Kirsty Williams: Well, Angela, you're right; the MIM—the mutual investment model—does give us the opportunity as a Government, working alongside partners, to be able to lever in an additional £500 million-worth of resource into the programme, which allows us to complete even more refurbishment and new-build projects. That needs to be managed very carefully, and local authorities and FE colleges that are...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Joyce. We continue to provide financial and regulatory support to the sector through HEFCW, which, together with our student support reforms, will create a stronger, more sustainable HE sector across the nation.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Joyce. I spoke to the vice-chancellor of that institution last week and received a categorical assurance on the future of educational provision at the Lampeter campus from him.
Kirsty Williams: If I can give the Member a concrete example of how we're doing just that, and that is our degree apprenticeship programme. That degree apprenticeship programme sees individuals based in the company for the vast majority of their time but undertaking some part-time study. That's not the same as thinking that those students just do a normal degree on a part-time basis; the programme that has...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Mark. Welsh Government provides funding to local authorities, Careers Wales, and further education institutions to deliver services that support pupils with additional learning needs entering into post-16 education. Furthermore, our ambitious ALN reforms will deliver improved collaborative assessment, planning and monitoring of support provided to all learners with an ALN.
Kirsty Williams: No, it's not at all a blanket 'no'. We would expect the majority of placements to last for two years, however, all these placements come to me, as Minister, for sign-off and I know that I have signed off, for this financial year, a number of three-year placements, because that three-year placement has been designated and decided is the most appropriate length of study for an individual...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you for the opportunity to discuss the committee's report on the status of the Welsh baccalaureate. I was pleased that the evidence gathered by the committee showed clear merit in young people studying the Welsh bac. I was glad as the Minister for Education in Wales, and, like Lynne, I'm glad as a parent who has two children currently...
Kirsty Williams: As I often say in this Chamber, universities are autonomous institutions, and that is a matter for them, and not a matter for me. But, as I said, the Welsh bac gives students a competitive advantage in being able to clearly demonstrate these skills, and I know that this point will be reinforced at the joint Seren-Oxford event that will be held at the Norwegian church this evening. Now, just...
Kirsty Williams: What's really important, Deputy Presiding Officer, is to recognise the group is a group of the independent organisation that is Qualifications Wales, and the Member will be more than aware that Qualifications Wales will will start its national conversation with regard to the impact of the new curriculum on qualifications in September. Can I take this opportunity to thank members of the...
Kirsty Williams: Our national mission for Wales sets out how education in Wales is moving forward to secure the effective implementation of the new curriculum. The continuing education reforms ensure all learners have access to a high standard of education.
Kirsty Williams: I introduced pupil development grant—access in 2018-19 to provide additional support directly to families, helping those who need it most to meet some of the costs associated with the school day. In 2019-20, we have more than doubled the funding for this support to £5.145 million.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome very much the opportunity to respond to this motion and to clarify the need for these regulatory amendments. I appreciate that the progress of education reform in Wales, as set out in our national mission, is moving at pace, and I always welcome scrutiny at every stage. Over the past year, I have made no fewer than five oral or written...
Kirsty Williams: What we will have instead, from this summer, is a points-based score system, where every child's achievements—every child, from the highest achievers to those for whom actually getting a D is a massive achievement for them—will be counted. And we will still have headline measures for counting English, maths, as well as science. We're not getting rid of accountability. We're moving to a...
Kirsty Williams: It pretty much sounds like a market to me, Deputy Presiding Officer, and that’s fine. The Member is perfectly entitled to have those values underpinning his approach to education policy. That’s absolutely fine. The reality of living in our country, Mark—the reality of living in this country—is that, actually, children don’t have the ability to move around—[Interruption.] The...
Kirsty Williams: Since the 'One language for all' report in 2013, Estyn published a report on Welsh in key stages 2 and 3 in 2018, and two further reviews will be undertaken during 2019-20, looking at language acquisition in primary schools, and the teaching and learning of Welsh at A-level.
Kirsty Williams: With regard to Welsh second language GCSE results, I'm sure the Member is aware that, this year, we saw the removal of the short course GCSE, and that undoubtedly has had an impact on attainment this year. But the percentages that she has quoted are misleading, due to an increase of a third in the number of learners entered for a full course exam. Many learners would have previously accessed...
Kirsty Williams: Well, it's important to recognise that we have increased investment to support the development in the Welsh in education workforce to a record amount of £5 million in this financial year. So, in 2017, we spent £4.2 million, then £4.8 million, and, as I said, this year that's risen to £5 million. This allows us to provide continuous development of practitioners' Welsh language and teaching...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Nick. I place great value on vocational qualifications being available for 14 to 16-year-olds. The Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009 requires all learners to be offered a minimum of three vocational courses at key stage 4 in the local curricula offer.
Kirsty Williams: Presiding Officer, I'm very glad that the Member has recognised, in the interim accountability measures, vocational qualifications do count towards a capped 9 score. So, there is no disincentive for schools to be able to offer these courses to pupils, where that is the right thing for those children. I'm very pleased to reassure the Member that all four secondary schools in Monmouthshire are...
Kirsty Williams: Certainly. David Rees makes a very important point on the influences that children are put under when making choices about what courses to follow in school or in colleges. Often, children are listening to their peers—they're very interested in understanding what their peers are doing—but obviously parents and family are a huge influence in helping children make decisions. As part of the...
