Can I thank Darren Millar for his in principle support for the academy and a strong focus on leadership? Members will be aware that lack of support for leadership was a key component of the OECD report into the state of Welsh education in 2014, and it’s an area where not a lot of progress has been made. So, like you, Darren, I’m very anxious that progress is made as quickly as possible and, as always, we’re trying to get the balance right between pace and ensuring that what we’re doing is of value and will succeed.

So, we’re certainly not sitting back and waiting for the spring of next year when we would expect the company to be up and running. That’s why I highlighted changes we’re already making, for instance, to the NPQH, which needed to be strengthened, in my view, and how we’ve been able to persuade the consortia to better work together to streamline their offer. One of the challenges in the past has been that the offer available for professional learning at all levels has been very dependent on which consortia you happen to be working in. From September of this year, we will have a more unified offer that provides equity for teachers right the way across our nation and will be of a similar standard regardless of where you are. So, we’re not sitting back waiting for the spring; we’re getting on and we’ll have new offers available from September of this year.

Darren raises the issue of early entry, which was the subject of much debate at yesterday’s Public Accounts Committee. You will be aware that I too have raised concerns both inside and outside this Chamber around the practice of early entry. Let me be clear—I welcome the opportunity to be clear once again: each decision about early entry into a formal examination should be done on the basis of what is right for that individual student, and I am concerned that that is not what is being done in some of our schools. There is evidence to suggest, anecdotally, that some students are entered early, bank their C grades, which works towards the school’s accountability measures, when really, given the opportunity to sit that exam again, or indeed sit that exam a year later, that child could have gone on to get a B or an A or an A*.

We are doing two things about this, Darren. One, we are having some qualitative research done with regard to the patterns of early entry, which is being done by Qualifications Wales; consortia have written to all schools to express my concern and to reinforce my approach to early entry; and I am committed to reviewing high-stakes accountability, which is often the driver for decisions that are being made regarding early entry. We have to have a smarter way of looking at whether a school is successful or not, and not one that has unintended consequences that potentially we are seeing here with regard to the use of early entry.

Darren, it’s a good point about FE and HE. There are already leadership programmes in place for both of those sectors. We have been remiss in the school sector about not having this provision earlier, and FE and HE have been part of the discussions. We look to work with them closely to see what lessons can be learnt. My ultimate vision for the academy is that the academy will provide leadership opportunities for everybody who is engaged in education in Wales—from our nursery sector, from our school sector, FE sector, HE sector, regional consortia, local education authorities and, dare I say it, even the education department of Welsh Government as well. If our education system is to be a success, we need leaders at all levels, and nobody is immune from being able to engage in professional learning that will make them better at that job, and that goes for my department also.

Federation does provide an opportunity to address some of the challenges of leadership and recruitment and retention, and that is being increasingly used across the sector. It is a particular issue potentially in rural schools, where being able to recruit headteachers to small, isolated rural schools can potentially be problematical, and therefore create a question mark over the future viability of the schools. Therefore, you’ll be aware of the introduction of the rural schools fund, which has particular guidance attached to it to look at supporting federation, both hard and soft.

With regard to the make-up of the board, I expect it to be small, and I expect it to be led by a chief executive and a chair that has all the auspices of public appointments. But to reassure you, both the Education Workforce Council and Estyn have been involved in the shadow board. EWC is a formal member of the shadow board and Estyn is an observer at the shadow board. So, we’re taking into consideration those people’s views as we develop the programme. What will success look like? Well, we haven’t got to that stage yet of actually having targets or success measures, but success will be improved outcomes for our learners and Wales being the place to pursue an educational career, whether that be as a schoolteacher or a school leader, because you will want to come here because you will be developed into your role, you will be supported in your role and you will be working in a successful education system.