Kirsty Williams: In the new curriculum, the history of Wales will be mandatory within the 'what matters' statements for the humanities area of learning and experience. Learning in this area must include an appreciation of identity and heritage, the story of Wales, and cultivating learners’ sense of Cynefin.
Kirsty Williams: There are currently a range of measures to support learning, including professional learning for practitioners and significant investment in devices. Alongside our existing commitment of £29 million for the Recruit, Recover and Raise Standards programme, I recently announced a further £72 million to support learners during this and the next academic year.
Kirsty Williams: Can I thank Mick Antoniw and his committee for their consideration of the Order? I'd just absolutely reinforce the point that not only did the Education Workforce Council perceive there to be no problems with the timing issues highlighted by Mick Antoniw, but that these suspension order powers are very much welcomed by the Education Workforce Council. They have been asking for them for a...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion to approve the Education Workforce Council (Interim Suspension Orders) (Additional Functions) (Wales) Order 2021. The Order addresses recommendation 21 of the Children, Young People and Education Committee in their report on the teachers' professional learning and education inquiry, namely that the 'remit of the Education Workforce...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Deputy Presiding Officer, I must say that I don't want to use all my ammunition, otherwise I'll have nothing to answer the Member tomorrow, because I know she has a question on twenty-first century schools in Islwyn on the order paper tomorrow afternoon. I don't want to use all my best lines today, otherwise I'll have nothing to say to the Member tomorrow, except that, Rhianon, you're...
Kirsty Williams: Over the last five years, one of the things that I am particularly proud of is the instigation of our e-sgol, a virtual school that allows children to be able to access teachers and opportunities from across the globe. Only a matter of weeks ago, students in Wales had the opportunity to receive lessons from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the world's leading university. It did not...
Kirsty Williams: Can I thank, Deputy Presiding Officer, Siân Gwenllian for her comments? She raises an interesting concept of what constitutes a school and I think, over the last five years, we as a Welsh Government have demonstrated our commitment to recognising education in its broadest possible form. I'm sure the Member is very familiar with the absolutely outstanding and innovative building at Ysgol...
Kirsty Williams: Again, you make a good point around greater transparency between new build and refurbishment. It's really important that we stress once again that the project allows for both. Sometimes, there is a misapprehension that the only way to draw down twenty-first century schools money is to have a new building. That's not the case. The programme also allows for the refurbishment of existing...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Suzy, for that. Good to see you back. Can we say we missed you very much last week in our debate on the curriculum and assessment Bill, given all your hard work in scrutinising that Bill? Can I say you're correct in that there are some outlying projects that were initially earmarked for band A of the programme? There are specific circumstances in each case. Any commitment...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I have been absolutely privileged, during my time as the education Minister, to see the improvement in the educational settings for our children and young people throughout our country delivered through the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme. Over this term, we have successfully delivered the first wave of £1.4 billion of...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much. Can I thank those who have contributed this afternoon? I'm disappointed to hear that Suzy Davies is not able to join the session this afternoon, because I know that she has worked incredibly hard on this Bill, and I know that she's been fully committed to the scrutiny process. And, as I said in opening my comments today, I think we have a better Bill as a result of the...
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I formally move the motion. I would like to begin by thanking the Chairs and members of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, and the Finance Committee, as well as other Members who have contributed to the scrutiny of this historic Bill. Thank you also to the Commission staff for their conscientious...
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. The twenty-first century schools and colleges programme is the biggest investment in our education estate since the 1960s, having already seen £1.5 billion investment to improve the learning environment for our children and young people. And since its launch in 2014, it's seen the delivery of 170 new or refurbishment projects under the first wave of the investment,...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you. You had me slightly concerned there for a minute, Llywydd. I formally move.
Kirsty Williams: Formally.
Kirsty Williams: Formally.
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I am very pleased to introduce amendment 31, which places a duty to promote knowledge and understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for those who provide teaching and learning for a curriculum created under this Bill. The duty will fall jointly on governing...
Kirsty Williams: However, I would draw Members attention to data provided to me by the Catholic Education Service, where we have been advised that the number of pupils previously withdrawn from denominational RE in 2020 was just one. So, the anticipated extra costs of this proposed change should be minimal. My officials will, however, continue to monitor the position over the coming years, working closely...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and can I, first of all, thank Siân Gwenllian for her recognition of the immense amount of work that has gone into this part of the curriculum, and for her and Plaid Cymru's understanding about why these lessons are so necessary if we're to fulfil the purposes of our curriculum? It is absolutely right that children learn about and are ready to enter...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and thank you to Suzy Davies. I would ask Members to resist amendments 5 and 7. I am very well aware and very sympathetic to the pressures that schools are under at the moment and the massive impact that COVID has had on their operations and their ability to teach as they would like. The priorities for us going forward, as part of our learning recovery, are to...
