Ysgol Penmaes pupils quiz senior leaders in Council Chamber visit

16 December 2025

Learners from a special school in Brecon have quizzed Powys County Council's senior leaders about education as part of a visit to see where important decisions are made.

Ysgol Penmaes learners stepped into the councillors' chairs in the Council Chamber at County Hall on Wednesday, December 10, where they experienced using the electronic congress system, seeing themselves on the big screens and asking questions to senior leaders about education in Powys - just like a real council meeting.

The group met with Chair of Council, Cllr William Powell; Cllr James Gibson-Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys; Dr Richard Jones, Director of Education; and Judith Hickey, Head of Additional Learning Needs (ALN), Inclusion and Wellbeing.

The visit was designed to inspire the school's pupil leadership team and strengthen their understanding of local government, while giving them a voice in discussions about education.

"Meeting the pupils from Ysgol Penmaes was a real privilege. Their enthusiasm and thoughtful questions show how much they care about their education and their community," said Cllr James Gibson-Watt.

"Giving young people the chance to see how decisions are made helps build confidence and understanding of local democracy, and we were delighted to welcome them."

Dr Richard Jones added: "We were really impressed by the pupils' questions and ideas. Their voices matter, and visits like this help us listen and learn from their perspectives."

Headteacher Angharad Bryn-Jones said: "This was a fantastic opportunity for our pupil leadership team to see where important decisions about education happen.

"They were thrilled to sit in the councillors' chairs and take part in a question-and-answer session with the council's senior leaders. We are so proud of how they represented the school - they truly are amazing."