Kirsty Williams: Mick, as I've stated earlier, I've had a number of discussions in recent weeks with sector representatives—both the unions and the employers.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Mark. I start from the basis that all qualifications should be available to all of our cohort, and I don't think any of us would want to start from the provision of saying that there are certain groups of learners who cannot access a certain qualification. We have to start on the basis of equity. However, I would expect headteachers to use their professional judgment in...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Mark. Local authorities are responsible for providing suitable educational provision for all learners to enable them to access a range of qualifications, including the Welsh baccalaureate. Those with additional learning needs will receive additional support to meet their individual needs.
Kirsty Williams: Well, Janet, primarily, we provide milk to our schoolchildren because of the nutritional benefits that that provides children. But, of course, it has an additional benefit to the dairy sector, and as Simon Thomas says, it can provide us with a useful teaching opportunity to talk to children about sustainable food production, where their food comes from, and, indeed, the social and historic...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Simon, as you've acknowledged, the Welsh Government's school milk scheme is indeed unique amongst the United Kingdom home nations, being the only scheme that offers milk at no cost to the entire foundation phase. Over 99 per cent of maintained primary schools are signed up to the scheme, and as you said, it has a number of benefits for the children involved. In 2017-18, the free school...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Simon. Discussions with DEFRA are ongoing regarding school milk. Wales will continue to participate in the existing EU school milk scheme. We will discuss with DEFRA and the other devolved administrations options for the future of the scheme, as part of our wider consideration around departure from the EU. And this is just one of a number of examples that many people do...
Kirsty Williams: Let me be absolutely clear: the core funding formula is not a matter for me; it is a matter for my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for local government and for the revenue support group that sits across that, making decisions about how the RSG revenue support grant is made available. On two separate occasions, the Welsh Government have offered Welsh local government the opportunity to change...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Presiding Officer, there is no doubt that this is a challenging time for education budgets, and I make no bones about that. That means that being clear about the facts and information is more important that ever, and it is disappointing that the correspondence that the Vale has issued to its schools and parents have misrepresented the position on school funding. I am in the process of...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Jane, for the question. Local authorities are responsible for school funding in Wales. The Vale of Glamorgan Council sets their spending priorities for the services that they provide, taking consideration of local needs and all the resources available. How much an authority sets aside for school budgets is a matter for that authority.
Kirsty Williams: Well, indeed, the development of the new curriculum provides a very real opportunity to ensure a broad and balanced education for children and young people across Wales, and I would include in that political and citizenship education. Indeed, as the mother of a 16-year-old myself, who is very anxious to have the opportunity to be able to have a democratic right and cast her vote and...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Mr Bennett. Learners have the opportunity to study politics and citizenship as part of the Welsh baccalaureate and in personal and social education. Ensuring learners become ethical, informed citizens is one of the four purposes of the new curriculum. Political and citizenship education will be central to supporting this.
Kirsty Williams: I'm very grateful for the acknowledgement of Pontarddulais school. Only yesterday evening, I met the headteacher of the school as she becomes one of the first tranche of the new associates of the academy of leadership, and her contribution to raising standards in her own school and across the region is one of the reasons why she has been appointed to one of those, what I would regard as...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Russell, what's important is that we direct funds to where individuals who would previously have benefited under some of these grants are located. Because of the transfer, there are certain authorities that would not have received—or would have received very little under the old minority ethnic achievement grant and Gypsy/Traveller grant who, actually, under the RSG distribution, will...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Russell. Through the education improvement grant for schools we will continue to make available more than £225 million over the next two years to support both the foundation phase and improvements in schools. This represents a significant investment that will benefit all learners as part of our delivery of the national mission.
Kirsty Williams: Nick, you're absolutely right: one of the biggest challenges that we have in Welsh education is to ensure that equity within our system and that includes closing the attainment gap for those pupils who are qualifying for free school meals against that of their peers. This year, Welsh Government will invest over £91 million in the pupil development grant. We are always challenging both...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Dawn. I have to say, it is for individual schools to determine the most effective way to address bullying and implement any anti-bullying policies within their school setting, which includes any measures that they may wish to consider to control the usage of phones or information technology equipment, which may be a channel for cyber bullying. We're also developing a suite—we...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Bethan, in undertaking their school organisation responsibilities, local authorities must comply with the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the schools organisation code and must consider a range of factors. One of those factors is the interests of learners. You will be aware that we have recently undertaken a consultation on the code to see where it can be...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Bethan, and can I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent marriage? 'Education in Wales: Our national mission' provides an action plan that will see transformation of the education system in Wales. The plan has been developed in accordance with the principles of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and will be delivered and assessed against the...
Kirsty Williams: Well, Darren, as I've said, all local authorities will have benefited from the contribution of EIG going into RSG. I have recognised that, for some local authorities, changes in the distribution formula have had a negative effect. The reality is, Darren, that those three local authorities are affected because that is where the density of the population is, and therefore it is unsurprising...
Kirsty Williams: The Member will be aware that a number of grants were rolled into the education improvement grant four years ago. Part of that was called 'MEAG', which is there to support the education of minority ethnic groups, and there was a separate grant scheme to support Gypsies and Travellers. The Member is not wrong to say that we need to redouble our efforts with regard to outcomes for...
