, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Shall I say something about in school, Jane, and you might want to say something about outside school?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Speaking to teachers when I visit schools, I think there's a range of views on this, isn't there? Sometimes it's perceived that, actually, trying to manage the presence or otherwise of phones is itself more disruptive, so I think there's a very fine set of…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Yes. Well, I think the Estyn report spells out the challenge quite clearly for us, doesn't it, really, about the relationship between incidents, either online or off school premises, and what that means for the life of the school. Jane was saying earlier that…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
I just wanted to flag, in this space, because I think that's a very interesting question you've just put there, because, in some ways, we've had to look very creatively at new ways of doing things, but I think, also, there are easier solutions that can be…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
I think it's a good idea and I think it's the kind of thing we'd want to look at as part of that broader communications strategy, if you like, which we look at through the multi-agency action plan. So, I'm really keen to hear what the committee has to say in…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Well, I think it's really, really important that teaching children and young people how to safely challenge all forms of abuse is essential, and teachers and the teaching workforce want to do the right thing, as I think the evidence that you've heard suggests…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
I'll just say something on that aspect first, if I may. Just to say, this is an area that is very important to me personally, because having grown up as a gay young person, I have first-hand experience of what it's like to be at the receiving end of…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
In terms of the trans guidelines, would you like me to answer that, and then, Jane, perhaps you would like to come in?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Well, I am confident that better reporting and better data capture will improve our understanding of the scale over a period of time. You mentioned Estyn's specific recommendation on that. So, it's clear from that work, but also from the work that has been…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Well, the simple answer to that is 'yes, I do', and I do think it has that effect. So, it goes back to the point I was making earlier, really—it's a cycle that is mutually reinforcing, isn't it, that people aren't reporting and therefore teachers aren't…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Yes, I do think there's a difference, Chair, in the level of specificity, if you like, or the level of common understanding, if I can put it like that, around the definition of bullying. I think it's less well developed, perhaps, in the context of sexual…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
So, I think, as I said at the start, the Estyn report provides very, very valuable information for us, and the Everyone's Invited website, of course, provided some very disturbing testimony from a number of schools in Wales. But I think that the whole…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Shall I start there?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners—evidence session 13
Thanks, Chair. In terms of my level of concern, I was concerned when I commissioned the Estyn report, and I'm still concerned having read the report, as we all are. Any form of sexual harassment is completely unacceptable and we should not tolerate it, and so…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: School Attendance
I thank Jayne Bryant for those remarks and those questions. When I made my statement, I want to be clear about what we are doing: we have never at any point, in fact, changed the law in relation to fixed-penalty notices. She may remember that we decided not…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: School Attendance
I thank Heledd Fychan for those questions. There is nothing in the statement that I made that suggests that the important issues that she raised in her comments should be ignored. It is, of course, important that we tailor the way that we respond to these…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: School Attendance
I thank Laura Anne Jones for her questions and I think she makes some very, very important points in her contribution, if I may say. I think it is right, as she says, that this is a set of challenges where moving from a pandemic to an endemic state in terms…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: School Attendance
Our emphasis on community focused schools will play a key role in responding to this challenge. Family engagement officers are vital in ensuring that positive partnerships are created and that bespoke support is offered. Schools that know their families well…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: School Attendance
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. We are all familiar with the challenges the pandemic has presented to our education community. One of which has been the increase in learner absence, across all year groups and across all characteristics of learners. We know there…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Jenny Rathbone made an important series of points in relation to the impact on the non-maintained sector. The report talks about the financial fragility of a number of settings. She will know that we committed £8 million between March 2020 and 2021 through…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
The work that local authorities in parts of Wales are doing to reimmerse some of our learners who've had the experience of losing some of their Welsh during this past period is important, and I'd also like to thank partners, such as RhAG and others, who have…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
We will be supporting the Plaid amendment, which Heledd Fychan spoke about. It reflects our focus and priority as a Government, and the efforts, indeed, of the entire education workforce. She made some important points in relation to the costs of the school…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you to all Members who have contributed to this debate. Although what is noted in the Estyn report shows that we have a great deal to be proud of in our education system, the report, of course, also sheds light on some of the…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
I know that many schools have already made good progress in implementing this framework and putting in place strategies to support children and young people through an inclusive whole-school approach to their health and well-being. To support schools further…
, Plenary
Debate: Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Thank you, Llywydd, and may I begin this debate by thanking Claire Morgan, the interim chief inspector of education and training in Wales at the time, for her annual report? This independent report is an important record of the way in which schools and…
