Welsh Liberal blogs

Student application data published today (Thursday, February 6) saw a 6% increase in the number of applications to higher education institutions in Wales - the largest increase among the four UK nations. The figures, published by UCAS for applications up to January 15, also show the proportion of applicants from the most deprived areas in Wales increase by 10% this year. The proportion of Welsh 18-year-olds applying for university reached a record high, with almost a third applying to higher education. The proportion of all applicants from Wales who applied to Welsh higher education providers rose to 76.3%, up from 75.5% last year. Kirsty Williams, the Minister for Education, has radically reformed the student finance system in Wales, with a fundamental shift towards supporting students with their day-to-day living costs. Wales is the only country in Europe which offers equivalent living costs support for undergraduate full-time, part-time and post-graduate st...

An American fighter plane which crashed during the Second World War has recently been scheduled by Cadw, making it the first legally designated military aircraft crash site protected for its historic and archaeological interest in the UK. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft crashed off the north Wales coast in September 1942 and is the best preserved military aircraft crash site in Wales. Buried around 2m below the sands it has been uncovered three times since it crashed - the first sighting being in the 1970s, in 2007 and most recently in 2014. The pilot at the time of the incident was Second Lt. Robert F. Elliott, 24, of Rich Square, North Carolina, who flew from Llanbedr on a gunnery practice mission and encountered difficulties - resulting in the crash-landing. The pilot walked away safely from the incident, but was reported missing in action a few months later.  Nephew of the pilot, Robert Elliott today lives in Kingsport, Tennessee and i...

Launched by the minister on a visit to Radyr Primary School, the anti-bullying guidance has been created to challenge bullying in schools. The guidance, aimed at governing bodies for maintained schools, local authorities, parents, carers and children and young people, has been launched ahead of Anti-Bullying Week which starts Monday, November 11. Education Minister Kirsty Williams said: We are committed to ensuring that all our learners feel safe, secure and are properly supported to achieve their full potential. We are determined to address bullying holistically and this is achieved by understanding and dealing with the root causes of unacceptable behaviour. We want our schools to be inclusive and engaging environments where priority is placed on well-being, so learners feel safe and are ready to learn. It is so important that children and young people are taught, both at home and in school, about building and maintaining respectful relationships and ...