, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
If I may, just on that, Chair, clearly, the overwhelming majority of children are in schools and they're entitled to our reforms. And so I think it's a question of making sure that we continue with our reform agenda. However, just to reiterate the point I…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
It's a really high priority for us. We are bringing in a range of reforms into place in schools and across our education system. Of course, we passed the Bill yesterday at Stage 4, so there's a whole set of other reforms coming as a consequence of that, and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
It's an issue across Wales. It's definitely a pattern that exists elsewhere as well, and if you look at the headline date, the description that you've given of the gap is a fair reflection. In the work that I've been doing, the statement I gave in March, and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Actually, we do a lot of recrunching of the data in response to queries that we get as a Government. Officials are in a pretty constant process, I think, of re-evaluating and analysing data, and so if you're getting requests from other witnesses to do that in…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
On the suggestion, if there is evidence of that, I'd be interested in seeing it, but it's perhaps speculative otherwise. But I'd be very interested in seeing evidence of that if you're receiving that evidence from other witnesses. I think that, for pupils who…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
It's extremely high, Ken, on the list of our priorities, and Lynne Neagle and I—. My next meeting, in fact, after this committee appearance is with Lynne to discuss some of our shared priorities for the joint forum that we chair with partners across the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Well, I think ,on the additional activities, we're obviously evaluating those at the moment and listening to the voices of learners and parents. Anecdotally, it's been, actually, immensely popular amongst learners and parents. I haven't yet persuaded all my…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Well, I think you've heard evidence from others about how important it is to start the analysis from the experience of the learner in this, and so there'll obviously be a range of reasons why individual learners are feeling reluctant to come to school, and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Just to say as a caveat at the start, I don't think we should, and I know we are not making an assumption that—. Disadvantaged learners have a range of opportunities in school to follow the best course for them and there is a range of pupils who will be drawn…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Well, I think the broader context of this is that we are probably all, certainly speaking personally—. I'm sure that many of us will have felt a little bit of a sense of dislocation and being out of kilter at least at some points over the last two years, and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Well, I think—. I saw the evidence of some other witnesses who I think were talking about this perhaps in an anecdotal way, if you like. We don't have the data for it, but it may the case that it is long COVID. If you look at the absence data for the last…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Sure, yes. I'm not sure I've seen hard evidence that makes the direct link between pressure for counselling services and absence, but I'm certain that, in the way that I've just responded in the first question, there's a link between absence and broader…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
We can follow up on that, if that's okay, Chair?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
I'm not sure I have the detail on that, Ken. I don't know if, Sian, you can help with that?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Pupil absence—evidence session 7
Well, I certainly agree, and I've read the evidence and it chimes very much with work that we've been doing in the Government that mental health issues can be a significant contributor to pupil absence, but I think that's the whole range of mental health and…
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
May I just say, in conclusion, Llywydd, 'thank you' to Sioned Williams and Laura Anne Jones for their co-operation as the Bill travelled through the Senedd? It's been good to work with them on a number of constructive amendments, and also to have agreement…
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
Well, the Member will recall the assurance I gave to the Chamber at Stage 3. The Bill, as he knows, includes provision for institutional autonomy, and I gave the commitment then, which I'm happy to repeat, that those powers could only ever be used in…
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
Certainly.
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
This Bill, for the first time in Welsh legislation, brings together responsibility for overseeing Wales's higher and further education, school sixth forms, apprenticeships and research and innovation in one place, and places the values and vision that we have…
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
Thank you to everyone who worked with us in the spirit of partnership to deliver this important Bill.
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
The Bill we have before us today has been strengthened as a result of stakeholder input, Senedd scrutiny and effective cross-party working. I hope Members will feel that it represents our common vision for the future of tertiary education. The recommendations…
, Plenary
Debate: Stage 4 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill
Thank you, Llywydd. I move the motion. I wish to start by thanking the Chairs and members of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and the Finance Committee, as well as other Members who have…
, Plenary
The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments) (Primary Legislation) Regulations 2022
Amendments include changes to the Education Act 1997 to ensure provision of careers education and information for all children of compulsory school age across schools and settings, including pupil referral units and further education institutions. Careers and…
, Plenary
The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments) (Primary Legislation) Regulations 2022
Thank you, Llywydd. I move the motion. The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021, passed by the Senedd in March of last year, provides for the establishment of a new legislative framework to support arrangements under the Curriculum for Wales. The…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Evaluating and Improving Education and Learning in Wales
Yes, I agree very much with Buffy Williams's point about the role, the essential role, that teaching assistants play in our schools today and, certainly, will play in fulfilling the potential of the new curriculum, as well the range of other reforms, by the…
