Welsh Water’s education programme reaches over 80,000 learners, marking a record-breaking year

Welsh Water has marked a ground-breaking year for its Education Programme, reaching over 80,000 learners between April 2022 and March 2023.

This achievement marks a significant increase in pupils receiving an education experience from a Welsh Water teacher, compared to the previous year, where 50,000 learners were reached. The education programme, which has grown since the launch of the strategy in 1998 has expanded its provision through school visits, class visits to their outdoor environmental education centre, and virtual sessions – providing widespread access to the valuable resources offered by the not-for-profit company.

The Education Team at Welsh Water has dedicated 1,055 hours to teaching pupils through 967 separate education sessions, employing an industry-unique approach of annually seconding teachers for a professional development opportunity with the company for one year. The programme has continued to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from schools, who have praised the efforts to broaden pupils’ experiences, knowledge, and skills. All sessions are aligned with the four purposes underpinning the National Curriculum for Wales and are offered free of charge, ensuring a valuable and accessible educational experience.

Caedraw Primary, said of their visit in January:

“Excellent visit; extremely well-organised and so interesting for the children who learned so much. Thank you to the deliverer for being a fabulous teacher for the day – very friendly, approachable and such a great way of delivering to the children.”

Malpas Court Primary, said of their visit in February:

“Pupils and adults thoroughly enjoyed both workshops. We are very excited to take all the information back to school and use it to inform the parents and the local community.”

This year’s programme has seen 2,697 participants visiting the Education Centre, 52,486 students participating in assemblies, 23,287 participating in workshops, and 1,760 learners joining live online sessions. The curriculum-led content offers pupils an engaging, practical, and interactive learning experience – covering topics such as the water cycle, the process of delivering water to their taps, water conservation techniques, and the essential 3Ps rule – ‘only pee, poo, and paper down the loo’.

Claire Roberts, Head of Community Engagement, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the impact our Education Programme has had this year. By reaching over 80,000 learners, we are not only educating the younger generation about the importance of water but also inspiring them to consider small changes they can make that can make a big difference. Our dedicated team of seconded teachers and the positive feedback from schools only fuel our passion to support schools further.”

Welsh Water’s commitment to educating the younger generation about the value of water has led to a long-standing reputation within schools across Wales and Hereford. Since the launch of it’s education strategy, the company has worked with more than 680,000 pupils. The education program continues to deliver to tens of thousands of pupils every year, ensuring that the next generation is well-equipped with the knowledge and skills required to protect our most precious resource.