Mark Reckless asked the question about whether we can attribute some of this success to the Seren network. Of course, this is the first year that the students will have been through the entirety of the Seren programme, and I think there is definitely something there that has driven those excellent results. Alongside those results we have seen a record number of offers from Cambridge University to our Seren students for entry in 2019, an offer rate of some 30 per cent, which is significantly above other parts of the United Kingdom. And when you think of the demographics of Wales as compared to the demographics in richer parts of the United Kingdom, I think we should say 'well done' to those children and to their teachers.

With regard to GCSE, we have seen an improvement in overall summer results since last year. I have, however, been very clear that over the past few years several important changes within the system make it difficult to draw similarly meaningful comparisons, but that does not mean that there's been a drop in standards or rigour; in fact, quite the opposite. This Government is supporting all of our learners and we will never lower any of our expectations for any of our young people. It is just the reality of the changes that have been made, and not just changes to the individual specification of courses, but we have seen a radical change in entry patterns over the last couple of years. I will make no apologies for taking forward a reform programme that is determined to deliver the best for learners in Wales. And that's one of the reasons why our reforms are necessarily wide-reaching and transformative, because I believe that they will ensure that learners right across Wales are supported through the education system to reach their full potential.

For example, steps taken to end the inappropriate use of early entry are beginning to drive changes in the size and nature of cohorts, and schools have also simultaneously adapted to changes in the exams themselves that have been phased in over the past few years. Welsh second language is a prime example of this, and this was another issue that was raised by Mark Reckless. This is the first year that learners have sat the new full-course GCSE option, following the removal of the short-course option. Entries are up by a third and changes quoted for attainment rates are misleading in that context, as most of those learners would previously not have sat a full GCSE; they would have been entered for the short course. Looking at the impact of these changes, we see increases in the actual numbers of learners achieving an A* to C grade in Welsh second language, up by some 12 per cent. The new GCSE has more emphasis on speaking, listening and using the language, which means that more young people are developing the language skills that Wales needs now and in the future. The summer series also saw improvements at A* to C in maths, numeracy, Welsh, physics, biology, chemistry, double-award science, DT, geography and PE.

Now, moving on to teacher assessment, this year's results need to be considered in the light of recent policy changes. We have shifted the primary purpose of teacher assessment back to individual learners for more formative use only, to guide decisions about how best to progress people's learning and not to make school-to-school comparisons or form part of any accountability system. Therefore, this year's outcomes, I believe, should be a more accurate and a more objective reflection of learners' progress, and comparisons with previous years I do not believe are meaningful. We know that there have been unintended consequences of some of the elements of our school accountability system, but I do not accept that recent changes amount to a watering down.

Our national mission sets out our vision for an accountability system that is fair, coherent, proportionate, transparent and based on our shared values for Welsh education. There will be a clear ability for Members to be able to see capped 9 scores, literacy scores, numeracy scores, science scores, as well as a distinction between male and female learners and between FSM and non-FSM learners. The new evaluation and improvement arrangements will help bring about the cultural change that is ultimately needed to support the realisation of our new curriculum. And at the heart is robust and continuous self-evaluation for all tiers of the education system, along with professional dialogue to support learning and improvement and embed collaboration, because Nick Ramsay is right: it is that school-to-school work that really drives things forward, builds trust and drives self-improvement and raises standards for all learners. And our plans are about making sure that the way in which we assess the performance of a school represents the performance of the school in the round, not just examination results. Outside accountability will continue to be a feature of the system. Schools will continue to be inspected, and more regularly than the 13 years that we've seen highlighted across the border today. And parents and guardians will continue to receive reports on the progress of their learners.

Now, Paul Davies asked what specific actions we're taking as a result of this summer series results. We do need to work with our exam board, with Qualifications Wales, with our regional consortia and our practitioners of English teaching, because there is more work to do with regard to English, and I hope to make an announcement to the Assembly shortly on a new approach to schools that are causing concern and how we can support those schools to make more rapid improvement and rapid progress.

With regard to the funding gap, it's not some quarters that have challenged the figures that have been quoted here. The Institute for Fiscal Studies made it very clear, only a matter of weeks ago, that once you take London out of the equation, the funding gap between English and Welsh schools has been virtually eliminated. With regard to the CYPE report, I have accepted all the recommendations in that report, including the primary recommendation with regard to an investigation into education funding, and I will give Members more details of the nature of the work that I am committed to undertaking when I respond fully to the committee's report, which I believe is in the next few weeks, when it is debated here in the Chamber.

But, if you're intent on talking Wales down, like some people appear to have been in this Chamber this afternoon, then you fail to recognise the shift that is undoubtedly happening in our education system—a genuine transformation based on co-production across all tiers and with key stakeholders. It's rooted in good practice, it's rooted in research and it's rooted in evidence. Deputy Presiding Officer, I do not—of course I don't—support the Conservatives' motion, which simply misrepresents and talks down the progress of our learners and our educational professionals. I know—I know—there's no room for complacency, and I know that we can do better. But, spurred on by the OECD's view that Wales is leading the way, and working together with the sector, we will continue our national mission to raise standards and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and enjoys the confidence of the people of Wales.