Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Mike, once again, for using the Welsh language in the Chamber. I think it is essential that we see that there is more provision in terms of getting people to start their education at a very young age, and that’s why we’ve provided £1 million to nursery schools throughout Wales. Of course, we are having discussions with local authorities, including Swansea—and with other...
Delyth Jewell: Thank you, Minister. Plaid Cymru, of course, welcomes the fact that there will be a new Welsh-medium primary opening in Merthyr next September. We also support plans to open a Welsh-medium primary school in Tredegar in 2023. I would like to thank Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg and local authorities for their work in progressing this, and the Government for providing the resources. Many other...
David Lloyd: Trefnydd, I call for two statements. The first: Estyn and the school organisation code of the Minister for Education have both noted the need to look at the possibilities of federalising thoroughly before schools such as Felindre, on the outskirts of Swansea, are closed. Now, as the governing bodies at Felindre and Lôn Las school, nearby, have unanimously agreed on the principle of...
John Griffiths: ...and the new model of community learning centres. I wonder if you could tell the Chamber a little more about how that would work in relation, for example, to existing ideas around community-focused schools. It seems to me that community-focused schools have a lot to offer in tackling poverty. They can support education through getting parents and the community more involved in the...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and good afternoon, colleagues. The response to COVID-19 has been a profound challenge for the whole of the education community. Our schools and colleges have already stepped up in the defence against COVID, establishing provision for children of critical workers and for vulnerable children, and managing remote learning on an unprecedented scale with...
Mark Isherwood: Well, it's now 17 years since secondary headteachers in Flintshire raised concern that they receive one of the lowest school budget settlements in Wales, and they told me about the constant pressures they face managing this while striving for educational excellence. They've continued to receive from Welsh Government every year since one of the lowest settlements—this current year, 2019-20,...
Darren Millar: ...growing teacher recruitment crisis that we have here in Wales? If the Welsh Government's ambition for all learners to reach their full potential is ever to be realised, then we've got to have an education workforce that is fit for the future and equipped to deliver that aim. But we know that there are signs of a growing crisis in our schools, and there's been insufficient action to date to...
Luke Fletcher: ...of course, but I have to raise my concern about the situation in Bridgend county council. Once again I find myself getting up in this Chamber to raise concerns about the situation of Welsh language education in the county. For years, campaigners have been lobbying the county on this point and, time and time again, they have faced numerous cases of opposition. There is an attempt to turn...
Jeremy Miles: ...agree more with the Member. Our strategy's called 'High Standards and Aspirations for All', and that's to recognise that every single learner, regardless of their background, is entitled to have a school system that encourages their aspiration and gives them the best possible opportunity at fulfilling their potential. The range of measures that I set out, both in March and June, support...
Mohammad Asghar: May I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on schools admission policy in Wales? Assembly Members will be aware that compulsory school age is the beginning of the term following a child's fifth birthday. However, this puts children born between 1 April and 31 August, known as summer-born children, at a disadvantage. Parents of four-year-old children who have not...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you for that. I am aware of concerns on the issue of literature in key stage 4 and that some schools have been lobbying for increased emphasis on literature in performance measures. I have already signalled that school accountability is being reviewed as part of our education reforms and our national mission to improve education standards. We introduced new programmes of study for both...
Mark Isherwood: Deffo! Wales Deaf Youth Forum submitted this petition to improve access to education and services in British Sign Language, or BSL: improving access for families to learn BSL; adding BSL on to the national curriculum; improving access to education in BSL for children and young people; and providing better access to services in BSL, such as health, education, social care and public transport....
Mark Isherwood: Diolch. The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018, or ALN Act, aims to overhaul the current special educational needs system, placing the child or young person's views at the heart of the process and involving them and their families in the planning, intervention and review process from the outset, with schools themselves having more autonomy over their additional...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Mike, I was very pleased to see the new Burlais school and the difference that that building is making to the education of children in the area. I am also very pleased to receive an invitation to visit Blaenymaes school. My late grandma, Mary Hall, was the senior cook at Blaenymaes school for very many years. She peeled a lot of spuds for those kids in her time. So, the opportunity to...
Siân Gwenllian: The reality is that Wales provides fewer cooked free school meals to its children at the moment than any other nation within the UK. In Scotland and England, every child of school age, in the first three years of their education, is in receipt of free school meals, whatever the family income. In Northern Ireland, the earnings threshold for those in receipt of universal credit is set far...
Luke Fletcher: ...a portion of his time. This is an important debate to have, and I agree wholeheartedly that knowledge provides that route out of poverty. Members know this already about me, but I was on free school meals and the education maintenance allowance growing up and, before I came into politics, I was a bartender. I'm not sure if John remembers—I hope he does—but one of the first times I met...
Siân Gwenllian: .... I do hope that Plaid Cymru’s amendments note in a practical way a few areas where this Government can bring influence to bear. One of our amendments relates to healthy relationship lessons in schools. The education sector in England has announced that sex and relationship education is going to be mandatory in schools. Healthy relationship education will be taught in primary schools...
Elin Jones: The Commission provides opportunities for schools and colleges across Wales to come to the Senedd on educational visits. These visits, conducted with an educational officer, are two hours long and include a tour and educational session in Siambr Hywel. A travel subsidy of £1 per mile is available for visits from outside a 10-mile radius of the Senedd. The scheme has been in place for over 10...
Rhianon Passmore: ...a statistical bulletin on active travel, 'Walking and cycling in Wales', compiled by the Office for National Statistics. And the figures show that 44 per cent of children actively travel to primary school; 34 per cent of children actively travel to secondary school. So, with new state-of-the-art education facilities being built and opened throughout Wales, the planned educational...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, in response to Russell George's question, you said that education and reopening of education was your No. 1 priority, and I think we'd all subscribe to that. But, regrettably, Ministers have confirmed that some year groups going back to school will not return to school until after the Easter break. So, if you're in years 7, 8, 9 or 10, you will...
