28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Excellent. Thank you.
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Can I ask, therefore, because, clearly, you will have seen, in terms of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, where schools have had to turn back to hybrid learning—? I'm thinking of that school in Holyhead, but it could be for any number of reasons in the…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Certainly.
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Okay, thank you. If I could then move on, in terms of the personalised data assessments published in November showing a decline in pupils' reading skills between 2020-21 and 2022-23, particularly in Welsh, in which pupils were 11 months behind previous…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I understand that it's an objective or an aim, but the reduction is still happening. So, are you having discussions on encouraging the WJEC to look at how the A-level is taught, or the content of the syllabus, because that's one of the concerns that's also…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
If I could just ask you: in 2019, your predecessor set a target of 1,000 people studying Welsh at A-level, thinking that this would be very important in terms of the target of a million Welsh speakers. Now, there were a number of variations related to that…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Okay.
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
And I think it's consistency that we need to achieve.
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Certainly, although I think Estyn did emphasise the excellent examples in some English-medium schools—
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
—on standards in relation to the Welsh language, Estyn were with us last week and we were scrutinising their annual report, and you will be fully aware that one of the issues raised in that report was an inconsistent picture in terms of the progress that…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you. I'll move on to the questions I'm supposed to ask now. [Laughter.] If I could focus—
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Excellent, thank you. Can I also ask in terms of tracking pupils on their educational journey? Because another thing with Seren is that there is a greater emphasis on going to universities outwith Wales, and obviously we want everyone to go to the best…
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
—so I'd be very interested in that.
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you. That would be very useful because we do need to be driven by the data and I think that anecdotal experience wouldn't be the basis for policy—
28 February 2024 , Children, Young People, and Education Committee
General scrutiny of the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you very much. If I could pick up on something you referred to earlier in terms of the Seren academy programme? Clearly, there are excellent examples from the Seren programme, but also, at the other end of things, obviously, not everyone can be a star…
28 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Thank you, Minister. A report was published recently by the Bevan Foundation that set out some of the grave challenges facing people living in Wales who don't have recourse to public funds. Many students and families in my own area are in this position, and…
28 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip about ensuring sufficient funding for local authorities to develop local no recourse to public funds pathways? OQ60751
27 February 2024 , Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Trefnydd, you'll be aware that there have been protestors outside of the Senedd today from our cultural institutions, obviously opposing the cuts that are being proposed. One of the things that they have highlighted, of course, has been the risks to the…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Short Debate: The importance of Wales's voice in the campaign for peace—Celebrating the hundredth anniversary of presenting the peace petition by the Women of Wales to President Coolidge and Wales's role in speaking up for peace today
Thank you, Sioned, for bringing this forward. It is so very important that we do thank everyone who's been involved with this project. But also it reminds us how important our national collections are, and the skills that we have within the national library…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales-specific COVID inquiry
I don't think we're arguing against participation in the UK inquiry in any way; of course we should be. What we're arguing for is parity. Why do you think Scotland are doing this? Is it pointless that they're doing it? Do you think that they're wasting their…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales-specific COVID inquiry
Of course, there needs to be a UK-wide COVID inquiry. And, of course, Wales needs to participate. But, as we've consistently said in support of the COVID bereaved families, there is also a need for a Wales-specific COVID inquiry, just as is taking place in…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you, Minister. As you can imagine, I'm sure, there is huge excitement in the area that the Eisteddfod is coming, and I hope that everyone here will come to Pontypridd in August of this year. There hasn't been a National Eisteddfod in the area for…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
6. How is the Welsh Government working with the National Eisteddfod of Wales and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to ensure a legacy for the Welsh language in light of the Eisteddfod visiting the area this year? OQ60683
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you, Minister. I'm sure you understand that I only have a minute to ask you a question, so trying to get all of the data in that minute is very difficult. But, one other element of the data also shows that the number of male applicants fell by 2 per…
21 February 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you, Llywydd. Last week, UCAS published its latest data, which show a reduction in the number of applications from people in Wales for places at university. Wales also has the lowest application rate of any country in the UK. Not only that, the data…
