Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Jenny. We know that children with higher levels of emotional, behavioural, social and school well-being on average have high levels of academic achievement and are more engaged in school, both concurrently and in latter years, and that's why we've been very clear in our national mission to have put the well-being of learners, including all aspects of a learner's life, as of...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Jenny. Positive mental health and well-being are key factors in a pupil’s performance and attainment in school. That is why we have committed to a step change in the support that is available in this regard and established a ministerial task and finish group to consider a whole-school approach that will ensure that well-being becomes part of every school’s ethos.
Kirsty Williams: The Welsh Government is supporting governors through our own guidance and support from the regional consortia and local authorities. We will look to the review of the national model for regional working and the National Academy for Educational Leadership to identify how to continue to improve that support.
Kirsty Williams: I have recently received an independent report from Professor Mick Waters, setting out a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve the working conditions of teachers. I am currently considering these proposals in detail and will make a further statement in due course.
Kirsty Williams: I expect all learners to have access to suitable, high-quality education that allows them to achieve their potential. For this reason, in December 2017, I published the EOTAS framework for action, our long-term plan to improve outcomes and raise standards in EOTAS provision.
Kirsty Williams: Educational standards in Wales have improved significantly over the last decade. 'Our national mission' will focus on raising school standards, reducing the attainment gap and delivering an education system that is a source of national pride and public confidence.
Kirsty Williams: Welsh Government support for authorities in South Wales Central, as for all authorities in Wales is provided mainly on a non-hypothecated basis through the local government settlement—revenue support grant. The Welsh Government also provides hypothecated grants for a wide range of education policies.
Kirsty Williams: I believe that there is a huge amount of value to be placed on an internal exercise that looks at the strengths and the weaknesses of an individual institution and, more importantly, what steps are going to be taken to make that institution better. We know, from all the international evidence and research, that schools as learning organisations are a feature of high-performing education...
Kirsty Williams: Can I thank Llyr for his welcome for the direction of travel? I'm sure we both have been reading and studying the same research and evidence about the power of self-evaluation in driving improvement and the power of a self-improving school system. If we look at international best practice in high-performing countries, trust in the profession but also a strong system of self-evaluation and...
Kirsty Williams: Could I thank Suzy Davies for those questions? Deputy Presiding Officer, she does herself a disservice by focusing on the fact that she is new to the job. I think the points that you've raised are really relevant and important things that we need to discuss. If I could just go through them as comprehensively as I can, I think there is—. What the Member conflates is the assessment and...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. It has been a widely held view that, for too long, Wales’s education accountability system has not had the desired effect in raising standards. In fact, in some instances, it has led to unintended consequences with detrimental effects on individual pupils’ education. These unintended consequences are well rehearsed. From schools overly...
Kirsty Williams: I welcome the strong action that has been taken by schools in switching from vocational science to GCSE science. Taking vocational qualifications at 16, such as BTEC science, is absolutely the right path for some of our learners in Wales. But it is not acceptable to me, and I would hope to others in the Chamber today, that schools have thought it appropriate for 40 per cent of learners to be...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Back in August I had the privilege of celebrating examination results with the learners at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf for A-levels and the West Monmouth School on GCSE day. I'd like to congratulate David's niece. I predicted that as a student of STEM she would do well, and clearly she has, and I know that there are other Assembly Members in this...
Kirsty Williams: I formally move.
Kirsty Williams: Mark, the announcement of the group has only recently been made. As I said, the work of that group was kicked off by the multi-agency and multiprofession workshop, because before we can design a service that represents a whole-school approach we need to have an agreement on what the whole-school approach actually looks like, so that we're all working towards the same agenda. We work across...
Kirsty Williams: I thank Jayne for her welcome for the establishment of the task and finish group. Work has already begun. A multi-agency and multiprofession workshop took place on 7 September to explore what a whole-school approach could involve, and to highlight where in current support there are gaps at present. The findings from the workshop will further inform the work of the task and finish group, and I...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Jayne. We are committed to a step change when it comes to mental and emotional well-being in schools, and to achieve this we are convening a ministerial task and finish group, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services and myself, to consider a whole-school approach.
Kirsty Williams: Not only is that taskforce engaging with the Fair Deal for Supply Teachers group, officials are also meeting with that group of teachers who are campaigning on this issue. As I said to Hefin David, we are looking at a range of options that will address the concerns that the Member has expressed.
Kirsty Williams: I am very anxious that all teachers working in our system are treated fairly and paid appropriately. I am more than aware of the concerns that have been expressed around pay rates associated with those people who are employed by agencies. You will be aware, I hope, that we are working very closely with the MPS Education in preparation for any new tendering process that they will undertake in...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Hefin. School governing bodies and local authorities are responsible for employing, deploying and managing the school workforce. Supply teachers employed directly by schools and local authorities are paid in accordance with nationally agreed pay rates. Teachers employed by private supply agencies are paid according to the terms of their employment contract.
