Can I thank Darren Millar for his positive welcome of the development of the academy? He's quite right to say that this has been a priority for me since coming into office. If we look back at a series of educational reforms in Wales, there has been a glaring gap, I believe, in the focus on leadership support within the system. It was identified in the 2014 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report, and on coming into office I was determined to do something about that. And I was very glad to see, when we invited the OECD back, that they were urging us to get on with the job of creating the academy. It is crucial if we are to transform Welsh education that we have a greater focus on the quality of leadership. So, I'm grateful for his welcome. 

My understanding of the decision to place it in Swansea was a recommendation that was made to me by the task and finish group. I've made it clear that my desire was that the organisation should be set outside the bubble, so to speak, and the task and finish group spoke to a number of locations, I understand, looking for good-quality accommodation at a decent price, and the recommendation came back for an office in Swansea. I believe that they will be up and running fully in that office a little bit later on.

We expect the academy to have a small staff of around seven to eight individuals. So, this is not a top-heavy organisation. Again, that's on the basis of the work that has been done by the task and finish group to look to create a form after they had decided on what the function should be. So, form follows function, and the recommendation was a small staff group was required.

With regard to financing—of course, subject to any votes in this National Assembly—but in the draft budget papers that have already come before Members, we've identified £1 million for the next three years to support the work of the academy.

Darren, you're absolutely right that this academy needs to be for all people involved in education in Wales. There are already some very, very strong programmes that support FE leadership, and you're quite right, strong FE leadership has been a characteristic of many, many of the Estyn reports that have come through. And there is an opportunity to learn from what has worked well in FE, as well as what has worked well in HE, but eventually, I want the academy to encompass leadership roles in education right the way across the board, and I would include in that educational leadership roles at all levels in school. So, not just headteachers or the senior management team, but actually, middle leadership—so, the heads of department, heads of subject, not just the top echelons in our school community. We're also looking at FE as well. I would also include in that local education authorities. I would like it to stretch to regional consortia, and I'd like it to stretch to Welsh Government as well, including my officials who are engaged in education roles within my department. So, actually, I want the academy eventually to be able to provide opportunities across the piece. But of course, as a new organisation, we need to crawl before we walk, before we run, and the priority has to be supporting those who are new to leadership at the moment and our existing leaders. Once we've got that right, the academy will look to expand the provision it is able to go into next. It's early days and we need to get the basics right before we move forward, but I want it to be for everyone.

Darren, can I give you an absolute reassurance? One of the most important jobs the academy will do will be to quality assure provision. There are vast varieties of programmes out there, and we need to know, and leaders need to know, that what they're investing their time in, and what we're investing scarce public resources in, are programmes of professional development that are evidence based and work. And that will be a crucial role. I have no problem in assuring you that if those programmes aren't up to the mark, I don't want my professionals taking part in those programmes; they will not be quality assured. What's really important is that assurance process will include our academy associates. So, these are people who are already at the highest point in their career, but even then, have identified that there is more that they can learn about running great organisations. And they will be an integral part of advising the academy on what those provisions will look like, so that they really meet the needs of professionals. But crucially, in meeting the needs of the professionals, it will impact on our children.

This leadership academy is there for a purpose, and it's not just for the individuals who participate, but it will be to allow those individuals who participate to have an impact back in their institutions on the standard of teaching and learning, and ultimately, the outcomes for our children.