Can I thank Darren Miller for his questions and his welcome for many of the initiatives within the statement? He is absolutely correct when he says that federation is not just relevant to rural schools. Actually, it’s a source of disappointment to me that, although the regulations that allow federation have been around for a number of years, we’ve seen little development of this. If one looks at developments in other countries on the key aspects of a self-improving education system—because let’s face it, sitting at the top, on the fifth floor, of this building is not the way in which we are going to improve our education system; it has to be down to those working in collaboration: parents, communities, individual teachers, school leaders, consortia, LEAs and Welsh Government. We all have a role to play. Federation and greater school-to-school working actually are relevant across the piece, and I would like to see greater use of federation, not just in rural areas but actually in other parts of Wales too.

I’m glad that he reminded me of the opportunities presented by through schools. I am very interested in looking at how those models are developing. There is some experience of this in Ceredigion, where some through schools have existed for a little while now. I hear good things about the system, the benefits of that system. Again, the ability: we know from looking at research that, for many children, that transition from primary to secondary is an area where performance drops, especially for boys. If we can smooth that transition out by having a through school I think there is much merit in looking at whether we can develop that in different parts of Wales.

The leadership academy: I hope to have the shadow authority up and running by the autumn of this year, and I would hope to have entrants into the system by the summer of next year. The college itself will not be the provider of services, because we can’t expect individual teachers to travel to one particular place to receive that kind of support. So, whilst it will co-ordinate and it will organise, it’ll actually be local delivery, because we want leaders, wherever they are in Wales, to have the opportunity to benefit from it. But, as I said, I hope to have a shadow authority up and running by the autumn, and entrants in by the summer of 2017.

The pupil deprivation grant: can I just say, PDG, by a number of independent bodies that have looked at it, is making a difference for our poorest children? Last year we saw, for the first time ever, the GCSE results of those children begin to catch up with their contemporaries. That is something that we all should be celebrating. The issue is that we need to increase that pace. We need those children to catch up even quicker. So, PDG, as I said, is an important part, moving forward. I and the finance Minister, who recognises the achievements of PDG to date, continue to have those discussions. The Member will be aware, in my correspondence with the First Minister, I will be looking to expand PDG where I think we can have the biggest impact. Having visited the amazing Tremorfa Nursery School this morning, I think maybe that perhaps there is scope to look at early years education and increasing PDG that goes into early years. So, we’ll be looking at options there.

Additional learning needs: can I absolutely state that the purpose of the legislation and the purpose of the reforms is that every child is treated as an individual and their individual needs are addressed, rather than perhaps a system in the past that has not sought to individualise support packages in the round for those individuals? So, this is not about having fewer opportunities for more able children. This is actually about being able to have a system that can be responsive to the individual needs of every single child in a way that I think, at the moment, is not available.

Returning to the issue about looked-after children, the Member will be aware that Estyn has recently reported on this, and that report is not where I would want us to be—not where I would want us to be. There is some good practice, but, as always with the Welsh education system, that good practice is not universally applied. That is my purpose in doing this job: we need to eradicate the inconsistencies within schools and the inconsistencies between schools and individual local authorities, and the inconsistencies for outcomes for all our children, whether they have an additional learning need, whether they are entitled to free school meals, or whether they are looked after. The previous administration set up a strategy. We will be looking to see whether the outcomes of the Estyn report are aligned to the outcomes and the actions of the strategy announced by the previous Minister. I will want to see whether that strategy will address the weaknesses identified in Estyn, and, if they do not, and I’m not satisfied that they do, then I will have to look again at that strategy. But I am determined to have an education system that works for all of our children.