Through ‘Education in Wales: Our national mission’ I have set out my priorities for education in Wales. At its heart is a focus on raising standards for all learners, reducing the attainment gap and creating an education system that is a source of national pride and public confidence.

I welcome Estyn’s 2016-17 annual report as further evidence that Wales’s education system is uniting in a mission of self-improvement. I am heartened to see that the chief inspector welcomes the steps we have taken to drive up standards and support improvement in our schools.

‘Education in Wales: Our national mission’ clearly sets out my priorities for education in Wales to raise standards and support all learners to achieve their potential. It also sets out how Welsh Government will work with the other tiers in the system to create an education system of national pride.

We have been working with both our medical schools to explore how we can increase the number of Welsh-domiciled medical students studying in Wales. In 2016, 25 per cent of the medical students enrolled at Cardiff were from Wales, an increase from 19 per cent in 2015, with similar increases being seen in Swansea. 

The Welsh Government, regional consortia—ERW—and local authorities are collectively supporting schools in mid Wales to improve educational outcomes in line with the priorities in ‘Education in Wales: Our national mission’.

Progress is being made on the Bill. I published a summary of the responses to the White Paper on 24 January and am now considering the responses carefully before making decisions on the policy direction.

Local authorities are responsible for planning school places, taking account of demand for places and the requirements of the modern curriculum. In undertaking their school reorganisation duties they and other proposers must comply with the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the school organisation code.