The all-Wales attendance framework provides standards and guidance for practitioners to help reduce absence and improve attendance in Welsh schools.

Our approach to STEM is set out in our STEM in education and training plan. Education reforms will see practitioner-led and evidence-based changes to the STEM curriculum, with networks for excellence to support our teaching workforce. We are also enhancing computer coding in schools.

Our overall approach is set out in our STEM in education and training plan. Actions include new rigorous STEM-related GCSEs and A-levels, which have been supported at unprecedented levels—over £10 million via our education consortia across all subjects—gaining very positive feedback from practitioners.

Torfaen County Borough Council have statutory responsibility for improvement in their schools. I expect them to work closely with Education Achievement Service consortium to provide support and challenge to the school. An agreed action plan is in place to address Estyn’s concerns and I understand progress is measured through monthly improvement meetings.

The Welsh Government is committed to supporting the delivery of healthy relationships education. This is why Welsh Government has funded programmes such as, Hafan Cymru’s Spectrum Project, and the All Wales School Liaison Core Programme to ensure that appropriate support and resources are available for teachers.

The maximum fee that may be charged by a Welsh institution is currently £9,000. I confirmed yesterday that, from 2018, I have agreed to return to the pre-2012 policy of an inflation-linked maximum tuition fee level for three academic years.

School governing bodies and local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that they recruit sufficient numbers of individuals with the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience to meet the needs of the school. This includes the arrangements for deploying temporary supply teachers to cover staff absence as required.

The teaching of languages is highly valued in our schools, which is why the Global Futures plan was published in 2015. The plan aims to improve the teaching of modern foreign languages across all schools in Wales, and aims to provide all young people with opportunities to learn languages.

We’ve made considerable progress towards a self-improving system in Wales and must build on these strong foundations. These gains have been driven by our national model for regional working, which is based on collaboration and school-to-school support, and is enabling us to plan together for the new curriculum.