Welsh Water’s Education Team reach the highest number of pupils ever, engaging with over 93,000 pupils in one academic year

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has marked an exceptional year for their Education Programme, reaching a record 93,897 pupils – located across every corner of its’ customer area. 

This year’s achievements are particularly significant in the context of building social value, especially in areas of deprivation. The programme, offering free education resources to all, provides access to high-quality learning experiences for pupils.  It also enhances knowledge and understanding, in line with the National Curriculum for Wales, and fosters a sense of shared responsibility towards water.

With a unique approach to professional development for teachers, the not-for profit company has seconded over 80 teachers to the company to date, enriching the education landscape with industry-specific knowledge and creating a more dynamic, real-world learning environment for pupils. This is particularly significant within the National Curriculum for Wales, which focuses on the four core purposes – capable learners, enterprising contributors, informed citizens and confident individuals.

Claire Roberts, Head of Community Engagement at Welsh Water, highlighted the impact of the Programme: “Our success in reaching over 93,000 learners this year demonstrates the appetite and value of this support, which engages with future generations at the heart of each community. Through seconding teachers and offering hands-on, accessible education, we’re not only supporting in shaping our future generations, but also contributing to the social value of communities.”

Ysgol Tremeirchion, said of their visit: “The presentation by the teacher was fantastic. Everyone was focused and were keen to answer questions.  Thank you very much! The workshop was practical, yet educational. Every pupil was on task, even those that are sometimes difficult to inspire!”

By offering outdoor environmental education sessions, school outreach assemblies, classroom-based workshops, and live, online education sessions, the programme ensures that the benefits reach far and wide. During this academic year, approximately 60,000 pupils attended an assembly, 25,000 participated in workshops, and 4,000 engaged in outdoor environmental education. Whilst some of the 93,000 pupils involved will have participated in multiple sessions, and acknowledging that there are 219,000 pupils in full-time primary schools education in Wales, at least offers a sense of the scale and success of the delivery of this education programme. While Cardiff had the highest pupil participation in the programme this year, it is areas like Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly and Newport that have benefited most significantly relative to their pupil populations.

Of the 464 evaluation forms received from schools, 459 expressed high satisfaction with the support offered, reflecting the programme’s value in the education sector.

With 700,000 pupils reached since its launch in 1998, Welsh Water’s Education Strategy exemplifies a deep-rooted commitment to social responsibility and the nurturing of future generation’s knowledge and skills to protect our most precious resource.