5. 4. Statement: Educational Leadership

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:13 pm on 16 May 2017.

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Photo of Lee Waters Lee Waters Labour 4:13, 16 May 2017

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I’d like to warmly support the passion you have for nurturing leadership as a way of achieving excellence in standards. Can I just ask a couple of questions about how you see this sitting within the existing landscape of initiatives, bearing in mind that we are meant to be doing fewer things and keeping things simple? So, how, in particular, do you see this fitting in with the consortia and with local education authorities, because I think there’s a danger we have a cluttered landscape? Secondly, we have an emphasis on school-to-school support for raising school standards, and there is, as you know, excellence already in leadership all across Wales. So, how do we see existing leaders supporting emerging leaders? And, finally, you mentioned in your statement that you said:

‘The quality of the education system cannot exceed the quality of our teachers.’

As you know, half of the school workforce are learning support assistants, and I do feel that they are a neglected part of the workforce. So, how do you see that workforce being captured within the spirit of the academy?