of whom come from non Welsh speaking families, about their experience of Welsh-medium education. She said:

“My visit today highlighted the excellent all round education provided through the medium of Welsh. 61% of the pupils come from non-Welsh speaking homes but at school, all are immersed in the language, culture and traditions of their nation and they will be able to carry that with them right through their lives and pass it on to their children.”

Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams said:

“Our national mission of education reform seeks to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that enjoys public confidence and is a source of national pride. The Welsh language is integral to those reforms and this action plan will ensure that it will be at the heart of the new curriculum, the professional development of the education workforce and the reform of how we support our learners with additional learning needs.”

Head teacher of Glantaf, Alun Davies said:

“We welcome the publication of the Welsh in Education Action Plan. As a Welsh-medium school whose motto is ‘Coron Gwlad Ei Mamiaith’ which translates to ‘A Country’s Crown is Her Mother Tongue’ we are of course committed to putting the Welsh language at the heart of school life. This action plan provides us and other schools with a framework and support to work towards ensuring all learners leave school confident to speak Welsh in everyday life”.

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That is the message from Economy Secretary Ken Skates as he publishes a Vision document for “Tech Valleys” – the planned Technology Park that he announced earlier this year. 

 

The Economy Secretary also announced that as part of the Tech Valleys project the Welsh Government has agreed to lease the former Techboard Building  in Rassau. 

 

Both TVR and the Welsh Government hope that the building will eventually  house the iconic car marker’s first manufacturing facility Wales. 

 

The Welsh Government will now work with the Dewan Foundation Trust, which owns the former Tech building, and  invest in a multi million pound  refurbishment  project in order to attract the key sector businesses the  project needs.

 

Over ten years Tech Valleys is expected to create at least 1500 jobs, predominantly within new technologies and advanced manufacturing. Ebbw Vale and Blaenau Gwent will sit at the heart of this. 

 

The Welsh Government expects Tech Valleys’ focus on creating higher quality jobs to provide the entrepreneurial spark to enable existing and new entrepreneurs to fulfil their business ambitions.  

 

Meanwhile its focus on developing advanced skills in the existing workforce and the next generation, will enable local people  to live and work within their communities whilst competing on the international stage.  

 

Economy Secretary, Ken Skates said: 

 

“We have allocated £100m to Tech Valleys over the next ten years with the aim of creating 1500 jobs. In reality the value of overall activity will be much higher as we work to leverage in other private and public sector investors. 

 

“And in line with our  new Economic Action Plan, Tech Valleys will have the principles of growth,  fair work and decarbonisation at its heart while seeking to spread the fruits of economic growth to areas that have not fared so well in recent years. 

 

“I expect projects at Tech Valleys to include innovative areas such as the development and testing of battery and motor technology, 5G activity,  and the infrastructure needed for automated and ultra low emission vehicles, and to include   a mix of short, medium and long term activities and targets.

 

“On that note  I am proud to announce that as part of Tech Valleys  the Welsh Government has agreed to lease  the  former Techboard Building  in Rassau, and we will now swiftly be investing in its  refurbishment  to ensure the project attracts the key sector businesses the  project needs to succeed. Indeed we  know this is a building that TVR would  like to use for its  planned manufacturing facility here. 

 

“Our vision document for Tech Valleys sets out  exciting and ambitious plans, and I have no doubt that these are dependant on national leadership and  effective partnership working. We will be building on the valuable  work already undertaken by Ebbw Vale Enterprise Board to progress these plans while also building on wider national and international expertise from Business, academia and the public sector. 

 

“Through a partnership approach and sustained clever working, I look forward to us making this ambitious but achievable vision a reality to benefit Ebbw Vale and stimulate growth across the heads of the valleys.” 

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