Thank you, Darren, for your points. If I start with the issue of continuing professional development, obviously the focus of the statement today is on initial teacher education, but you’re absolutely right that we can never forget or take our focus off the need to support teachers who are already in the classroom, and you’ll be aware that the learning passports were launched last year. We’re looking to see whether they have been effective in this first year of operation and what we can learn from that. We’re working with new deal pioneer schools to look at what kind of continuing professional development makes the biggest difference. Speaking to teachers, as I have done since taking up this role, what seems to be the most effective way is teacher-to-teacher collaboration, especially if that can be fostered within a network of local schools. Some of the old barriers around professional distrust of not wanting to share weaknesses and strengths with one another are breaking down, I’m pleased to see, and teachers see the value in working together. Those networks are being developed and supported by the consortia. Of course, one of the key aspects of our new professional teaching standards will be a commitment to ongoing professional development from teachers themselves, with an emphasis on keeping up with current research such as the latest thinking on pedagogical issues. So, that’s very much part of our teaching standards approach.

On the leadership college, we know that there are school leaders out there that have effected huge change in the performance of their schools. I was recently visiting a school where, quite controversially, a couple of years ago, a federation had been introduced. In the space of three years, the GCSE performance level 2 plus indicators had grown by over 25 per cent. In the space of three years, a successful school leader had been able to bring programmes and methods to that new school and, as a result, had seen a massive, massive change. Indeed, the people who were at the forefront of objecting to that governance change were now saying, ‘Look at us; look at how well our school has done this summer. And, actually, our grades are better than the private school just across the road.’ They were really, really proud of their achievement. So, it’s looking at those kinds of models, because we can drive achievement forward.

What are we doing with regard to STEM and Welsh? Well, I’m sure you’re aware that there are already premiums available for graduates in STEM subjects or graduates who have skills in Welsh to go to train as teachers. We need to look to see whether we’re getting good value for money for those schemes and whether it has resulted in those teachers then ending up in our classrooms. We are evaluating that, but that’s one way of doing it.

With regard to international teachers, I have to say, Darren, rather than considering what barriers we’ve put in the way for teachers qualifying to teach in Wales, one has to wonder what barriers the Home Office and the immigration service have put in Wales. We are hamstrung by the system that has been put in place by the Home Office and the immigration system in Westminster, which actually constrains the ability for people from overseas to come and work in this country, and not just in teaching. Last year, we had the debacle of nurses, where this country was crying out for nurses and we had to get a special dispensation just for the winter to allow nurses from overseas to come here. So, actually, the barriers are not here in Wales, the barriers are ones that have been created—[Interruption.]—have been created by Westminster to allowing people from overseas to come and live and work in this country.

But, as I said, we do need to keep a balance between the continual professional development of teachers who are already in the system, but we have to get our initial teacher education offer right, because, if we don’t, we will not be able to see the improvements in school standards that you and I both want to see.