The Welsh Government has released the full list of secondary schools rolling out the new curriculum for Wales next term and some of the highest-performing and best-known institutions are not on it. More than half of secondaries have taken the option of delaying the start to the biggest education reform for decades although they will continue preparing.
Three of Wales’ 22 local education authorities don’t have a single secondary rolling out the new curriculum in September. Whitchurch High in Cardiff and Olchfa High in Swansea are among those waiting until September 2023 to introduce the changes for all year sevens.
Covid disruption has affected preparation for the massive change to what is taught and how. Many teachers reported they are not ready and last month it emerged that less than half of secondaries would start the new curriculum changes next term.
Education minister Jeremy Miles announced last summer that secondary schools could wait until September 2023 but all primaries and nurseries must start teaching under the new arrangements next term. This is what teachers in Wales make of the controversial changes set to completely change how and what pupils learn
Multiple reports, including some commissioned by the Welsh Government, have shown the profession broadly backs the changes but many schools and teachers feel they were not adequately prepared. Unions have warned that schools have enough to deal with in the fallout from pandemic disruption, the first exams for three years, and a youth mental health crisis. They have called for a halt to other education reforms.
The full list of secondary schools rolling out the new curriculum next term
Blaenau Gwent
Brynmawr Foundation School
Pen-y-Cwm Special School
Tredegar Comprehensive
Bridgend
Brynteg School Coleg Cymunedol y Dderwen
Cynffig Comprehensive
Heronsbridge School
Maesteg School
Pencoed Comprehensive
Ysgol Bryn Castell
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd
Caerphilly
Bedwas High School
Glanynant Learning Centre
Idris Davies School 3 -18 School
Lewis Girls’ School
Lewis School Pengam
Newbridge School
Risca Community Comprehensive
St Cenydd Community School
Trinity Fields School and Resource Centre
Heolddu Comprehensive
Cardiff
Cardiff High
Cathays High
Eastern High
Fitzalan High
Greenhill Special School
Llanishen High
Radyr Comprehensive
St Illtyd’s Catholic High
Bishop of Llandaff Church in
Wales High
Willows High
Ysgol Plasmawr
Carmarthenshire
Ysgol Bro Myrddin
Bryngwyn School
Glan-y-Môr School
Ysgol Gyfun y Strade
Ceredigion
Ysgol Henry Richard
Conwy
Conwy Education Centre
Dyffryn Conwy School
Eirias High
John Bright School
Ysgol Aberconwy
Denbigshire
Ysgol Uwchradd Glan Clwyd
Gwynedd
Brynrefail School
Godre’r Berwyn School
Moelwyn School
Ysgol Bro Idris
Ysgol Eifionydd
Ysgol Friars
Merthyr Tydfil
Afon Taf High
Bishop Hedley Catholic High
Cyfarthfa High
Monmouthshire
Caldicot School
Chepstow School
King Henry VIII School
Monmouth Comprehensive
Neath Port Talbot
Cefn Saeson Comprehensive
Newport
Bassaleg School
Caerleon Comprehensive
Lliswerry High
Maes Ebbw School
Newport High 6804025
St Joseph’s RC High
St Julian’s Secondary School
The John Frost School
Ysgol Bryn Derw
Ysgol Gwent Is Coed
Pembrokeshire
Ysgol Bro Preseli
Ysgol Caer Elen
Powys
Crickhowell High
Llanidloes High
Maesydderwen School
Penmaes School
Ysgol Bro Hyddgen
Ysgol Llanfyllin
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
Maesgwyn Special School
Park Lane Special School
Pontypridd High
Tonyrefail Community School
Ty Gwyn Education Centre
Y Pant School
Ysgol Garth Olwg
Ysgol Rhydywaun
Ysgol Hen Felin
Ysgol Llanhari
Swansea
Bishop Gore School
Bishop Vaughan Catholic School
Bishopston Comprehensive
Dylan Thomas Community School
Morriston Comprehensive
Pontarddulais Comprehensive
Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe
Ysgol Pen y Bryn
Vale of Glamorgan
Llantwit Major School
St Richard Gwyn Catholic High
Stanwell School
Torfaen
Abersychan School
Croesyceiliog School
Crownbridge Special School
Torfaen Pupil Referral Unit
West Monmouth School
The councils with no secondary schools on the list of those starting the new curriculum next term:
Anglesey
Flintshire
Wrexham
Flintshire Chief Education Officer Claire Homard, said it had been left up to individual schools to decide whether they were ready but all in her local education authority had chosen to delay.
"The decision whether to begin the new curriculum for secondary schools in September 2022 or September 2023 was for individual schools to decide, based on their own assessment of their readiness.
"Their decisions will have been influenced by the challenges they have faced over the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and their desire to ensure that their curriculum plans were ready and robust, and staff fully prepared so that learners experience the best transition into the new curriculum model.
"All Flintshire secondary schools are engaging positively in professional learning opportunities provided by the regional school improvement service, GwE and are working closely with their cluster primary schools to be ready for a smooth roll out in September 2023.
A spokesman for the largest local education authority in Wales, Cardiff Council - where some high schools are rolling out the changes next term and others not - said: “The pandemic has had and continues to have an impact on schools and education and in some cases this has impeded on the preparations required to deliver the new curriculum for this year. In many schools, the significant workload associated with the teacher-assessed grades process and catch-up provision for pupils in Years 11 and 13 has meant that the focus of teachers has temporarily moved away from work related to developing the curriculum. In other cases schools have taken the decision to take some extra time to make sure that they are fully prepared to deliver the new curriculum with full support from the council.”
