, 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…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay. Well, I think it's important to say that, when the legislation was going through, one of the key selling points was that it was going to reduce disputes. I'm not convinced that that has happened, and I don't think that's for want of trying. I don't…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
—to a much more broad interpretation of neurodiversity, which I think is really the right place to be, and is very much supported by practitioners. I think we have to be careful about what we're asking schools to do. They're not clinicians. There is a limit…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, as you say, we had a very strong focus on autism, but Government policy has shifted now, I think—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
We think that's a really important question, because all behaviour with children is communication, isn't it? I do recognise that. One of the things I am looking to put in place is more consistent professional learning around children who are neurodiverse…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Obviously, they're under huge pressures of their own. This is about bringing two really challenged systems together.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
—that I don't think we should get into the space, though, where we blame health for that?
