<p>Infant Classes (Islwyn)</p>

3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd on 6 July 2016.

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Photo of Rhianon Passmore Rhianon Passmore Labour

(Translated)

2. Will the Minister outline the percentage of pupils in infant classes of over 30 pupils in Islwyn? OAQ(5)0009(EDU)

Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 2:58, 6 July 2016

I thank the Member for the question. The latest published pupil level annual school census data, otherwise known as PLASC, show that the number of pupils in classes of over 30 with legally permitted exceptions was 256 pupils from a total of 2,600, making that 9.8 per cent of children.

Photo of Rhianon Passmore Rhianon Passmore Labour 2:59, 6 July 2016

Thank you for that. The most recent school census shows the average infant class size in Wales was 25.4 pupils. What action will the Welsh Government take to ensure that infant class sizes in Islwyn are reduced to 25, as reducing infant class sizes is an important issue for parents and can have a positive effect on teachers’ workload? And when does the Cabinet Secretary believe the target for Islwyn can be met?

Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat

Can I thank the Member for recognising the importance of this issue? As someone who has spent time at the chalk face, I’m sure she has first-hand experience of knowing how pupil numbers can have a real impact on the ability of children to learn. Reducing workload and enabling teachers to spend that crucial time supporting pupils is a key priority for me and the Welsh Government. I have asked my officials to scope out options to reduce class sizes on an all-Wales basis, starting with the largest classes first. In terms of the target deadline for Islwyn, I’m not in a position today to be able to say when that will be achieved, but it is one of my priorities, as I said, on an all-Wales basis.

Photo of Mohammad Asghar Mohammad Asghar Conservative 3:00, 6 July 2016

I also want to congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on her new role. My first question to her is—. According to a Welsh Liberal Democrats press release, over 7,500 pupils in Wales were educated in classes of more than 30 pupils last year. In it, you also quoted—your quote—

‘our top education priority is cutting class sizes’.

However, an adviser to the Welsh Government, Professor David Reynolds, has said,

‘If you look at the academic evidence you don’t get much out of reducing class size’.

Will the Cabinet Secretary advise whether cutting class sizes in Islwyn and other parts of Wales is still her top priority in education in Wales?

Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 3:01, 6 July 2016

Can I thank the Member for the question and for his kind words? Can I make it clear that David Reynolds is not and adviser to my department? Can I also say that what there is evidence to suggest is that cutting class sizes is especially important to our younger pupils, it is especially important to our most deprived pupils—some of the communities that the Member says that he represents—and it is especially important to those young children whose first language is neither English nor Welsh? That’s where we know that cutting class sizes makes a real difference. If the Member spends time talking to both parents and teachers, he will know it is a priority for them. That’s why it was my top priority in my party’s manifesto and that’s why this Welsh Government will deliver on it.

Photo of Lee Waters Lee Waters Labour 3:02, 6 July 2016

I’ve been speaking to some headteachers recently who are concerned about the evidence base for this policy. They’re also concerned that schools that are already oversubscribed—by reducing the standard number, it may result in them being able to take even fewer pupils. They’re also concerned about the ability of the school buildings to cope with the changes that will flow from this policy, so I wonder what reassurances the Cabinet Secretary can offer to those concerns.

Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat

Can I thank the Member for his observations? It is true to say that there will have to be a variety of approaches to how we achieve this. That’s why my officials are scoping out a number of options where we can make this a reality for pupils. That may include employing extra teachers, it may involve making grants available for capital works, or it may involve employing, for instance, higher-level teaching assistants so we can address the issue of adult-to-student ratios in the classroom. My officials are scoping out the best methods by which we can achieve the goal of ensuring that teachers have the time that they need to give individual pupils the attention that they need to thrive in their earliest years of education.