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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED That the action log updates be noted.
RESOLVED That the Petition regarding the proposal to change the status of Ysgol Cilgerran be noted.
RESOLVED That all views expressed by the Committee, particularly in relation to Additional Learning Needs and Faith School transport, and the ongoing budgetary pressures, be incorporated into the School Transport Policy report which would be considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee later in the year, ahead of Cabinet consideration.
RESOLVED That the Outline Draft County Council Budget for 2026-27 and the Outline Draft Medium Term Financial Plan for 2026-27 to 2028-29, be noted.
RESOLVED That the Crimes Undertaken on School Grounds information be noted. [Councillor Joshua Beynon abstained from voting as he was not consistently present during consideration of the report.]
RESOLVED That a recommendation be made to Cabinet, for a recognised Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme (School Choice within a County Framework) to be supported and recommended to all Schools within the County, taking into consideration the financial implications which would be involved.
RESOLVED That the items outlined within the Forward Work Programme for 2026 be noted, with following amendments: (a) That a report in relation to Outdoor Learning be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would cover how schools utilise access to the outdoors and green spaces for learning opportunities and educational outcomes, with a specific focus on the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools initiative with joint evidence presented being by the Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Officers. It was noted that it had been three years since the matter was last scrutinised. (b) That a report in relation to Artificial intelligence (AI) within the Education Setting be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would identify how schools were managing the rise in AI and how it could be impacting on coursework, examinations and pupil-teacher relations, both positively and negatively. It was suggested that the report also includes information in relation to Exam Board regulations and Council AI policies.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bethan Price and Viv Stoddart.
There were no requests received.
Councillor Maureen Bowen declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item No. 10, Crimes Undertaken on School Grounds, by virtue of her partner being employed as a teacher at a Pembrokeshire School.
Moved by Councillor Rhys Jordan; Seconded by Councillor Alec Cormack The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2025 be approved as a correct record.
There were no public submissions or items of correspondence received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the action log updates be noted.
The Chair drew Members’ attention to the items contained within the action log, and welcomed the Director for Education to provide an update on the one outstanding action as follows: · Action 3 - Adoption of the lockdown policy within schools Update: The Directorate was still working through with Governor's Services the number of schools which have adopted the lockdown policy and assurance was given that this would be finalised this term and an update provided in relation to the final number at the next Committee meeting in March. Moved by Councillor Alec Cormack; Seconded by Councillor David Howlett The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the action log updates be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Petition regarding the proposal to change the status of Ysgol Cilgerran be noted.
Mr Gary Fieldhouse, Deputy Chair of Governors at Ysgol Cilgerran, on behalf of petition submitter Louise Williams, was welcomed to the meeting as the representative for the Petition highlighting strong opposition to the proposed change in status of Ysgol Cilgerran. We, the undersigned, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed change in status of Ysgol Cilgerran. The proposal by PCC's school modernisation working group is to discontinue Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to establish the school as a 3-11 Community school to allow greater opportunity for future federation options with other 3-11 community schools. Mr Gary Fieldhouse began his five minute allocation to speak to the petition by emphasising the school’s long?standing spiritual, historical and practical ties to the Church, noting that the site had remained Church?owned since 1845 and that the Church connection was integral to the school’s identity. Concern was expressed that the consultation placed disproportionate emphasis on potential future federation, which they believed offered no clear educational benefit and would undermine the current leadership model. The school’s strong financial position was highlighted, along with stable pupil numbers, and the positive impact of the full?time headteacher. It was argued that federation could weaken the current stability and reduce leadership presence on site. In summing up it was stated that removing voluntary controlled status would not be in the best interests of children and Mr Fieldhouse urged the Council to protect the school’s established character, strengths and community identity. Following Mr Fieldhouse’s address, the Chair invited the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education and Welsh Language to provide a response. The Cabinet Member noted that the proposal originated from the School Modernisation Working Group and had been approved by Council for consultation. It was stated that as the consultation only closed on 30 January 2026, he had not yet reviewed the responses and therefore welcomed the opportunity to hear the arguments being raised. It was confirmed that the Cabinet Member would be responsible for presenting the consultation outcome to Full Council and he reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the information was presented in a fair, balanced and fully informed manner, enabling Councillors to make an evidence?based decision. The Chair then opened the matter for debate, where the following points were raised: · Rev. John Cecil confirmed full support for the points raised by Mr Fieldhouse and provided clarification on the legal position regarding the school site. It was stated that the Diocese formally objected to the proposal to discontinue the voluntary controlled school and establish a new community primary school, citing an insurmountable legal barrier linked to land tenure. It was stated that if the voluntary controlled school was to close, the trust purpose would fail and the Diocese would have no legal right to grant a lease for a non?religious school, leaving any new community school without lawful occupation of the premises. In response, the Director for Education confirmed that the following the conversations with the Diocese, the Council’s legal term was looking at the matter and an update would be reported as part of the consultation response report. · Following a question raised by Councillor Alec Cormack querying how, in practice, would the removal of the VC status affect the school and the day-to-day education of the children, Mr Fieldhouse stated that the school’s voluntary controlled status ensured an open and regular relationship with the Church, supporting a positive ethos and sense of community. It was highlighted that while the current headteacher was fully supportive of this engagement, a future headteacher in a non?VC school would not be obliged to maintain the same level of involvement, potentially weakening the school’s ethos and connection with the Church. · In response to clarification sought by Councillor Jamie Adams, the Director for Education advised that the closest alternative church based schools wereYsgol Ger y Llan, Letterston (Welsh medium), 23 Miles, and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, St David’s (English medium).The Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager provided detail of the transport provision for children wishing to attend alternative Church based schools. · Councillor Jamie Adams expressed that closing schools would not always result in cost savings, due to the alternative arrangements which would be required to be made. In response, the Chair highlighted that decisions were not always made for financial reasons, but to improve the quality of education. Mr Fieldhouse exercised his right to reply to the debate and took the opportunity to thank Members for their questions. It was reiterated that the issue was not about cost?saving but about maintaining educational quality. It was noted that, as a voluntary controlled school, educational standards were scrutinised both by the Local Authority and the Church, which was felt strengthened provision for pupils. It was suggested that retaining the current status would avoid unnecessary financial pressures and protect the strong educational environment already in place, and the Council was urged to maintain the school’s existing arrangements. Moved by Councillor Rhys Jordan; Seconded by Councillor David Howlett The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Petition regarding the proposal to change the status of Ysgol Cilgerran be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That all views expressed by the Committee, particularly in relation to Additional Learning Needs and Faith School transport, and the ongoing budgetary pressures, be incorporated into the School Transport Policy report which would be considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee later in the year, ahead of Cabinet consideration.
The Committee considered a report by the Head of Transport and Environment regarding School Transport Costs. The Chair welcomed the Head of Transport and Environment and the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager to the meeting to partake in the discussion and answer any questions. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Residents' Services introduced the report and explained that the matter had been referred from the Policy and Pre?decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee following concerns about rising school transport costs. It was noted that the School Transport Policy was reviewed annually by Cabinet and that Member feedback on the data presented would be helpful given the significant recent cost increases. It was stated that while School Transport was funded through the education budget, transport was managed by the Integrated Transport Unit. It was reiterated that the Council remained fully aligned with the Wales Learner Travel Measure and was awaiting revised Welsh Government guidance. Key cost pressures were outlined which included inflation, driver recruitment challenges and the growth in Additional Learning Needs (ALN) transport, with current expenditure at around £9 million and some long?distance ALN routes costing approximately £31,000 per pupil per year. In summing up, the Cabinet Member invited Members’ views on what options should be considered, noting that opportunities to reduce costs without wider policy changes were limited. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education and Welsh Language noted that full information was not yet available, particularly pending the Welsh Government’s review of the Learner Travel Measure. Members were reminded that Cabinet had previously considered post?16 transport and had agreed to continue support at that time. It was advised that a comprehensive report would be required once updated guidance was issued, with input from both this Committee and the Policy and Pre?decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It was acknowledged that school transport costs had risen over several years due to policy requirements, compliance with the Measure, geographical factors, and increased ALN demand and it was emphasised that the directorate was working hard to manage the pressures but was constrained by existing policies and statutory obligations. The Committee debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Councillor David Howlett highlighted the provision of offering parents of learners needing to attend ALN school settings expenses for covering the transport arrangements themselves. It was suggested that an invest to save approach could be beneficial, with the expenses offer extended out to all parents of pupils already within those settings, to assist with cost savings. In response, the Director for Education reported that some progress had been made by working with parents who were able to transport their children through mileage payments, though this option varied by family and had not yet been developed into a wider invest?to?save approach. Challenges were highlighted relating to the County’s rural geography, limited safe walking routes, and rising ALN placements, which contributed to higher transport costs. Comparable increases were noted across other Welsh Authorities, including urban areas, due to the specialist vehicles, drivers and additional support required to transport learners safely. The Director suggested that further opportunities may exist to explore parental transport through the Inclusion Panel process and indicated that the transport policy may require tightening, as expectations had become overly individualised and required review. The Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager added that learners currently receiving ALN transport had often been the most complex cases, with significant needs and difficulties using existing transport arrangements. It was explained that the service now routinely asked, at the point of new ALN transport referrals, whether parents would consider receiving travel expenses instead, alongside exploring shared transport options. It was agreed that extending the approach to review existing ALN transport arrangements could be a useful exercise. · Councillor Alec Cormack queried the challenges highlighted in the report relating to tendering for school transport services, noting the high per?pupil costs for primary transport despite shorter distances, and sought further information on how increased home?to?school transport requirements might further worsen tendering difficulties. In response the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager acknowledged that tendering for school transport was a significant challenge, particularly due to limited capacity among larger operators and the lack of mid?day work. Members were advised that the Council currently mitigated this by combining elements of the public transport and school transport networks so buses can be used throughout the day and added that discussions were ongoing to ensure transport was integrated effectively and resources were maximised. · In response to a point raised by Councillor Alec Cormack regarding whether increasing the number of Learning Resource Centre (LRC) placements could reduce ALN transport costs, given the long distances some pupils currently travel, the Director for Education explained that while additional LRCs could potentially lower transport costs, this must be balanced against the significant capital and revenue costs involved in establishing and running such provisions. It was added that recent LRC expansions had relied on capital grants, but ongoing staffing and operational costs remained substantial. It was noted that the Authority was nearing the maximum feasible number of LRCs due to space requirements and specialist staffing needs. · Councillor Jamie Adams queried whether the Council regularly benchmark against other Authorities, both in terms of the percentage of pupils that require ALN, but also in terms of transport costs. In response, the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager confirmed that benchmarking with other Welsh Local Authorities was undertaken and, although disrupted during COVID, updated benchmarking data was collected at the start of the current academic year and would be included in the forthcoming report. · Following clarification sought by Councillor Maureen Bowen, the Director for Education advised that decisions on specialist placements for pupils with significant ALN were made by the Inclusion Panel, consisting of professionals such as educational psychologists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers, and headteachers. It was noted that many school requests for specialist placements were not approved, with pupils instead remaining in their mainstream school with appropriate support, reflecting the Authority’s commitment to inclusion and enabling children to attend their local or parent?preferred school wherever possible. The Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager added that some parents choose a school they feel better meets their child’s needs, but where this was not the catchment school and the placement was not determined by the Inclusion Panel, the Council did not provide transport. · Councillor David Holwett took the opportunity to express his frustration that for faith schools, the current school transport system was neither fair nor equitable, of which Rev. John Cecil concurred with the point. · Councillor Alec Cormack queried the extent of digital tools used to manage the large number of school transport routes and asked whether the service still relied on manual processes, as well as the status of proposed collaboration with Cardiff University on route optimisation. In response, the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager confirmed that the Authority intended to take up the Cardiff University collaboration and explained that the service currently used only free software and conducted much of the work manually, though past trials showed local knowledge produced efficient routes. It was noted that specialist software was costly but that reviewing available systems and better utilising existing in?house tools would be worthwhile, subject to resourcing. Moved by Councillor David Howlett; Seconded by Councillor Nick Neumann The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That all views expressed by the Committee, particularly in relation to Additional Learning Needs and Faith School transport, and the ongoing budgetary pressures, be incorporated into the School Transport Policy report which would be considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee later in the year, ahead of Cabinet consideration.
The meeting was paused at 11:10am for a break and resumed at 11:20am.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Outline Draft County Council Budget for 2026-27 and the Outline Draft Medium Term Financial Plan for 2026-27 to 2028-29, be noted.
The Committee considered a report by the Director of Resources regarding the Outline Draft County Council Budget 2026-27 and Outline Draft Medium Term Financial Plan for 2026-27 to 2028-29. The Chair welcomed the Head of Finance and Revenue Services and the Finance Manager to the meeting to partake in the discussion and answer any questions. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Corporate Finance and Efficiencies introduced the report and highlighted that the budget consultation had concluded and the results were included in the Cabinet papers for consideration ahead of Council on 20 February 2026. It was stated that public question and answer sessions and Trade Union consultations had taken place, with the Unions’ formal response to be circulated. It was noted that updated figures now showed a funding gap of £14.7m, higher than the £13.6m referenced in the scrutiny papers. Bringing the focus onto schools, it was explained that £1.8m had been added to rebase the current year’s budget to fully fund Additional Learning Need (ALN) pressures and for 2026–27, school budgets would rise by £5m to meet pay, inflation and ALN demands, though many schools continued to rely on rapidly declining balances, with 18 expected to be in deficit, recovery plans would therefore be required. The options for closing the budget gap were outlined and included 5% departmental savings and a possible 2% reduction in school budgets, alongside consideration of Council Tax increases, with a 1% rise generating around £0.98m. The Committee debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Councillor Alec Cormack sought clarification on the budget calculation process, asking at what stage the additional funding required to fully meet ALN costs was added, given that the Council typically starts by calculating the cost of maintaining existing services before applying any proposed percentage reductions, such as the suggested 2% cut. In response, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Corporate Finance and Efficiencies stated that the proposed 5% increase to school budgets for next year already included the additional funding required to meet ALN pressures. The Head of Finance and Revenue Services added that the proposed 2% reduction was calculated from the 2025–26 base budget and the budget for 2026–27 was then rebased by adding the £1.8m for ALN pressures, followed by a further £5m for pay, inflation and other increases. The final position therefore reflected the net effect of the 2% reduction alongside these additional uplifts. · Following points raised by Councillor David Howlett, the Head of Finance and Revenue Services clarified that, after applying the proposed adjustments, the overall net increase to school budgets would be 4.6%. It was explained that savings targets were set so services could be held accountable for delivering required reductions to balance the budget and funding was then allocated to individual schools through the formula. It was noted that as a result, schools with falling rolls would receive reduced allocations, while those with increasing rolls would receive more, with final figures issued at year?end. The Director for Education advised Members that there were currently 16,898 pupils on roll which had reduced from 2025-26 where there were just over 17,000. · In response to information sought by Councillor Alec Cormack the Finance Manager provided assurance that the Authority was actively supporting schools in deficit by working with each Governing Body, alongside education and Finance Officers, to identify budget?saving options that would enable a return to a balanced budget over the medium?term financial plan. It was stated that Schools were being prioritised according to risk. Councillor Cormack suggested that advice sharing with schools not requiring assistance at this time, to ensure that they have the knowledge to remain in a stable budget position could be beneficial. The Director for Education took on board the suggestion and advised that anonymised data could be provided on schools at risk of deficit and outlined the likely impacts. Moved by Councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall; Seconded by Councillor Alec Cormack The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Outline Draft County Council Budget for 2026-27 and the Outline Draft Medium Term Financial Plan for 2026-27 to 2028-29, be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Crimes Undertaken on School Grounds information be noted. [Councillor Joshua Beynon abstained from voting as he was not consistently present during consideration of the report.]
The Committee considered a report by the Chief Officer for Youth and Community Education regarding crimes undertaken on school grounds. The Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language introduced the report and explained that the report provided an overview of youth offending patterns linked to school sites. It was highlighted that while overall offending levels remained low, the data highlighted concerns around violence, disruptive behaviour and the relationship between exclusion and later offending. It was noted that the report also summarised the prevention work undertaken with schools and partner agencies. The Chair then invited the Chief Officer for Youth and Community Education to present in further detail. The Officer reported that schools handle most incidents on their sites, with only around 10% reaching the Youth Justice Service, mainly involving violence, substance misuse and some criminal damage. It was stated that data comparison was limited by reporting time?lags, though patterns remain clear and noted that very few offences occurred on abandoned school sites but confirmed that the service did not record adult offending. The work with the police was outlined to strengthen prevention, including a new Prevention, Intervention and Engagement model, improved data analysis to target hotspots, additional police?employed staff seconded to the Youth Justice team, expanded School Beat support and two new prevention posts planned. It was stated that previous school?based prevention work had been lost due to cuts, and the new structure aimed to restore that capacity. The Committee debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Councillor Alec Cormack observed that focusing solely on recorded crimes captured only a small number of the most serious incidents and suggested that analysing trends in temporary exclusions over time may provide a better indication of future offending risk. In response, the Director for Education stated that exclusion data was reported to the Committee annually and Pembrokeshire remained a significant outlier with very low exclusion rates. It was noted that there was not always a direct link between exclusions and crime, though some parallels may exist between longer or more serious exclusions and the most serious incidents, including permanent exclusions. · Councillor Alec Cormack made reference to the missed opportunities for the Youth Justice Team and substance misuse services to provide interventions that could help improve behaviour, support school engagement, and potentially prevent further offending, and asked whether there were any specific gaps or opportunities worth discussing that the Committee should consider addressing further. In response, the Chief Officer for Youth and Community Education suggested that the service needed to make access easier for schools, as current referrals from school staff were very limited. It was stated that there was scope to offer more voluntary, preventative interventions before behaviour escalated, but schools require clearer routes to request support. Members were advised that work was underway to create a simpler system, including a single point of contact for headteachers, so schools can more easily access specialist help. · Following a request made by Councillor Maureen Bowen for further information in relation to the prevention of youth crime, the Chief Officer for Youth and Community Education provided further information in relation to the the PIE (Prevention, Intervention, Engagement) project, which was stated to bring together various strands of preventative work, including seconded police officers, new prevention staff and analyst?led targeting, with similar staffing uplifts planned across all four counties. Recruitment for such posts, including an additional School Beat worker, was stated to be underway and the aims of the project were outlined. Moved by Councillor Alec Cormack; Seconded by Councillor David Howlett The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Crimes Undertaken on School Grounds information be noted. [Councillor Joshua Beynon abstained from voting as he was not consistently present during consideration of the report.]
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That a recommendation be made to Cabinet, for a recognised Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme (School Choice within a County Framework) to be supported and recommended to all Schools within the County, taking into consideration the financial implications which would be involved.
The Committee considered a report by the Director of Education/Head of Education Improvement regarding approaches to early reading in Pembrokeshire: evidence-based options for phonics provision. The Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language introduced the report and highlighted that it sets out the evidence base for strengthening early reading through systematic phonics and related literacy practices. It was stated that the information presented local performance data, compared national and international approaches, and outlined options for a County?wide framework to improve reading outcomes. It was highlighted that the report contained square?bracketed text regarding potential referral and indicated his view that it would be appropriate for him to take the report to Cabinet. The Chair then invited the Head of Education Improvement to the meeting who stated that Pembrokeshire needed to improve early reading, particularly for disadvantaged pupils who start behind and often remain behind. It was stated that strong research showed that systematic synthetic phonics taught consistently was the most effective approach, while the current mixed “balanced” methods dilute impact. Members were advised that three options were presented, which were outlined. It was noted that the recommended option was B, schools choosing from an approved list, which would balance evidence?based practice with flexibility. The Committee debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Councillor David Howlett made reference to a Welsh Government Expert Literacy Panel in which was set up in 2024 and sought further information. In response, the Head of Education Improvement stated that there had been no clear direction from Welsh Government, though stated that Estyn would begin a three?year review of reading from September 2026. Assurance was given that Pembrokeshire’s approach, however, was to act on the strong existing evidence rather than wait for national guidance. It was noted that the science of reading research was clear, so the Council was proceeding based on that evidence, rather than awaiting future recommendations. [Councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall left the meeting at this juncture.] · In response to Councillor David Howlett stating that input from education professionals would be helpful as to which option they would feel would be best to progress with, the Director for Education stated that officer view would be Option B was preferred as it provided schools with an approved framework while still allowing Governing Bodies to choose from evidence?based programmes. It was added that such approach would make monitoring and evaluating impact more manageable than if schools selected entirely independently. Members were advised that the specific programme mattered less than ensuring it was delivered with full fidelity. · Following further information being sought by Councillor Alec Cormack as to what benefits it would bring for all schools within a cluster to be using the same tool, the Head of Education Improvement stated that while it would be beneficial for schools within a cluster to use the same phonics programme this was difficult in practice as schools differ greatly in size, context and current practice. It was added that switching programmes also carried costs and delays while staff retrain and new resources are acquired. It was stated that most schools already use recognised programmes, but some lack up?to?date training or sufficient resources, and fidelity of delivery remained the key issue to address. · Councillor Alec Cormack queried at what cost to the Authority it would be to push the adoption of the preferred method as quickly as possible. In response, the Head of Education Improvement advised that estimating the cost was difficult, though previous funding for reading support enabled staff training and resources. It was stated that similar funding this year would help ensure all early?reading teachers receive up?to?date training and the necessary materials, with senior leaders ensuring consistent delivery. Members were advised that there would also be implications for the Council’s team in carrying out ongoing monitoring, and funding options would be explored. · The Director for Education confirmed that work was already underway, supported by funding from the Council’s Accelerated Change “Invest to Save” Programme and added that many schools were already engaging with Read Write Inc., and the initial project budget for this work was approximately £131,000. · Following discission on the options available, Members raised that there were very few things more important for children’s education than reading standards and the Committee stressed that it did not wish for such decisions to be delayed by bureaucracy or funding. It was recognised that schools can not be forced to implement any approach and education officers can only provide a professional opinion via the Governing Bodies. It was agreed that due to the monetary effect this may have, Cabinet endorsement would be beneficial and a request was made by the Committee for the matter to be expedited to Cabinet as soon as practically possible, to limit any delays to improvements being made within schools, which the Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language agreed would be the best approach. Moved by Councillor Rhys Jordan; Seconded by Councillor David Howlett The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Jamie Adams, Alec Cormack, David Howlett, Rhys Jordan, Elwyn Morse, Nick Neumann, Mel Phillips, Alun Wills and Nicola Moore, James Parkin and Rev John Cecil [11] Against the Motion: Councillors Joshua Beynon and Maureen Bowen [2] There were no abstentions. RESOLVED That a recommendation be made to Cabinet, for a recognised Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme (School Choice within a County Framework) to be supported and recommended to all Schools within the County, taking into consideration the financial implications which would be involved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the items outlined within the Forward Work Programme for 2026 be noted, with following amendments: (a) That a report in relation to Outdoor Learning be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would cover how schools utilise access to the outdoors and green spaces for learning opportunities and educational outcomes, with a specific focus on the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools initiative with joint evidence presented being by the Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Officers. It was noted that it had been three years since the matter was last scrutinised. (b) That a report in relation to Artificial intelligence (AI) within the Education Setting be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would identify how schools were managing the rise in AI and how it could be impacting on coursework, examinations and pupil-teacher relations, both positively and negatively. It was suggested that the report also includes information in relation to Exam Board regulations and Council AI policies.
The Chair drew the Committee’s attention to the work programme and sought the views of Members for suggestions of amendments to align priorities. Mr James Parkin requested that the Committee consider adding the following two matters to the work programme, of which support for the items was expressed by Members: · Outdoor Learning – to cover how schools utilise access to the outdoors and green spaces for learning opportunities and educational outcomes, with a specific focus on the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools initiative with joint evidence presented being by the Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Officers. It was noted that it had been three years since the matter was last scrutinised. · Artificial intelligence (AI) within the Education Setting – for the report to identify how schools were managing the rise in AI and how it could be impacting on coursework, examinations and pupil-teacher relations, both positively and negatively. It was suggested that the report also includes information in relation to Exam Board regulations and Council AI policies. Moved by Mr James Parkin; Seconded by Councillor Nick Neumann The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the items outlined within the Forward Work Programme for 2026 be noted, with following amendments: (a) That a report in relation to Outdoor Learning be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would cover how schools utilise access to the outdoors and green spaces for learning opportunities and educational outcomes, with a specific focus on the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools initiative with joint evidence presented being by the Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Officers. It was noted that it had been three years since the matter was last scrutinised. (b) That a report in relation to Artificial intelligence (AI) within the Education Setting be added for consideration at the September Committee meeting. It was agreed that the report would identify how schools were managing the rise in AI and how it could be impacting on coursework, examinations and pupil-teacher relations, both positively and negatively. It was suggested that the report also includes information in relation to Exam Board regulations and Council AI policies.
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