2. Will the Minister make a statement giving an update on the arrangements for reopening schools for four weeks before the summer break? TQ453

Presiding Officer, schools will increase operations form Monday to check in, catch up and prepare for the summer and September. Working together, heads, education staff, unions and councils have ensured that we are the only country in the United Kingdom where all pupils will have an opportunity to return to school before the summer break.

We should praise staff and heads in our schools for carefully planning for the reopening of schools from Monday onwards. But, very late in the day, we received the news that there was great confusion as to the fourth week. Shouldn't you have secured the agreement of all parties, including all of the unions, before placing that expectation that schools should open for four weeks? And, in light of the fact that the disagreement continues—it would appear—isn't it your duty to give national leadership on that fourth week?

You should lead, rather than put pressure on local authorities and individual schools to make difficult decisions that will only create confusion and further ill feeling. The situation that has arisen is not fair on the schools, and it's certainly not fair on the pupils who are caught in the middle of all of this.

Presiding Officer, Siân Gwenllian is absolutely right to acknowledge the hard work of headteachers the length and breadth of Wales, who have planned so diligently with their staff to provide these opportunities. Members will be aware that I did indeed propose that the summer term should be extended by an additional week and, in lieu of staff working that additional week, that half term in October should be extended by one week. But, as Siân will know, the Welsh Government and I are not the employers in this situation. The employers are the local authorities. That is a matter of fact. If Plaid Cymru have a different way of organising Welsh education in the future, of course, they will be able to make that case. The role of the Welsh Local Government Association was clearly acknowledged in their statement that welcomed my proposals.

Clearly, individual local authorities, on the basis of individual, local circumstances, have come to the conclusion that they will offer three weeks. I am still of the mind that we should maximise and take every advantage of these summer months to increase and provide as much contact face to face between children and their schools at this time. But, I have to acknowledge that local authorities will have made individual decisions. However, I think we should reflect on the issues that—. As I said, individual headteachers and individual members of staff and indeed support staff have been incredibly flexible during this pandemic, working over Easter holidays, half term holidays, weekends, bank holidays to provide care and support for our children at this time, and many are willing to go above and beyond, as ever, in providing support for children.

Suzy—yes, Suzy Davies.

Diolch, Llywydd, and thank you, Minister, as well. When the phased reopening of schools was announced, I asked why it was easier for unions to agree an extra week in July rather than coming back at the end of August, and at that time no-one was able to answer that question. It looks now as if no answer was genuinely sought. While I've got no doubt that some unions perhaps aren't particularly interested in encouraging their members back before September, Siân Gwenllian is quite right—policy is a matter for you, and you have every right to proceed even if you can't take everybody with you. You do need to take some people with you, though, and it's pretty clear that school leaders had taken you at your word and had been preparing for a four-week return. You'll know that staff and families and even directors of education have been rightly angered and frustrated by what are now these dashed expectations. 

You're right—there are staff and families who've already gone the extra mile and deserve our unconditional thanks, but who recognise, I think, as you do, that children's well-being for checking in, catching up and preparing was vital. I don't remember local authorities, at that time, demurring from your views, beyond operational worries about things like transport, hygiene and distancing.

So, my first question is: when did directors of education and teachers in particular know that this was optional, because there was nothing in your original announcement to suggest that this was the original plan? Can you also tell us, by 3 June, when you made your announcement, did trade unions tell you before that date that they would discourage members from agreeing to the fourth week? Did councils tell you before that date that they would direct school leaders not to open a fourth week? And did they accept your argument that the well-being of children was best served by a four-week return? Can you tell us about any subsequent conversations with the unions? We're still all very keen to know why so many councils have failed to back you. And then, finally, can you confirm that, should any school leader have the staff and safety measures in place for a fourth week, they can open their school regardless of the view of the council? What is the status of a council direction and can you overrule that in the case of individual and even all schools? Thank you.

Can I thank the Member for her questions? Prior to making my announcement of my proposals for extending the summer term by a week, we had secured the agreement of the WLGA, and that proposal was endorsed by all 22 leaders and the directors of education. I was very clear—I think I did a webinar with teaching unions that very evening—that the fourth week would be a voluntary week. It goes above and beyond people's usual terms and conditions. We wanted to treat people fairly, hence offering the time in lieu in the October half term, and it would be a voluntary basis. Many staff and support workers, as well as headteachers, stepped up and were willing to maximise the opportunity for children. However, at a later date, local authorities expressed their concerns that they felt they were not able to secure a fourth week.

With regard to the unions, quite understandably the unions expressed concerns to me, not of the fourth week, although they wanted us to be clear it could only be done on a voluntary basis and we couldn't compel people to do that, and I was quite happy to acknowledge that. The main source of concerns from unions is about the decision to return to school before September. Many union leaders have expressed their desire that schools should not reopen until September, and I've made it very clear that that would leave such a significant gap and a significant amount of time without children being in school, that it was a huge source of concern to me. And given the scientific advice that it was safe to return to school prior to September, I felt it was absolutely necessary to embrace that opportunity and, where at all possible, to maximise the opportunity for children to check in with staff.

Minister, I'd like to place on record my personal thanks to you for the absolutely phenomenal effort you have made to maximise children's time in school this summer and, crucially, for putting children first through all of this.

Garnteg school in my constituency have been truly outstanding in lockdown, but we know that the variation in what children have been receiving across Wales has been huge. I'd just like to read Members some words my eight-year-old constituent Florence wrote to me recently when she nominated her teachers at Garnteg as her COVID superheroes:

'Mrs Lewis is still setting us work and helping us learn. I like Mrs Lewis because whenever I need help, I can tell her. She has a little girl called Lily and she joined us on the video call. On the video call, I showed her my dog Pippa and I told Mrs Lewis when Pippa's birthday was. She liked my dog. On one video call, Mrs Lewis read the class part of a story, and it was lovely to hear her voice.'

If I had time, I would read Florence's whole essay because it conveys far better than I ever could just why that personal contact with teachers really, really matters to children. But unfortunately, too few children have received high-quality contact with teachers in lockdown. Minister, I know that you are doing absolutely everything that you can to ensure that children get more time in school. When schools closed in March, it was an emergency. It's not an emergency now and it won't be in September. What more can we do to ensure that all children in Wales have high-quality personal contact with their teachers, going forward? 

Thank you, Lynne, and thank you for taking the opportunity to highlight the good practice at Garnteg. I have to say I have been overwhelmed by the outstanding practice that has been delivered by schools throughout this period, including the incredible flexibility that has been shown by all members of the education workforce and support staff in schools during this time. Lynne, I think you are correct—feedback from children indicates that they really, really value live interaction with staff and definitely would like more of that, going forward.

As our attention now switches to the new academic year in September, I, my officials, local education authorities and schools are working hard to maximise face-to-face contact and minimise disruption to the normal course of a child's education. We have to, quite rightly, as you say, plan appropriately for a range of scenarios that we could face in the autumn term. But setting a national expectation that children and their parents can have with regard to live interaction, should we be in the situation, as a result of the virus, that children have to spend some time at home, is a very important part of that work, because we know it is greatly valued by children and young people.

Thank you, Minister.