Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I am pleased today to publish the Government’s action plan for education in Wales: our national mission. The global experts on education performance, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, recognised earlier this year that Government and the sector are working closely together with a commitment to improvement ‘visible at all levels of the...
Kirsty Williams: We are building on strong foundations set out in previous plans and programmes. But we can be even better, setting high expectations of our young people and teachers. We are clear about the way forward. Since the OECD’s report, I have reflected on its recommendations. I have spoken to hundreds within the education workforce and listened to the challenge and advice from the scrutiny...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Andrew, for the comprehensive list of questions. The strategy that was announced by the First Minister is the overarching plan for the Government. This document that is launched today adds the meat on the bones that you were asking for just last week, about how the ambitions that are in ‘Prosperity for All’ will actually be delivered. And I make no bones about it:...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Llyr, for that set of questions. Could I say that what we have got in the document, I believe, is a very clear set of actions associated with whom we expect to deliver them, whether that be central Government, whether that be tier 2 of our system, the regional consortia, the LEAs and other partners such as Estyn and the Education Workforce Council and schools themselves? And those...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Lynne. The whole purpose of the document is to respond to the OECD’s criticism about a previous lack of communication from the centre, and we have to listen to that and hold ourselves accountable for clarity around that communication and a coherence about all the strands of reform that are going on at the moment. There’s lots of reform, and sometimes people ask the question,...
Kirsty Williams: Can I thank Michelle for her questions? Key to the first set of questions is the issue around professional learning and, as I’ve outlined to previous speakers, there is a comprehensive timeline associated with what we expect to deliver for a national professional learning model, as well as improved initial teacher education. The new teaching and leadership standards are an important part of...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Jenny, for that. I am aware that my predecessor, Huw Lewis, met with campaigners on this particular issue and statements were issued at that time. I am also aware that my colleague Rebecca Evans is actively pursuing this case and we’ll be working across Government to look at evidence and to look at ways forward.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Hefin. Can I assure you that the teaching standards were developed by the professionals for the professionals, and, indeed, they also trialled in schools before they were formally adopted? It is a source of concern to me that the professional learning passport has not been as well used as I would like it to. I think it has real potential, and we need to reflect on how we...
Kirsty Williams: Well, I’m sorry to hear that. In Wales, we’ve traditionally used teaching assistants to a great deal of effect. It’s really interesting, when I visit other countries, like Finland, and, most recently, southern Irish schools, that teaching assistants do not play a part in the education system at all, or to a very, very, very, very small degree. Usually, the only adult in the room is the...
Kirsty Williams: Could I say I’m absolutely not complacent at all? Is the attainment gap closing fast enough? No, it’s not. I’m particularly concerned about the fact that our children on free school meals continue not to reach the same attainment levels as their richer counterparts. But I’m also equally concerned about how few children in some local authorities who are on school action plus reach the...
Kirsty Williams: I’m really sorry, Deputy Presiding Officer, I’m not sure whether I got all of that. But what I will say is: Huw, you’re absolutely right. If we’re to have an equitable education system we need to ensure that children have equal chances, whether they are in English-medium, Welsh-medium, or bilingual provision. And, that’s, again, one of the reasons to make a decision about slowing...
Kirsty Williams: The summer data published by the Joint Council for Qualifications is by age rather than year group. Provisional data sets will be published later this week providing greater granularity. Current figures for full-course GCSEs show 47,821 entries by 15-year-olds or younger, from a total of 298,370 across all subjects.
Kirsty Williams: Every part of Wales will have a contribution to make in achieving the vision for a million Welsh speakers by 2050, whether they are areas where Welsh is traditionally strong or those with the potential for the language to grow.
Kirsty Williams: Life-saving skills are an important part of education in Wales and I am pleased that over 99 per cent of maintained schools are participating in the Welsh network of healthy school schemes. Safety is one of the scheme’s seven topics and requires curriculum schemes of work to cover first aid.
Kirsty Williams: Universities across the UK value the Welsh Baccalaureate—Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate. It is an internationally recognised and benchmarked qualification, and I expect universities to accept it as part of entry requirements or an alternative offer within universities.
Kirsty Williams: Food and Fun seeks to enrich the school holiday experience of children in schools reporting high rates of free school meal eligibility. 2017 saw 39 schools provide approximately 1,500 children with two free meals a day over 12 days. They benefited from food education, physical activity and other sessions.
Kirsty Williams: Education in Wales sets out how we intend to measure success. This will include new assessment and accountability arrangements and an annual report card. It is about holding the whole system to account, including the Welsh Government.
Kirsty Williams: Aberystwyth University is developing in the field of veterinary science, supporting their ambition of becoming a centre of veterinary expertise. They have secured European funding via the Welsh Government. It is for them, and other universities in Wales, to consider any future developments in veterinary education.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Rhun. The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport issued a statement in July about medical education and training in north Wales, which recognised the need for increased medical education in the area. Our ambition is to achieve this through a collaborative approach based upon Cardiff, Swansea and Bangor universities working more closely together.
Kirsty Williams: Like you, Rhun, I am pleased that we’ve been able to agree funding of £7 million in next year’s budget to support our plans for the development of undergraduate medical education in north Wales. The health Secretary gave a commitment to update Assembly Members in the autumn, and that remains the position, but I can tell you that officials are working with the three institutions to...
