Success in training

Our Education Officers are qualified teachers who have spent several years developing in-service training materials for CEWC-Cymru. The courses can be tailored to colleagues’ needs, and we are happy to arrange pre-course meetings or taster sessions where appropriate.

We have provided training for individual schools, local school clusters, and education authorities including Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff, Conwy, Newport and Powys.

Teachers who participate in our training sessions are always asked to evaluate their experience. The following examples of feedback were received at a recent critical thinking course with Blaenau Gwent primary school headteachers:

100% of participants agreed strongly that:
- “Today’s course has enhanced your knowledge of thinking skills and how they relate to PSE/citizenship education.”
- “The course has increased your interest in thinking skills and the Philosophy for Children method in particular.”

Which part(s) of the day did you find the most useful, and why?
- “The entire day was a great help to understand and help deliver citizenship and philosophy for children. The use of resources in classes was extremely helpful.”
- “I found the whole day useful and could see it fitting not only into the PSE framework but further enhancing the ethos of the school.”

How could this sort of training session be improved?
Of 13 teachers, 11 left this blank. The other 2 commented that they would have liked the course to be longer.

School council training 

The following comments are typical of the overwhelmingly positive feedback received for our joint staff-student school council training sessions:

“I loved the morning – really helpful in expressing my views and opinions, also giving me ideas of what to put forward in the next school council meeting.”

“It was interesting. Now I’m more confident with others. Missing two lessons was worth it!”

“The activities we did this morning were interesting and were useful. It was a good idea to mix the years. Interesting to hear younger pupils’ views.”

“I learnt new stuff and it was cool. I think other schools will learn a lot as well.  Well done – you taught me to be a better person as well as a better school councillor.”