Kirsty Williams: Could I thank the Member for his questions? Firstly, I think it is really important that Wales plays its part in the development of UK-wide organisations. We should not cut ourselves off from participating in these initiatives, and I'm delighted that we've been able to successfully fund, via HEFCW, projects from Cardiff and Swansea universities. It builds on their strong tradition, strong...
Kirsty Williams: To enable schools to be fully embedded in the DCF, regional consortia are undertaking detailed work to configure digital professional learning to the new professional standards, national professional learning models and the leadership academy's endorsement requirements to develop a national digital professional learning framework for all schools. This new framework will support teachers and...
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr. A vital part, Presiding Officer, of our national mission is to equip all learners with high-level digital skills that ensure that our young people are digitally competent to become enterprising, creative and critical thinkers. I know that this is an area of interest to many Members, so I thought it would be helpful today to outline progress made. Our national education action...
Kirsty Williams: —to consider what more we can do as a Government in line with increased funding that we're already providing for the pupil development grant and through innovative food and fun schemes, to name just two, because I'm interested in finding every way I can to support the education, the aspiration and the life chances of our most disadvantaged young people. Now, with regard to the issue of...
Kirsty Williams: I must make progress, if you don't mind. Despite an austerity agenda—[Interruption.] Despite an austerity agenda that has led to a 5 per cent real-terms cut to Wales's budget, the equivalent to around £900 million less to spend on public services, we continue to prioritise funding to support the most disadvantaged people in society, and it's a bit rich to hear from Llyr, who only a week...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I would like to thank Plaid Cymru for bringing forward this debate today to give us a chance to discuss how we support families and learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. The leader of Plaid Cymru asked a very relevant question: who was consulted? And I have to say to the leader of Plaid Cymru: if you go back to the budget consultation...
Kirsty Williams: Formally.
Kirsty Williams: Well, I would be delighted to recognise the success of that school, building on what Estyn did in 2016, where it recognised that what happens at West Monmouth School provides fantastic opportunities for young people and children from the Gypsy/Traveller community. They are keeping those children in school, and they're going on to achieve really well, and they have focused very much on...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Lynne. 'Education in Wales: Our National Mission' is clear on our commitment to ensure that all learners in Wales are fully supported to reach their potential. Working with partners, we are determined to overcome the particular challenges that face some groups of learners, including Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners, whose achievements, for instance, at 16 are not where any of us...
Kirsty Williams: Rhun, it really is a matter for the local authority in Ynys Môn to plan their school places, but let me be absolutely clear: any application under the twenty-first century schools programme for capital moneys is judged on a criteria, is examined by an external board to Welsh Government, with independent people looking at the value behind that individual application, and I'm not aware of...
Kirsty Williams: I would encourage all those, and I'm sure they already have—if they have concerns about the statutory notice that has been put out by Neath Port Talbot, then they need to participate in that consultation. As I said earlier, there is some guidance available that talks about notional travel times, what would be regarded as a disproportionate amount of time that one would expect a child to...
Kirsty Williams: Could I assure David and, indeed, all Members here that any applications to close a school that do find their way onto my desk are scrutinised forensically and are done so in accordance with existing Welsh law and statutory guidance?
Kirsty Williams: The primary consideration that all local authorities should have when planning their school places and thinking about school organisation is the interests of the learner and the quality of education that that institution is able to offer young people. You'll be aware of the answers I gave earlier. We are pushing forward with the designation of a list of rural schools and then a presumption...
Kirsty Williams: I have had no conversations with the commissioner on that particular subject. The organisation code does require local authorities to carry out an impact assessment with regard to the well-being of learners. It also does give indicative timings of what would be regarded as a length of travel time that would not be suitable for children, but it really is for the individual local authority to...
Kirsty Williams: Sorry. I apologise to Mr Reckless if I did not make myself clear in my answer to Michelle Brown. The learner travel Measure provides free school transport for compulsory-school-age children to the age of 16. For post-16 learners, individual local authorities are able to make provision if they see fit, and there is a mixed approach taken by local authorities across Wales.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Bethan. Responsibility for the planning of school places rests with local authorities. When proposing substantial changes to schools, local authorities and other proposers must comply with the oft-mentioned schools organisation code and must consider a range of factors—the prime consideration being the interests of learners.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Dawn. You are correct in saying that local authorities are responsible for school funding, and, indeed, that is set out in current Welsh law. You will also be aware that Estyn, the independent inspectorate, not only has a role in inspecting individual schools, but also has a role in inspecting the performance of individual local education authorities. They have trialled a new...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Dawn. The gross schools expenditure in Merthyr last year was budgeted to be over £50 million. That's 3 per cent higher than in 2016-2017. Merthyr Tydfil delegated 87 per cent of the funding to schools, giving a delegated budget of over £43 million. That's a 4 per cent increase on the previous year, and I'm pleased to say that's the highest percentage increase that we saw in any...
Kirsty Williams: I am sure that there are other examples where we have co-locations of facilities like that. What the twenty-first century schools programme is allowing us to do is find new and innovative ways of providing school places, whether that be in a shared location, whether we see the growing number of through schools, where children are educated on the same campus from the age of three right the way...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Julie. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an up—. Oh, sorry, that's your bit. [Laughter.] I am the Cabinet Secretary. [Laughter.] For a minute, I forgot myself and I was back over there, Presiding Officer. I've just done a Rhianon Passmore. [Interruption.] You never know. You never know. Julie, I am delighted to say—[Laughter.]—that band A of the twenty-first century...
