Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for that question. I commend to him the recent lecture given by the Minister for education to the Bevan Foundation, in which he grappled with exactly the sorts of issues that Dr Hussain has raised with us this afternoon. These are complex matters. I have no wish whatsoever, Llywydd, to penalise any families who are struggling with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and...
Mark Drakeford: ...that Michael Gove made in Edinburgh during the Conservative leadership election, when he said that the way to cement the United Kingdom was for the UK Government to set up, in devolved areas, schools and hospitals for which they would have responsibility. It was, I thought, an idea designed to lead to the disintegration of the United Kingdom, and let us hope that when the Prime Minister...
Mark Drakeford: Well, to begin with, may I agree with what the Member has said about the importance of preparing young people through our schools if we are to attain the ambitious target that we’ve set? That is why we are doing more in our schools at A-level, in order to get more students to study at A-level and to draw more young people into further and higher education who use the Welsh language...
Mark Drakeford: In the report that was published only a week or so ago, which showed how schools were faring in relation to the additional support that they need, in the Swansea area, part of the ERW consortium, far more primary schools moved towards needing fewer rather than greater hours of support. Twenty-nine schools in that area moved in a positive direction, whereas only four schools were categorised...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I think the guidance on mask wearing in schools has been strengthened just in the last week, and the Minister for Education provided more direction to schools, particularly secondary schools, as to how masks can be worn in corridors and in other crowded settings. But I share a lot of the concerns of the Member's question—that different decisions are being made in different...
Mark Drakeford: ...issues. I am, of course, aware of the inspection report into Christ the Word. I was able to discuss this with the new leader of Denbighshire council and with the cabinet member responsible for education. It is, as the Member, I imagine, is aware, a complicated situation because it is a voluntary aided school. It is the diocesan authorities that are responsible for the hiring of staff at...
Mark Drakeford: Well, that is absolutely not the case at all, Llywydd. The plans that this Government has developed, and that the education Minister published last week, are about making sure that the way in which we assess the performance of a school represents the performance of that school in the round—that we give more trust to the professional workers who are there in the classroom and leading those...
Mark Drakeford: The current curriculum requires financial education for all learners. Estyn is reviewing provision in schools and will publish recommendations in the spring on how financial education can improve. In Financial Capability Week, I should highlight our partnership with the Money Advice Service, which supports money management teaching in schools.
Mark Drakeford: ...much for the question, Llywydd. Reforms in 2019 codified a set of national professional standards for teaching assistants, and these made it mandatory for teaching assistants to register with the Education Workforce Council. School governing bodies and local education authorities are responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities of the employer with regard to this important and integral...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member, Llywydd, for the question. All children in Wales have a right to access education within their own areas. Local authorities are responsible for planning school places and must ensure that there are sufficient schools providing primary and secondary education in their areas.
Mark Drakeford: I'm aware that across the whole of Wales, there are a number of children from non-Welsh-speaking households who do undertake Welsh-medium education, and I welcome that. It's an important part of the plans that we have. Here in Cardiff, eight out of 10 children who access Welsh-medium education come from non-Welsh-speaking households. The schools do work hard, with the resources that we've...
Mark Drakeford: ...to the way in which we have been able to approach these challenging issues. The top priority for the Welsh Government remains to get our children and young people back into face-to-face education, doing it as quickly but as safely as we can, and that is why we have developed the step-by-step approach, because that is what the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, our own technical...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, just to add my voice to the same issue: off-rolling of young people in order, artificially, to make it appear as though results in a school are better than they otherwise would be is completely unacceptable. Those young people deserve the best of educations, and the fullest consideration, and we know they are sometimes children who provide challenges in the classroom. That's...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I certainly wouldn't be prepared to do that on the back of one study that I've not myself had any opportunity to look at. I think that there have been some outstanding examples in schools across Wales of the way in which teachers have been able to respond to the challenges of coronavirus and providing an education in the context that it has created. What we are now determined...
Mark Drakeford: ...period, but we have gone from around 300 children in the very early weeks to over 1,500 in the latest week. So, we've had a steady increase in the number of children coming forward. Reopening all schools on 29 June will be another important step, because we know that vulnerable children are less likely to attend a school that is not their own. There are many reasons for that, and when...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Jayne Bryant for that, Llywydd. We continue to work with schools and local authorities to provide ongoing support based on the latest scientific and medical advice. The Minister for Education has published operational guidance for local authorities working with their schools to ensure schools remain as safe as possible.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you for the question. I am aware of the issues that the Member has raised, because I've had an opportunity to talk to the local Member in Bridgend about the future of Welsh-medium education in that area. In all parts of Wales, I'm sure every Member here will be representing people who can't access a place in the school of their choice. I do it as a Member in Cardiff West virtually every...
Mark Drakeford: ...is one of the most powerful ways in which we can continue to sustain our economy and our economic prosperity into the future. Figures published last week by the Treasury showed that expenditure on education in Wales continues to be 4 per cent higher than in England. The draft budget that I published has, by itself, more than £90 million extra to the baseline to be able to make the pupil...
Mark Drakeford: Investment of almost £26 million has been approved to date for Islwyn through the twenty-first century schools and education programme. The funding is earmarked for a new 1,050-place comprehensive school for the area.
Mark Drakeford: Band A of the twenty-first century schools and education programme will see investment of over £356 million in schools in South Wales Central over the five-year period ending 2019.
