Paul Davies: First Minister, you said yourself that you took your eye off the ball on education. Clearly, your party has been asleep at the wheel for the last decade. And let me give you some figures: under your party's stewardship, we've seen the worst GCSE results in a decade; the lowest ranking PISA scores in the UK, with educational attainment ranking behind countries like Vietnam and Slovakia; an 8...
Paul Davies: ...of the NASUWT union, and this is despite having a funding settlement that allows £120 to be spent per person in Wales for every £100 spent in England. But it's not just your decision to underfund schools that has led to a decline in standards, it is the failure of your Government to set a clear direction for education here in Wales. Let's take the Programme for International Student...
Paul Davies: ...is failing to drive forward the comprehensive sea change that our mental health services desperately need. Even when proposals were put in front of you by the Assembly's Children, Young People and Education Committee on how to improve the dire state of preventative mental health services in Wales, you refused to take on board the majority of those recommendations, even against the wishes...
Paul Davies: ...can now forget the supersized structure that keeps being threatened every few years. Now, the 'Prosperity for All' document notes that the Welsh Government has 'delivered sustained improvements in educational attainment', which I believe is completely at odds with the most recent A* to C GCSE results in Wales, which we know are the lowest since 2005. Estyn has identified that educational...
Paul Davies: ...Welsh Government's schemes, the implementation of this has slipped and slipped and slipped. This contract should have been in place at the beginning of this year, and whilst we are still waiting, schoolchildren like Grug Williams have to be driven a mile away from their homes near Gwytherin in Conwy to find a signal to download school work. Let me also remind the First Minister that the...
Paul Davies: ...and creating inequality and demeaning other conditions either, because the Government is looking to carry out improvements and introducing measures at the same time. You mentioned support for schools. I agree with you; we need to make sure that staff in schools receive the appropriate training. Again, that is included in my Bill: to make sure that staff who deal with people, children,...
Paul Davies: ...must work with our designated landscapes and not simply seek to impose change for change's sake? The importance of our designated landscapes are critical to our health and well-being, our education and our economy, and I look forward to hearing more about the Welsh Government's vision for designated landscapes as these policies develop. Thank you.
Paul Davies: What is the Welsh Government doing to support the wellbeing of children in schools in Wales?
Paul Davies: ...steps the Welsh Government is taking to develop youth entrepreneurship across all parts of Wales, and can you also tell us what discussions you've had with your colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Education on this particular issue?
Paul Davies: ...Government funding? I'm pleased that today's statement recognises that a strong food strategy is integral to the Welsh Government's public health objectives, and that the Cabinet Secretary for Education has provided additional funds in this particular area. It's crucial that the Welsh Government develops a healthy lifestyle eating culture in schools, including projects around the...
Paul Davies: ...in England still don't recognise the qualification. Now, I very much support the Welsh baccalaureate and, of course, it's not compulsory in its nature. Can you confirm what guidance is issued to schools to ensure that teachers equally promote the full range of options to pupils post 16, so that students in Pembrokeshire and, indeed, across Wales, are able to receive the best possible education?
Paul Davies: 9. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on what the Welsh Government is doing to improve education in Pembrokeshire? OAQ51453
Paul Davies: ..., and I’m pleased to take part in this debate this afternoon. As Russell George has said, good public transport is essential for younger people in Wales who rely on buses and trains to access educational classes, weekend jobs, after-school clubs and sports—the list goes on. Access to these opportunities and activities is integral to the development of the next generation, who continue...
Paul Davies: ...during the 2016-17 academic year. Had there been appropriate early-entry options, then that cash could have been spent on more teachers, teaching assistants, textbooks and other parts of the education system. In addition, the report points to an inconsistency in school budgets to fund for early entry, which has led in some cases to schools asking parents to fund resits of exams, which is...
Paul Davies: Cabinet Secretary, one way to help reduce unnecessary burdens on teachers is to encourage a greater dialogue between school leaders and teachers through informal workload impact assessments whenever new policies are introduced, so that a constructive and frank discussion about the impact of Government policies is always taking place. Therefore, I’d be grateful if you could tell us if this...
Paul Davies: ...just for businesses, but to everyone. For many people, it’s an increasingly important part of their lives and enables them to live much more independently by giving them access to information, education and good, reliable services. Indeed, in rural communities like Pembrokeshire that have already been hit disproportionately by bank closures, access to a fast, reliable broadband is...
Paul Davies: ...prepares to leave the EU, there is now an opportunity for the Welsh Government to pause and rethink the way it manages the delivery of services in rural areas. Unfortunately, since 1999, 227 schools across Wales have closed, with rural areas being worst affected. Government figures themselves tell us that 41 schools have been closed in north Wales since devolution. Although I accept the...
Paul Davies: ...it deserves. I’m sure we all agree that Wales is unsurpassed in producing high-quality products. This policy encompasses a number of Welsh Government departments—everything from health and education to the economy—and therefore it is vital that any strategy in this area is effectively co-ordinated. I agree wholeheartedly with the committee’s view that there is a need for a higher...
Paul Davies: First Minister, it’s important that the Welsh Government does create the right conditions in order to develop an education workforce that is able to provide for a broad range of additional learning needs, including those suffering from hearing loss, and I’m sure you’ll be aware of the demands to add British Sign Language to the national curriculum. So, can you give us an update on the...
Paul Davies: ...my Bill will help strengthen that work by securing the rights of autistic people with a statutory duty. Now, I appreciate that the Welsh Government will argue that the additional learning needs and educational tribunal Bill will provide additional support to people with autism. However, the additional learning needs Bill includes support for children and young people with autism up to the...
