I want to write to Buffy Williams
Buffy Williams: Thank you, Minister. The benefits that the twenty-first century schools bring to our pupils and our teachers are enormous. We are fortunate in Rhondda to have three twenty-first century schools planned: one for Llyn y Forwyn, which will be completed over the next two years; one for Penrhys primary school; and one for Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda. Now, Minister, I know that you visited Ysgol Gyfun...
Buffy Williams: 2. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact the increased cost of living is having on plans for 21st century schools? OQ59244
Buffy Williams: Diolch to the Minister for today's statement. It's great to hear that 95 per cent of schools in Wales will be taking the next step on their curriculum journey. The world has changed considerably over a very short period of time, and will continue to change. It's only right that we continue to transform education to keep up with this change, moving away from the narrow subjects and granting...
Buffy Williams: Minister, improving the health and well-being and the education of our children and young people in Wales is so important—even more so now, following the pandemic. Free school meals will play a vital role in this, and I want to thank the Minister and the education Minister for all their hard work since the review, ensuring that this will become the new normal across schools in Wales. We...
Buffy Williams: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you to the Minister for today's statement. As you know, before I was elected to the Senedd, I worked in education for a number of years. It's one of the most challenging jobs I've had, and I take my hat off to all my friends and their colleagues in education working to support our children and young people, day in, day out. Visiting schools in Rhondda, I've...
Buffy Williams: ...Tourette's syndrome will also experience co-occurring conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. During my time in education, I worked with a number of children who were diagnosed, and, in some cases, undiagnosed, with Tourette's syndrome. I witnessed first-hand how living with Tourette's impacts on the...
Buffy Williams: What discussions has the Minister had with schools in Rhondda regarding the health and wellbeing of young learners?
Buffy Williams: ...tips, have delivered record flood prevention and defence investment, and will deliver 20 fully costed pledges, including funding 10 police community support officers, a cost-of-living payment, free school meals for primary school children, and will continue to increase the number of extra-care facilities for older people. Does the First Minister agree with me that Welsh Labour-led councils...
Buffy Williams: ...honouring her wishes and commemorating her life by continuing with fund-raising efforts for Velindre. The fund currently stands at just under £700,000, with Rhian's father, Wayne, engaging with schools, colleges, Women's Institutes, care homes, pubs and clubs, local businesses—you name it—to get the message out there. The hope is that research will find a way to cure cancer so that...
Buffy Williams: Minister, last week, I met with Ruby, who is a sixth form pupil at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda and a young member of the Senedd for Rhondda. I know the Minister will be visiting the school soon, following the exciting plans to build a brand-new, twenty-first century school, and I'm sure Ruby would love to give you a tour. We discussed a range of issues relating to day-to-day school life, but the...
Buffy Williams: Minister, pupils in schools have not been impacted equally in this pandemic. The hundreds of millions of pounds you have allocated to make schools COVID-secure has made a real difference, but there are still specific groups of pupils who have been disadvantaged more than others. We've seen an unprecedented demand for child and adolescent mental health services and school-based services with...
Buffy Williams: Will the First Minister provide an update on the holding of exams for secondary school pupils?
Buffy Williams: ...thousands of other Rhondda businesses, will contribute to the wider team Wales effort of creating a stronger, fairer and greener economic future. Before being elected to this place, I worked in education and ran a charity supporting young people in Rhondda. The message that I've heard from our young people for too long has been, 'To get on, you have to get out.' What will the Minister say...
Buffy Williams: Thank you, First Minister. I'm really pleased that the ambitious long-term programme of education reform in Wales will continue during the sixth Senedd with a new curriculum for Wales, the Welsh language education Bill, the new additional learning needs system, and twenty-first century schools investment. Yesterday, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council cabinet members accepted proposals...
Buffy Williams: 5. How will the Welsh Government improve the learning environment in schools across Wales? OQ56981
Buffy Williams: ...classrooms every day, like the children in Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda. The Minister knows that I recently visited Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda to meet with the new headteacher, to discuss the future of the school, and I look forward to meeting with the Minister to further discuss the plans. What steps will the Minister take to encourage more people to dechrau dysgu Cymraeg and encourage more...
Buffy Williams: ...Burgers and Fries in Rhondda, run by Lauren Bowen, who has been nominated for the Entrepreneur of Excellence award at the National Diversity Awards 2021. I also visited Treorchy Comprehensive School to sign their wall of difference during Diversity Week. It was refreshing and heartwarming to attend a school celebrating inclusivity. Bethan Howell, a teacher at the school, speaking about her...
Buffy Williams: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, having worked and volunteered in education and communities for the last 20 years, I have always said that if you give young people a chance, either through employment or volunteering, it's amazing what they can achieve. I was proud to stand on a manifesto that included a young person's guarantee, either of work, education, training or...
Buffy Williams: Minister, with an increase in the number of people walking, running and cycling closer to home throughout the pandemic, and with the difficulties for parents in keeping a social distance outside school gates, I was really pleased to see funding to introduce more 20 mph zones in my constituency, Rhondda, to keep residents safe. I think it's really important that we build on this work, as well...
