Hefin David: ...and the fact that they've got the Admiral academy, which looks at professional and personal development of staff. I don't feel that there's enough of a strategic link between that and our education sector in Wales. Bearing in mind the Government's cross-portfolio approach to strategy, would the Minister commit to having high-level discussions with Admiral to explore how those strategic...
Hefin David: ...is so worthy of support, and the fact that the real living wage is what we should be paying throughout Wales, as Helen Mary Jones has said. I just wanted to draw attention to Educ8, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, and Wales Co-operative Centre in my constituency, who are all accredited living wage employers, and Caerphilly council, who are not an accredited living wage...
Hefin David: ...deprivation who may not be from disadvantaged backgrounds themselves. So, I'm talking about Valleys communities, particularly places like Senghenydd and Bargoed in my constituency. I went to school in Bargoed. When I was in school, I wouldn't have considered international study—it wouldn't have been on my mind. I didn't come from a disadvantaged background, but it just wasn't in the...
Hefin David: And it's the case that the Government has committed to use public-private funding through the mutual investment model of £500 million to partially fund the cost of the building of new schools. Last week, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance told me that individual school building schemes would not be of sufficient scale individually to qualify for funding, and instead schemes would be brought...
Hefin David: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement about Welsh Government plans for the funding of band B 21st Century Schools? OAQ52976
Hefin David: ...mutual investment model only becomes effective when put to schemes costing more than £200 million. With that in mind, what are the risks of using the model to fund band B of twenty-first century schools?
Hefin David: ...in this area in universities, and they are involving expertise from across Wales and outside. For example, just earlier this year, I helped launch the Cardiff Metropolitan University's Cardiff school of technologies, which is one example of how higher education institutions can harness research and academic expertise. I also last week helped launch the Supercomputing Wales programme, which...
Hefin David: ...sustaining collaboration in small firms across contracts. They may succeed in delivering one contract, but then will not re-collaborate again to deliver another contract. That requires a degree of education in our small firms, in our SME community, and I think that's important. Finally, the other issue that Caerphilly council raised with me is the link to social care. I'm pleased to see...
Hefin David: ...some clarity where they say: 'It will be imperative that the review of teachers' pay and conditions takes full account of the flexibilities required to support the range of working patterns that schools require.' I'd like to know what that means. I assume it means flexibility in the provision of pay, but I'd like more information there. It's good to see that recommendation 8 builds on the...
Hefin David: ...of the dragon and now every time she sees my mobile phone in my hand she asks to 'see dragon'—can she see a video of the dragon—so, it really, really did make an impression on her. We need more educational sites like this, but I’ve got to say that one of the problems with Caerphilly is that, as you look away from the castle towards the street scene, the street scene could be vastly...
Hefin David: The Cabinet Secretary visited the Children, Young People and Education Committee on 28 June, and I asked her questions about supply teachers. One of the things she said in the committee was: 'Much of the focus recently has been about low pay for supply teachers. I was recently exposed to the argument about schools that are using supply teachers to cover some of our science, technology,...
Hefin David: Will the First Minister make a statement on the National Academy for Educational Leadership?
Hefin David: I had no idea what I was going to say until I'd heard what David Melding had to say. And what a wonderful, evocative and living picture that you've presented of my home community. I went to school in Heolddu in Bargoed and would walk up the side of the mountain to the school at the top of the mountain and see these wonderful terraced houses. I've talked about Bargoed, but also...
Hefin David: ...that degree-level apprenticeships will be taken up in STEM subjects by women who want to study those subjects, as well as amongst learners from areas of traditionally low participation in higher education. Therefore, a Master's progression is quite important. I'm pleased that the Welsh Government has accepted recommendations 9 and 10 regarding the need for clarity and security when it...
Hefin David: I attended a seminar with the Learning and Work Institute last week, in which those in need of returning to work, and returning to education and developing their skills, were highlighted. And one of the issues that was raised was the fact that those people returning to education may find it uncomfortable and intimidating going to formal college settings, where they may be dominated by young...
Hefin David: Yes, it was; thank you, Chair. It was accepted in principle. One of the issues with the standards: I want them to be a key part of the successful educational landscape, but, at 106 pages, they're quite a hefty document. Now, I know exactly what the Cabinet Secretary will respond with—they're meant to be used interactively. I'm yet to see the interactive, online use of this document. I...
Hefin David: ...sitting in a big lecture room being delivered, 'This is how you do it', is less useful than actually doing it. Recommendation 2 urges the Cabinet Secretary to 'ensure that learning from pioneer schools is shared more widely across the education profession as a whole, to help ensure that the education workforce is fully aware of developments and prepared for the reforms on the way.'...
Hefin David: Further education should be included in the design and development of the curriculum. The Baker clause has recently come into effect in England, whereby schools are required to let FE providers advertise their services to pupils in years 8 to 13, making learners aware of the range of options available to them after they leave compulsory education. With the significant reforms under way to the...
Hefin David: 8. What is the Cabinet Secretary doing to prepare the post-16 education sector in Wales for the implementation of the recommendations included in the 'Successful Futures' report? OAQ51676
Hefin David: ...leave, and want to stay and work and contribute. That's why I've never left my Valleys community and never intend to do so. I did have to find work, though, in Cardiff and I was working in higher education. I managed to stay as well as a county councillor; I've probably mentioned it before in this Chamber. But having worked in higher education representing Valleys communities, I've seen...
