Ongoing Training for Teachers

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 2:05 pm on 18 March 2020.

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Photo of Angela Burns Angela Burns Conservative 2:05, 18 March 2020

No, and I totally understand that. In fact, I thought about withdrawing this question; I've withdrawn other ones today because I think that the most important thing we've got going on at the moment is, obviously, coronavirus. But I kept this one on because I know that, as the recess develops and we go into the summer, you will be looking at the development of teachers September onwards, and the question, actually, is, really, about supporting our teachers and giving them the ability to handle difficult children, children with behaviour management. I just wonder—not now, but going forward—. I've had a lot of concern from headteachers and teachers in my constituency where the teachers have not really been trained how to handle very disruptive, very aggressive primary schoolchildren. They don't want to ban them from school—that doesn't help anyone—but the teachers themselves need more resilience, more coping skills, more training, and I wondered if you would address that.

And please will you forgive me—or give me some indulgence—but, when you make your statement next week, could I ask you to consider giving us an update on, if the schools are going to be closed for a longer period of time than perhaps just Easter, whether we'd be able to use school facilities for the children of very important front-line healthcare, social care workers, or what we might be able to do? Because if we take them out of our health and social care workforce, our pharmacists, our police, we're really stuck. Thank you.