Colleagues, now is the time for the first-ever truly made-in-Wales curriculum, shaped by the best learning here and further afield. The essential features of the current curriculum devised in 1988 by the then Westminster Government is simply not fit for purpose in contemporary Wales—one that was designed before the fall of the Berlin wall, before it was smashed into rubble. Well, that's not the strong foundation that we need for a knowledge-rich, adaptable-skills and the entrepreneurial curriculum fit for twenty-first century citizens of Wales and the world.

However, the newly formed curriculum is not only about skills for the future of our economy and for future employment. It will support young people to develop higher standards of literacy and numeracy, to become more digitally and bilingually competent, and evolve into those enterprising, creative and critical thinkers I'm sure that we all want to see. And it will help to develop our young people as confident, capable and compassionate citizens—citizens of Wales; indeed, citizens of our world. Therefore, we will legislate for the four purposes, so that they are the shared vision and aspiration for every child, every young person. And in fulfilling these, we set high expectations for all, promote individual and national well-being, tackle ignorance and misinformation, and encourage critical and civic engagement. Every school will have the opportunity to design and implement their own curriculum within the national approach that secures consistency for learners across the country.

The six areas of learning and experience bring together familiar disciplines and encourage strong and meaningful links across them. While disciplines remain important, this new approach supports learners to build connections across their learning, helping them to understand not only what they're learning, but why they are learning it, and the Bill will require a curriculum to embed the mandatory cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and digital competency. In addition, the Bill sets out four further mandatory curriculum elements, including Welsh and English. This reflects our bilingualism, whilst also recognising critical and very successful Welsh-medium immersion. I do, however, recognise the continuing debate on the position of English in the Bill. And just as I did last week during the Plaid Cymru debate, I want to say once again that I will continue to engage in those conversations and consider next steps. But I can assure Members that I am wholeheartedly committed to the progress of each and every learner in becoming, at the very least, a bilingual citizen, and their appreciation, their understanding and their questioning of the world builds from knowing their own history, their own democracy and their environment.

In fact, the current curriculum provisions are narrow, they're restrictive, and they do not do enough to support teachers to design and develop a curriculum that prioritises learners' progression. So, we will move into a new era where each learner benefits from a broad and balanced education. But we must never ever lower our expectations for any of our young people, no matter what their background. It is a fundamental matter of equity and excellence for all, and that's why thousands and thousands more learners in Wales now enter and gain a science GCSE. It's why we now outperform other nations of the United Kingdom in our A-level results and it's why thousands more are studying and succeeding at higher education levels.

Therefore, the Bill requires Ministers to issue a progression code setting out the way in which progression must be reflected within a school's curriculum. Issuing a progression code with mandatory elements will ensure that there is consistency in an approach to progression across the country.

The achievements that I've just mentioned also demonstrate that because we are indeed raising standards and delivering on a system that can enjoy public confidence, we are now fit and ready as a nation to move forward with our new curriculum. This means moving from narrow subjects to six broad areas of learning and experience; a curriculum that is purpose-based—four purposes that articulate the kind of citizens that we want, the citizens that we need; and a real focus on three core statutory skills: literacy, numeracy and digital competence. This will be our new curriculum for Wales, of Wales, by Wales, and we have moved forward together to get to this day. A system where everyone has a shared stake, where we set high standards for all and where we truly combine knowledge, skills and experience, where no-one, nowhere is written off, and where we can take the next steps in our national mission of education reform.

Deputy Presiding Officer, I hope you can tell that I am really excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to the contributions and the collective efforts of Members here in this Parliament to take this significant Bill on its parliamentary journey. Diolch yn fawr iawn.