Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 1:44 pm on 25 April 2018.
I would refer you to the answer that I just gave Darren Millar. I have made it absolutely clear that my intention is to revise the current school organisation code to create a list of named rural schools and to establish a presumption against closure of those schools. Importantly, as well, with regard to rural education, we cannot just rest on our laurels by keeping institutions open. Those institutions need to provide rural children with a first-class educational opportunity. Buildings alone are not enough; it is the quality that goes on in those buildings that is absolutely crucial to me and that's why we've introduced a small schools grant to be able to support local authorities to improve standards in small, rural schools that have particular challenges when it comes to delivering the curriculum.