, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Diolch, Heledd. Can I just, first of all, take the opportunity to place on record my heartfelt thanks to everyone working in our schools? I recognise we are asking a lot of schools at the moment. They're implementing major reforms at the same time as…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Thank you for that final question, and can I say that I do believe the First Minister has given all the information he was required to to the COVID inquiry? He's made absolutely clear he's very willing to continue answering questions from the COVID inquiry. I…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Well, I think this is a bit desperate, I've got to say that, Tom. And I am a little bit disappointed, really, that you haven't used your questions for something that is more directly related to education. This was four years ago. I was a backbencher and a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Thank you for that question. I am really concerned about the way a message, which was basically a chat after a group meeting, has been blown up into the thing that it has been blown up into. I do actually remember the group meeting. I was Chair of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Thank you very much, Paul. Can I just assure you that we do indeed recognise the unique value of outdoor learning and the benefit it brings for children and young people, including supporting the development of healthy and active lifestyles, developing…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
The benefits of outdoor learning are promoted through the Curriculum for Wales. We know it is a key enabler for children to explore, practise and enhance their skills whilst supporting their social, emotional, spiritual and physical development.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Thank you very much, Russell, I wasn’t aware of that situation in your constituency, so it’s very helpful to know that. I think I’m in the same place as my predecessor, really. Obviously, we want to make sure that the legislation is working for children and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Thank you very much, Delyth. Obviously, I recognise the challenges that lots of families are facing at the moment during the cost-of-living crisis. You’ll be aware that all local authorities have to provide free transport according to the Learner Travel…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Diolch, Delyth. The Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport and I are currently in discussions regarding his plans for learner travel in Wales.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Thank you. Thank you for having us.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Of course, yes.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Absolutely, and we've got a monitoring project that is looking at what data we need to develop. We've started publishing our personalised assessment reports. Obviously, we publish GCSE data. And you're absolutely right, the kids who went through the Programme…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Go and look at the legislation, Gareth, if you don't believe me. You will see that knowledge is in there. We are looking, as I said, as part of the additional scaffolding that we're looking to provide, to make sure that there is that consistent support for…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
—and it's certainly not helpful to try and suggest that I am saying anyone is lying. Luke Sibieta has done that work. I value his opinion. He's on my list to meet to talk about the IFS report, and I'm really keen to listen not just to all the stakeholders…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, it's not helpful to talk about people lying, is it, let's be fair, Gareth—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, I'm really keen that we have a really strong focus on literacy and numeracy. We have a numeracy action plan. We've got work in train on literacy as well. I'm really keen that that's a high priority in everything that we're doing, and as I said, there…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
I'm saying that I don't agree with them that knowledge is not key to the new curriculum, and I think that's pretty clear, really. I have read the report carefully. I'm particularly worried about the attainment gap between our most disadvantaged children in…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
No, it's not helpful, is it? Nobody's saying that.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Gareth, I think you know better than that, don't you?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, as I said in the debate that was tabled on this in the Chamber recently, I do take really seriously any reports like that. It is really important that we listen to what academics are saying, so I felt that the report raised serious issues. Attainment is…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay, thank you. Well, obviously, meeting children’s needs at the earliest possible time is incredibly important. We do have ALN early years lead officers in place. They are working to improve services for younger children. Again, I think we could do with…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, I don't think that means, though, that we're not going to anything in the meantime, because officials are already working with local authorities on an individual basis to get under the skin of what is happening. So, there's no suggestion that we're…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
We do have to identify what data we need. My initial observations are that I would like to have more data on children who are being declined for IDPs. I'd like to have more data on—. I'd like to see organisations confirming that they've given information to…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Right. Well, data is a very challenging area—I know that from health. It's important—. We want to have a work stream as part of this work around data, and we want to make sure, then, that we look at exactly what data we need. All data has to have a purpose. I…
