Dawn Bowden: ...on spending. Secondly, Welsh Government budget decisions, which I'm now going to come on to, including the allocation to local authorities and the funding directed to delivering national education priorities. Thirdly, local authorities' decision in their local priorities, which includes education school spending and the local schools funding formula, and, of course, finally, priorities set...
Dawn Bowden: Indeed, and I know that the Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to school funding, in spite of the UK Government's continued austerity programme, and this year's local government settlement, as you've already outlined, has reflected this. However, we also know that local authorities have successfully argued for education funding not to be ring-fenced, and I appreciate that much...
Dawn Bowden: ...to be able to speak in this debate, and thank Hannah for bringing forward the motion—and the support from other Members? In the previous debate, a number of Members spoke on the importance of education in raising awareness among young people on the issue of gender-based violence. Well, the role of education in tackling prejudice and bullying around LGBT issues is no less significant, and...
Dawn Bowden: ...the committee's recommendations? Inevitably, I think we will probably all be covering a number of the same areas, so please bear with me. But, for me, this inquiry clearly showed that the issue of school funding is not as straightforward as some would like to suggest. So, even if we start from the premise that we all accept that schools need more money, and we all do, there's certainly no...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, Minister. We're all aware that the quantum of school funding will remain an issue until we not only reverse the impact of 10 years of Tory cuts to the Welsh budget but can also increase our budgets in real terms and for a sustained period. But in spite of those pressures, I'm proud that the Welsh Government has provided £100 million to deliver improved school...
Dawn Bowden: ...-19 budget round, less of this money was hypothecated or ring-fenced, therefore giving greater flexibility and discretion over local authority spending priorities. From my recent questions to the education Secretary, you'll be aware that, in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, this means that school funding is being cut and breakfast clubs are under threat, which is actually contrary to...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that, Minister, and you'll know that, for many children in Wales, it is the support offered by their school that is the key to transforming their life opportunities and shaping their lives generally and developing their self-confidence. Would you therefore agree that, as we develop and implement the new curriculum, and as we think about the funding of our school services into...
Dawn Bowden: —and how it could be developed. A couple of recommendations were focused on improving access to school and community facilities, and Members will be aware that the Minister for Education and Welsh Language has announced £24.9 million to support schools to operate and develop as community-focused schools, reaching out to engage with families and pupils, particularly those disadvantaged by...
Dawn Bowden: ...scheme operates. I was struck by the similarities to what we are already doing here in Wales. Our pupil development grant is designed to help eligible children cover the costs associated with the school day, including school sports kit and equipment, which is primarily what the Kia Tū scheme is about. But other interventions that are already in place that Active Me—Kia Tū is mirroring...
Dawn Bowden: The question is, because I have also written to the education Secretary and the health Secretary about this, because there is only one local authority in Wales—Caerphilly council—that actually recognises Irlen syndrome, and has Irlen screeners in the schools, who are working at an early point to try to diagnose this particular problem. Now, the question, I guess, is whether the Minister...
Dawn Bowden: ...fair-minded person in this country. But, Llywydd, as we all know, no-one is born racist. It's something taught and learned. That's why it's so important that we invest time and money in anti-racist education, and why I want to spend a few moments to build on the comments of the Deputy Minister and Jenny Rathbone and talk a little bit about the work done with young people here in Wales by...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. We've both just attended the launch of the report called 'Bridging the Gap', which deals with the educational well-being of adopted children. And I'm sure that all of us want to play our part in ensuring that every adopted or looked-after child has an equal chance in school. And while I know that budget decisions are for debate in the financial...
Dawn Bowden: ...experiences that would highlight where improvements could be made, and this report, I think, offers recommendations to enable the Government to do that. Although others have also touched on the education recommendations, that is the area that I want to focus on. I also would like to talk specifically about abuse perpetrated through coercive behaviour, which often gets less attention that...
Dawn Bowden: 6. How will the reform of the school curriculum improve educational outcomes in disadvantaged communities? OAQ53342
Dawn Bowden: ...or active travel, which I think is what Laura was alluding to. But that wraparound support for the facilities must be there, and I call on all our sports organisations, local authorities and educational establishments to forge those links and become enablers for our sports and leisure. Llywydd, I must draw the attention of Members, however, to the disappointing and frustrating approach...
Dawn Bowden: ..., amongst the choices made by this Welsh Government is the drive to improve our economy and to support the skills development to help achieve that aim. And I'm pleased to see that the further education sector is at the heart of that agenda to build a Welsh economy that can work for everyone. I've seen that agenda being put to work in my own constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, where...
Dawn Bowden: ...hand, the benefits of the investment by Welsh Government in the future of young learners there. I'm sure you'll agree that such a development shows the clear benefits of our capital investment in education. Would you therefore agree with me that the new administration in Merthyr Tydfil council needs to build on this record of success and that a decisive and objective decision now needs...
Dawn Bowden: ...into the national curriculum. And I'll just give you an example. I was very proud to have been invited to an event at the National Museum Wales at Saint Fagan's recently, where a whole range of schools had been engaged in projects about their local communities, and that was a very good example of how you will engage very young children in finding out about their own area and bringing it to...
Dawn Bowden: ...Natural Resources Wales, to try to restore our eel stocks. In 2018 we released European eels into the Cyfarthfa lake in Merthyr Tydfil. Those particular eels were bred in tanks in Trelewis Primary School, and yesterday we did the same thing at the Taff Bargoed lake on the site of the former Trelewis drift mine. The conservation project also involves removing barriers, like weirs, from our...
Dawn Bowden: ...we now at a stage where some kind of restriction needs to be placed, both to support public safety but also to ensure that everyone can get their fair share of essential goods? Secondly, this is an education matter, First Minister, so you may not be able to answer this, but I had a very distressed constituent contact me to say that as she's now on a zero-hours contract and currently has no...
