2. Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of education to the children of key workers? OQ55407

Thank you, Russell. On 3 June, I announced that all pupils in Wales, including the children of critical workers, would have the opportunity to check in, catch up and prepare for the summer and September from 29 June.

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. That answer is clear in itself, but a constituent has relayed to me a concern that children of key workers who are attending the childcare hubs have also been restricted from attending the catch-up and check-in days, and this particular parent is concerned that children will not have the access to their usual teachers and peers, and that will impact also on their preparation for the following academic year. Can you, Minister, confirm whether schools should be ensuring that all children, including those of key workers, are able to catch up and check in with their teachers, and that should be the case before the summer holidays?

Thank you very much for that, Russell. The requirement to try and limit the number of contacts that individual children have is one of the very wicked logistical issues that the current operations of schools have identified. This is particularly acute in the county of Powys, because a vast number of people living in Powys actually qualify as a critical worker, and the demand for critical worker care has increased hugely in recent weeks in the county of Powys. I'm very grateful, under the leadership of Lynette Lovell, the director of education of Powys, that Powys have been able to put on five additional childcare hubs during this period and are working very hard to ensure that those children who are attending those hubs are not disadvantaged in terms of their education and their ability to check in and to catch up.

Lynette is just one of those people that we need to say thank you to, Presiding Officer, as Joyce Watson did. As a former headteacher herself, and now a director, she has actually been manning some of those childcare hubs over the holidays and the bank holidays. It is that kind of commitment that we have seen the length and breadth of Wales that has ensured that our children of critical workers have been well looked after, allowing their parents to get on with their important work, and I commend the work of Powys County Council in that regard.

Alun Davies.

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Like others, I'd like to put on record my gratitude to you and others who have made this session possible today.

Minister, people in Blaenau Gwent tell me that they have great confidence in your leadership in education, and they compare that with the shambles we've seen across the border. People tell me that they're very anxious now that they're able to continue to see this sort of leadership.

In terms of where we are at the moment, my concern is to ensure that we do have the educational facilities and provision in place for all children, and that includes children with additional learning needs. I've been very concerned that we don't have in all places the coverage that we require to ensure that some of our most vulnerable children, and children who do require additional support in learning, have that, both within the hub models that we've seen recently, but also as we move back to the blended learning that you have described in recent statements. I understand that you're making a statement today and later in the week about the sort of framework and structures we will have in September, and I'd like to ask you, Minister, to ensure that children with additional learning needs are at the centre of your thoughts.

Thank you, Alun, for that. This period of disruption to children's education as a result of the pandemic has been a particular challenge for those children with additional learning needs. Many of our local authorities have actually been able to keep their special schools open throughout this entire period to support those families, especially if those children have very advanced and very specific needs, but I am aware, in other local authority areas, that service has not been universally available.

As we move towards next steps in education in Wales, we will be paying particular attention to the support needs of children with additional learning needs. I hope to be able also to make a statement shortly on what we can do to address the impact that this period of disruption has had, and clearly, children with an additional learning need will be a priority part of the cohort that we will be looking to support as we move forward.