Kirsty Williams: Okay. Let me make it absolutely clear: this money relates to teachers' pensions. The allocation is £47.7 million, and it is, indeed, to meet in full the identified additional estimated pressures for maintained schools and FE colleges in Wales. But let's be absolutely clear: it is the Welsh Government that are meeting these commitments in full. The money that has come down from Westminster...
Kirsty Williams: The Member is absolutely right to look at whether there is duplication. I am frustrated to read from ASCL and to discuss with ASCL some of their concerns, for instance, of a duplication of roles, functions and spending from the regional consortia and individual local education authorities. Of course, regional consortia are run by local councils—they are the stakeholders, they hold the...
Kirsty Williams: I think the Member makes a very good point: a point that was made, actually, very eloquently by Andrew R.T. Davies, who's not in his seat today, when he recently addressed the school funding budget debate that we had here. He recognised that there are some services that are best delivered and organised and planned at either a local authority level or a regional level, because that's where we...
Kirsty Williams: Firstly, can I say, with the committee looking at expanding the quantum of money available to me, I'm willing to work with anybody in this Chamber who is in favour of expanding the quantum of money that is available to our schools? As I said in answer to Mohammad Asghar, I'm under no illusions about the real challenges facing our teaching profession, and this is what austerity looks like....
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, David. I think it is absolutely right that we recognise the campaigning work that has been done by colleagues, such as Dai Lloyd, Lynne Neagle and Jack Sargeant, on these issues. I can assure you that we are discussing with our initial teacher education providers to ensure that, through initial teacher education, our future practitioners will have the appropriate skills. I was...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Lynne. Let me assure you, we're not sitting back and simply waiting for the implementation of the new curriculum, although the health and well-being area of learning and experience does give us a profound opportunity to change the way in which we talk about health and well-being in our schools. You'll be aware that £2.5 million is being made available in the new...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Lynne. The national advisory group on suicide and self-harm is consulting group members and other stakeholders on that guidance prior to its publication in April. We will work with the group to ensure that the guidance is promoted extensively amongst professionals, and that is professionals not just in schools but more widely amongst youth services and other people who...
Kirsty Williams: Oscar, it is important that local authorities are responsible for school funding in Wales, and that is set out in law. I'm not sure if the Member is advocating removing that power away from our colleagues in local government. I certainly think that our partners in local government would take a very strong view about removing that power from them. It's also important to realise that there is...
Kirsty Williams: Of course, Hefin, that dialogue continues every day in my department. Only last week, senior officials of the education department were meeting with the Association of School and College Leaders to discuss with them their concerns. I continue to challenge both regional consortia and local authorities with regard to ensuring that as much money as possible reaches the front line of our...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Hefin. Each local authority is responsible for determining how much funding is allocated to each individual school. School budgets are determined by a local funding formula and authorities must consult their schools budget forums and all schools in their area when setting or making changes to a funding formula.
Kirsty Williams: Local authorities are responsible for funding schools in Wales. Welsh Government has prioritised support for schools through the local government settlement. We also continue to provide significant additional grant funding to support our educational reforms and improve outcomes for learners.
Kirsty Williams: I have taken action to support budgets for local authorities in order to safeguard front-line services in schools. Educational funding remains a key priority for this Government, in spite of continued austerity.
Kirsty Williams: The foundation phase is the bedrock of our education system and has been identified as a significant strength of current educational practice in Wales.
Kirsty Williams: I introduced pupil development grant—access in 2018-19 to provide additional support directly to families who need it most, helping them with some of the costs of the school day. This includes help for extra-curricular activities such as scouts, guides or sports. In 2019-20, we have more than doubled this funding.
Kirsty Williams: The twenty-first century schools and education programme has already delivered schools and colleges across Wales that incorporate valuable community resources, including those in Islwyn High School. In our second wave of investment, we will continue to invest in facilities that benefit the wider community, including wider asset use and co-location of services.
Kirsty Williams: I recognise, when I go out to schools, I see the pressure our teachers are under—of course I do. But I also very clearly see their commitment, their passion and their drive to get the best possible outcomes for the children that they teach. But I recognise that they need further support to match their commitment, and that's why I welcome the work of the Children, Young People and Education...
Kirsty Williams: No, I need to finish, if you don't mind, Andrew.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank the Conservatives for tabling the debate and can I thank Members for speaking in the debate? Whilst I would not necessarily agree with what Members on the Conservative benches or the Plaid Cymru benches have said, can I just say how grateful I am that they are interested enough in Welsh education to participate? Deputy Presiding...
Kirsty Williams: I formally move.
Kirsty Williams: I agree with you that there are certain schools that appear in red categorisation and in Estyn categorisation too often, and we could probably all, between us, name those schools, which is why I made reference in my speech to changing the role of Estyn so they're not simply there to make a judgment—they have to be part of that school improvement, they have to be more proactive in school...
