5. Motion to annul the School Performance and Absence Targets (Wales) (Amendments) Regulations 2019

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:50 pm on 10 July 2019.

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Photo of Suzy Davies Suzy Davies Conservative 3:50, 10 July 2019

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you very much to all Members who took part in this debate today, and I'm glad, Jenny Rathbone, you thought this was important enough to discuss. Perhaps I can just begin with the Minister's points. This has been brought at a higher level to the Chamber before; it's not complete news to us. But the very specifics of English, maths and Welsh, we hadn't had a chance to discuss those. Even though I agree with what you said in your response to this debate, that we have been told about this before and something needs to change, I don't think you did cover off the English, maths and Welsh part particularly, because those particular subjects, in our current system—not our current education system, but in our current economic system, our higher and further education system—have a unique status. They're always asked for, and I would be very worried if schools were given the opportunities not to make those three subject areas one of the six or more that they're going to be setting targets in the new way on, and that's why I chose these particular regulations rather than any others. So, perhaps you can reflect a little bit more on that.

Teaching to a test—yes, we agree with you there, Jenny, but, as I say, these three subjects are priorities, I think, for any school, however good it is and however well it's been performing in those three areas up until now.

More Members—now then, that won't solve the problem if these regulations are hidden. We can have 160 Members, but if we can't find these regulations, they still can't be scrutinised by anyone. So, I'm grateful to you, Minister, for the final points that you made there.