Kirsty Williams: Well, we are in regular contact with local authorities. We are aware that, sometimes, there are differences in the approach taken by local authorities in supporting their schools. That's why Estyn is currently doing a piece of work to identify good practice in local authorities supporting individual settings to adhere to rules and to support education during this time. We, as a Welsh...
Kirsty Williams: The independent panel that are reviewing arrangements for the awarding of grades from the 2020 summer exam series, and exploring considerations for 2021, will publish their interim report by the end of this month and their final report in December.
Kirsty Williams: It is my intention to make a statement in this regard, David, in the week beginning 9 November.
Kirsty Williams: My immediate priorities for schools in Pembrokeshire and, indeed, across Wales, is to provide the best possible learning experience for pupils, drawing on the learning guidance Welsh Government published in July, while keeping children, young people and staff safe.
Kirsty Williams: Yes, indeed. All those supply teaching agencies that are on the framework need to abide by the conditions of that framework, which seeks to protect the interests of supply teachers. If you, Paul, or indeed if any Member has evidence where that is not the case, then I can assure you that will be pursued by my officials and by members of staff in the National Procurement Service. Indeed,...
Kirsty Williams: I would be delighted to. Local authorities have a statutory duty to maintain schools in their area. In South Wales Central, the Central South Consortium provides school improvement support to the 277 schools, the two special schools and the four pupil referral units that it covers.
Kirsty Williams: Well, the Member is right—examinations are an important and mainstream part of how we run our education system in Wales, but I am sure the Member will also agree that these are extraordinary times, and what an examination system cannot do is solve the issue on its own of the extreme disruption that there has been to children's education. Indeed, if the Member was to look at his own region,...
Kirsty Williams: You'll be aware of evidence contained within the TAC paper that talks about the contribution to reducing R from closing schools in their entirety and closing secondary schools in particular. Throughout this pandemic, I have tried to minimise the disruption to children and maximise education. It is very worrying for those children in years 9 and above that this decision has been reached, but,...
Kirsty Williams: Additional guidance has been published in collaboration with Public Health Wales and test, trace, protect on the role of contact tracing when a positive COVID-19 case is identified in an education setting. This includes the identification of close contacts to limit, where possible, the number of pupils and staff who are asked to self-isolate as the result of a positive case.
Kirsty Williams: Well, Suzy, you have just outlined beautifully the disruption that is happening on a daily basis, in some parts of Wales, to children's education. In the light of experience of this first half term, we have worked with TTP teams and health protection teams to reflect on the feedback given by headteachers to develop new guidance so that we can reduce the number of pupils and staff who are...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Joyce, for that important question. Clearly, digital education services have come to the fore during the crisis, and we will continue to work with individual schools and local educational authorities to provide the digital resources children need.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Joyce, and thank you for the recognition of the excellent partnership working between my department and local education authorities that allowed for the very swift distribution of many thousands of pieces of kit and equipment and Mi-Fi devices in the first phase of the pandemic. We continue to work with local education authorities to ensure that planned tech spend is getting kit...
Kirsty Williams: Yes, of course. I can give you absolute assurance, Angela, that we will, in coming to a conclusion as to the summer series for 2021, be absolutely mindful of the needs of those learners for whom some have had even more disruption than others to their learning, and how we come up with a system that is fair to all learners that recognises the disproportionate impact that COVID may have had,...
Kirsty Williams: Presiding Officer, I think you might just have called me, but I'm not hearing any feed from your desk, so if you just did—. If somebody could nod or help me out, because I can't hear.
Kirsty Williams: Great. Perfect. Thank you. I'm so sorry, I'm just not hearing the Presiding Officer's feed whatsoever. Can I begin, Presiding Officer, by saying that I would usually open my remarks on a debate like this by thanking whatever party has tabled the debate for doing so? However, I have to be honest, it's a little bit difficult to know where to start today with Plaid's motion. It covers so many...
Kirsty Williams: With regard to exams and assessment, I want to be certain that the decisions that we make now are in the best interests of all learners, and that means making sure that we do indeed learn the lessons from 2020. Unlike the Westminster Government, I have established an independent review to help us learn those lessons and to provide recommendations for how qualifications are assessed in 2021....
Kirsty Williams: We regularly meet with local authorities to discuss the progress being made in developing and strengthening Welsh-medium education. The revised Welsh in education strategic plan guidance, which will be published in January 2021, emphasises the importance of both early years education and partnership working in the effective planning of Welsh-medium education provision.
Kirsty Williams: The uncertainties arising from the coronavirus pandemic are particularly challenging for children and young people with additional learning needs, their families, and those who support and care for them. I am committed to doing everything possible to support these learners, parents and carers during this difficult time.
Kirsty Williams: We have been working in close partnership with universities, NUS Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to develop our collective response to the pandemic. We have provided more than £213 million to HEFCW this financial year, including an additional £27 million higher education investment and recovery fund, recognising the impact of the pandemic on universities.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. The number of signatures received by both petitions is a clear indication of the strength of feeling about the teaching of history in Wales. We have enjoyed many debates in the Senedd on this topic and today has been no exception, with some very, very thoughtful speeches and contributions. And, of course, this debate today is taking place on...
