Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. This Government’s action plan for education, 'Our National Mission', commits us to a system that combines equity with excellence. It is these values that ensure that we succeed for all pupils and teachers, with an inclusive, innovative public service education. We can be rightly proud of the success of the pupil development grant in raising aspirations and ensuring extra resources for children from our most disadvantaged communities, and our new Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 paves the way for a new approach in driving improvement for that significant group of learners.

However, an education system that is truly equitable and excellent ensures that all pupils are supported to reach their potential, and I am very clear in this conviction. Therefore, Deputy Presiding Officer, we must follow the evidence. It is clear from PISA, previous Estyn reports, the Sutton Trust and UCL research that Wales must do more to identify, support and stretch our most able learners. As I have said on previous occasions, and outlined in 'Our National Mission’, we are committed to developing and delivering provision to address this weakness in our system. Quite simply, a truly equitable and excellent system supports and inspires the needs of all learners. My statement today further strengthens our commitment to an equitable, fair, progressive education system, which sets high aspirations and ambitions for all. We are not, however, starting from a standing start.

There have been improvements, year on year, as learners transition from primary to secondary, and last year performance at the highest grades at key stage 4 remained stable, despite the introduction of new examinations. At the same time, the pass rate for A-level students getting A* and A increased, and the Seren network goes from strength to strength. Within the further education sector, we have introduced a national programme to help practitioners support more able and talented learners and, more widely, improved decisions around GCSE subject choice and early entry are already having an effect. Set within this context, I want to further accelerate progress for our more able learners, whatever their background. Today, therefore, I am setting out core principles for sustained action and improvement: firstly, better identification and support at school, regional and national levels; secondly, opportunities that will inspire the highest levels of achievement; and thirdly, the development of a rich evidence base to support further investment and work.

There are already pockets of innovative practice in Wales, and I'm determined to see these rolled out. In fact, this is an area that suffers from a relative lack of high-quality international best practice and research. The opportunity is there for Wales to lead the way through both action and research. Therefore, I'm making available up to £3 million over the next two years. As a first step, this will support a new national approach for identifying and supporting our more able learners. We will establish a new definition, which will facilitate early identification of those learners, together with new comprehensive guidance. Challenge and support actions through local authorities, consortia, national networks of excellence and Estyn will help schools take this work forward.

Further encouraging a culture that recognises and supports high aspirations for all learners, teachers and schools is crucial to the delivery of an education system that is a source of national pride and enjoys public confidence. Deputy Presiding Officer, we must provide rich experiences that broaden horizons and intellectual curiosity for all learners. This is fundamental to our curriculum reforms.

Today, I'm announcing that the Seren network will be expanded. It already makes a hugely positive contribution to raising aspirations, boosting confidence and encouraging post-16 students to be ambitious. The recent evaluation asked that we consider expanding its scope, and I agree with that recommendation. Therefore, from September we will pilot an approach that involves younger learners, before GCSEs. Working across the regional hubs, it will connect like-minded learners from different schools and communities, providing access to leaders and experts across a range of disciplines. Our very brightest students benefit from learning opportunities that will deepen their skills and their knowledge, and the Seren network is well positioned to share and develop effective practice here. For others, the key is widening horizons and raising aspiration, helping young people understand where hard work could take them in terms of future study and onward careers. We will build on Seren’s existing links with leading global universities, and I will make a further announcement on their involvement in the near future.

Finally, and integral to the principles of a self-improving system, we must encourage exploration and innovation. As I mentioned earlier, by providing this focus, we can be a pioneer in pedagogy, policy and research in this area. The investment I’m announcing today will include funding to develop capacity to capture the evidence from our approach, both to support our own developing policy work and also to be recognised as an international innovator in this field.

To conclude, Deputy Presiding Officer, today’s statement is not simply a matter of supporting a few select learners. Far from it. It has far-reaching system and societal benefits. It is these learners, from all backgrounds, who can be, will be, the public servants, the entrepreneurs, the teachers and scientists who will drive Wales’s future prosperity and success. Getting it right for these learners, and those with the potential to be these learners, means getting it right for everyone. It is a true test of our principles of partnering equity with excellence, and I believe that this comprehensive approach and investment ensures that we can meet that test head on, raising standards and aspirations for all within our system. Thank you.