Back
The Update: 24 December 2024
Here is your Tuesday update, covering:
- Moorland Primary School commended by Estyn
- New funding scheme to support grassroots music in Cardiff
- Conman sent to Prison for £175,000 Fraud
Moorland Primary School commended by Estyn
Moorland Primary School in Splott has received positive recognition from Estyn in its recent report which highlights the school's welcoming environment, strong support for pupils, and commitment to developing their skills across a broad curriculum.
Inspectors commended the school for fostering a friendly and inclusive community where pupils feel safe, valued, and supported. Staff provide excellent care and act as positive role models, contributing to exemplary pupil behaviour and a culture in which pupils can thrive.
Key strengths include:
- Strong progress made by most pupils in speaking, reading, and mathematics skills
- Teachers work collaboratively to create a purposeful and progressive curriculum
- Effective support for pupils' creative development through strong partnerships with performing arts organisations
- Positive learning experiences for younger pupils, particularly through opportunities to explore outdoor environments
- Strong provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN), ensuring good progress, including those in the specialist resource bases
- Effective engagement with parents and carers, supported by activities such as baby and toddler afternoons
Reflecting on the report, Headteacher Emma Laing said: "We are pleased that Estyn have celebrated the commitment or our dedicated, hard-working and nurturing staff team. They live up to our school motto of ‘making a difference' every day."
New funding scheme to support grassroots music in Cardiff
A new ‘pilot' scheme aiming to support grassroots music in Cardiff by encouraging promoters to take more risks and increase the supply of up-and-coming new artists playing in the city's independent venues has been announced by Cardiff Council.
The ALLBWN / OUTPUT scheme - which guarantees promoters who secure support through the scheme against financial losses on events costing up to £1,000 - will mean that if ticket sales for a gig do not reach the level required to cover costs such as venue hire, PA and band fees, the balance of these costs will be covered. Where events are successful, any allocated and unspent funds will then be used to support further gigs.
The scheme aims to address one of the key UK-wide issues raised recently by the music sector via Cardiff Music Board - the significant reduction in number of promoters working in Cardiff since the pandemic, and the impact that has on the overall health of the city's music ecosystem.
The announcement of the ALLBWN / OUTPUT pilot scheme follows the launch of Cardiff Council's new Grassroots Venues Fund offering the city's independent venues grants of up to £10,000 earlier in the year.
Charming Cardiff Conman sent to Prison for £175,000 Fraud
A ruthless fraudster from Cardiff who used his charm and persuasion to con four people out of £175,000 was sent to prison for over 5 years on Tuesday (December 17th) and given a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order.
William Hanson, 50, from Trowbridge Green, Cardiff was sentenced to five years and one month in prison for thirteen charges at Cardiff Crown Court on December 17th after pleading guilty to all the offences before the trial date was set.
Hanson, otherwise known as Willam Connors or Bill Austin, grossly over changed for work carried out on his victims' properties, exaggerating the severity of the work required and or carrying out work that simply was not needed. All the work carried out was to a very poor standard, which resulted in all the victims having to spend even more money to remedy the shoddy work he carried out.
The prosecution's case was that Hanson pressurised and persuaded his victims to have work carried out on their properties, gaining their trust and convincing them he was a competent builder. A 93-year-old victim, who sadly passed away before the sentencing, urged her son not to cancel her agreement with Mr Hanson, or to involve the police as he seemed to be a ‘very nice man' that would ‘do a good job and give her a fair price'.
