Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Alun. And indeed, our working group with local education authorities have highlighted issues around connectivity as being of concern to them. During the first lockdown, as I said, we did distribute in excess of 10,000 MiFi devices to those learners for whom connectivity was an issue. We continue to explore with local authorities what further devices are necessary in that regard, as...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Alun. At the outset of the pandemic, my officials commissioned local authorities to identify all digitally excluded learners, in conjunction with their schools. Since the pandemic, we've made available approximately 160,000 devices for schools, which they are able to give to, to lend to, their pupils, and some 10,848 MiFi connections.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Vikki. I would like to place on record my immense gratitude and thanks to those working in our PRU units, as you quite rightly say, working alongside some of our most vulnerable learners. That is why we have asked local authorities at this time, where at all possible, to continue to provide PRU education, and I'm grateful for those staff that are doing that on a daily basis. Could...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Caroline. We have published extensive guidance to local education authorities and schools around distance learning at this time. All learners should be provided with the duration of learning time that they would have received should they have been in schools. Obviously, there are some exceptions to that implementation, especially for our youngest children. I'm sure Caroline would...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Laura. You're correct to say that access to digital devices is one part of the challenge. Since the pandemic began, we have made available approximately 106,000 devices for schools, which they can lend out to children. In the autumn term, we established with our local authority partners a distance learning working group to further understand the barriers to children accessing...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you, Laura. The range of measures to support remote learning include extensive professional learning, significant investment in devices, and the enhanced £29 million accelerated learning programme. Building on guidance to support blended learning, further guidance has been published today to enable schools to effectively support learners.
Kirsty Williams: Our national mission is to ensure all learners are supported to meet their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances. We continue to provide additional investment to ensure that all children and young people have equal access to an education during the pandemic and beyond.
Kirsty Williams: Welsh Government continues to work with stakeholders to ensure support is available for teachers in Wales during the pandemic. This includes funding a tailored package of mental health and well-being support services for teachers and support staff during this academic year.
Kirsty Williams: I confirmed the approach to general qualifications on 16 December, following advice from the design and delivery advisory group. The group is actively reflecting on the implications of the decision to move to remote learning on public health grounds. I will be providing a further update as soon as possible.
Kirsty Williams: My officials are in regular contact with colleagues in Carmarthenshire, along with all other local authorities. We will continue to provide support and guidance where we can.
Kirsty Williams: I continue to be guided by the latest scientific/medical advice. In addition, schools and colleges are being given the opportunity to perform serial testing of close contacts from this month. This will help to reduce the need to self-isolate and reduce the risk of asymptomatic transmission within schools and colleges.
Kirsty Williams: We remain the only Government in the United Kingdom to provide universal breakfast for primary school pupils and of course, we have plans to see what we can do to extend that provision for year 7 pupils. We were the first Government to confirm funding over the Easter and half-term holidays in 2020 and funding for the provision of free school meals from September 2020 through to Easter 2021,...
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, acting Presiding Officer. Could I begin by thanking Plaid Cymru for the opportunity to talk about how Wales has led the UK in prioritising the welfare of families and how we have worked effectively with local government to deliver efficient and effective provision? We do indeed, as has been referenced in the debate, have the most generous Government in the UK when it...
Kirsty Williams: I formally move.
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. A number of times today, the curriculum and assessment Bill has been described as 'bold, big and ambitious', and I have to admit at 19:40 this evening, I'm not feeling any of those things, but I will give it my best shot in trying to respond to the points that have been raised. Firstly, can I just reiterate my thanks to all the committees involved? I think there...
Kirsty Williams: No, they haven't.
Kirsty Williams: How?
Kirsty Williams: How?
Kirsty Williams: Earlier this year, I committed to engaging with the debate on the position of English in the Bill, within the context of our ambitions for a truly bilingual system. The response to the survey on amending the Bill so that English would become a mandatory element at seven was overwhelmingly supportive, and therefore I do intend laying an amendment at Stage 2 to that effect. I note the...
Kirsty Williams: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I move the motion on the order paper, and I'm very pleased to open this debate on the general principles of the Bill, having introduced it to the Senedd in July. It will provide the legislative framework to support our new curriculum and assessment arrangements. The Curriculum for Wales, supported by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and at...
