The following amendment has been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Siân Gwenllian.

Item 14 is next, and this is the debate on the Estyn annual report for the year 2020-21, and I call on the Minister for Education and Welsh Language to move the motion. Jeremy Miles. 

Motion NDM7980 Lesley Griffiths

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Annual Report for 2020-21 of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales that was laid in Table Office on 7 April 2022.

2. Welcomes that the report recognises the resilience and perseverance of the education workforce and how they have been flexible, creative and adapted in innovative ways to support learners.

3. Welcomes that 'all providers prioritised the wellbeing of their learners' and continued to strengthen links with families and communities.

4. Notes that we should not underestimate the impact of the pandemic on wellbeing of learners, staff and leaders.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Llywydd, and may I begin this debate by thanking Claire Morgan, the interim chief inspector of education and training in Wales at the time, for her annual report? This independent report is an important record of the way in which schools and education and training providers responded to the challenges that arose in the academic year 2020-21 as a result of the pandemic. It also adds to our understanding of the impact of coronavirus on learners and the education workforce. Although this impact was inevitable and was often negative, the annual report also highlights some of the positives identified by Estyn. For example, learners and staff have adapted and innovated, building new digital skills, whilst schools in general have strengthened their relationships with the communities that they serve.

I am just as proud that the report recognises the resilience and determination of the education workforce. It describes how they've been able to be flexible, creative, and have continually adapted in innovative ways to support learners. This was crucial during this difficult period, but it could be beneficial for the education system in the future too. I want to take this opportunity today to consider these messages, and to give heartfelt thanks to everyone who works in the education sector for all of their work in making the most of learning, and to reduce disruption to our learners. We must build on these strengths that Estyn has identified as we continue to deliver our transformational education reforms. 

I would like to take a moment, Llywydd, to focus on well-being. I agree that we shouldn't underestimate the impact that the pandemic has had on the well-being of our learners, our staff and our school leaders and other leaders. I was therefore pleased to read in the report how providers were prioritising learner well-being. Emotional well-being continues to be an important priority for me. I'm therefore determined to build on this emphasis on well-being through the Curriculum for Wales. I think that when learners are happy, and have the support of a contented workforce, they are more likely to be confident and ready to learn and to achieve their potential.

That's why one of the key elements of the curriculum is to develop a framework to help schools to develop their own whole-school approach for emotional and mental well-being. This gives the tools to schools to develop an action plan in order to tackle problems, to build on strengths, and then to evaluate the success of their work. The whole-school approach puts a real emphasis on promoting a positive cultural environment in schools, where young people are encouraged to achieve their personal potential, as well as their academic potential. 

I know that many schools have already made good progress in implementing this framework and putting in place strategies to support children and young people through an inclusive whole-school approach to their health and well-being. To support schools further, we've commissioned Public Health Wales to develop an evidence-based toolkit that will help them identify what works to promote mental and emotional well-being in the school setting. This will form an independent source of advice on the range of interventions, programmes and training that is currently available and marketed to schools. We also want to support young people directly with their mental health and emotional well-being. That's why we've created the young person's mental health toolkit to promote and direct young people to the numerous digital tools designed specifically for them.

The Welsh Government recognises, however, that more direct support for individuals will continue to be required in some cases. For this reason, we are increasing our allocations to local authorities for counselling, interventions and training for children and trusted adults across Wales from £3.8 million to £6.5 million in 2024-25.

The well-being of our education workforce is another priority. Estyn's report is clear about the tremendous pressures faced by school leaders and the wider workforce during the pandemic. Recognising this, funding for mental health and well-being support for school staff will be trebled in the new financial year. For a second year, we are also funding a dedicated and tailored package of mental health and well-being support services for teachers and support staff through the charity Education Support.

Llywydd, a positive outcome highlighted within the report is the improvement of digital skills both by learners and teachers. Maximising the use of digital technology within education undoubtedly provides us with an opportunity to enrich learning and teaching and to help raise the attainment and aspirations of our children and young people. We've already taken steps to ensure that schools can embrace and fully realise the benefits that digital advancements offer. Through our Hwb programme, we are providing national foundations to support and deliver real transformation within the education sector.

Digital technology has unquestionably supported us all throughout the pandemic to an extent that we have never experienced before. Wales was well positioned to support schools to transition to remote learning and to quickly establish support for digitally excluded learners. With so many of us spending more time online, it's also highlighted how essential it is to continue our digital resilience work to ensure our children and young people are safe and secure. I'm determined that Wales becomes an international leader in embracing digital and technology in education, placing it at the heart of the curriculum for Wales. We must now build on the lessons we've learnt and continue to adopt digital innovation opportunities so that we ensure the success of this and future generations to come.

Llywydd, some of the more troubling findings of the annual report relate to our most disadvantaged learners and, in some cases, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on their learning and well-being. We know, for example, that during the pandemic attendance of secondary school pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds was notably lower than other pupils. Staff were particularly concerned about the low engagement with learning from home by pupils eligible for free school meals generally, and the divide between pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic. These findings only serve to emphasise the importance of the statement to the Senedd I made last month, outlining the Welsh Government's plans to tackle the impact of poverty on attainment, placing this at the heart of our national mission in education and aiming to achieve high standards and aspirations for all. 

Llywydd, in concluding, I've picked out a few of the most salient parts of Estyn's annual report and considered what they tell us about key aspects of our programme of education reform and transformation. I'm grateful once again to Estyn for producing this report. It's only by capturing and sharing such learning, understanding what's worked well and what hasn't, that we will continue to build an education system that's fit for tomorrow's challenges as well as meeting those faced by the learners of today.

I have selected the amendment to the motion, and that amendment is tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. I call on Heledd Fychan to move that amendment.

Amendment 1—Siân Gwenllian

Add as new points at end of motion:

Regrets Estyn’s findings that 'the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic.'

Believes that the disparities outlined in the report will be further exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and calls on the Welsh Government to work with Estyn to increase efforts to ensure measures to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in schools are implemented urgently.

Amendment 1 moved.

Thank you, Llywydd. I'd like to move the motion formally.

As we all know, and as the report clearly touches on and outlined by the Minister, the 2020-21 academic year was perhaps the most challenging one for education and training providers in Wales and across the world. The pandemic brought with it massive disruption to the system and continues to do so, with all school staff, pupils and their families being affected. Though, as we've seen with the report, the effects were not felt equally. Education providers faced unprecedented pressures during the pandemic, yet they still effectively managed challenging situations and made themselves increasingly accessible to learners and their families. 

We know of teachers juggling themselves trying to teach their children from home, and having to isolate, and all the challenges there as well. Yet their efforts were not without their consequences. The report clearly states that staff have experienced raised levels of anxiety, with leaders and staff alike feeling isolated and exhausted. Education providers proved to be resilient and proactive in their response to the disruption caused by the pandemic, and they should be commended for prioritising the well-being of their learners during such a challenging time. The report clearly states that providers set up comprehensive systems to keep in contact with their learners so that they could identify issues quickly and address them when they arose. 

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, though the effects are still there, with numbers still proving to be challenging for teachers and pupils alike, we see education providers still facing the sizeable challenges of implementing additional learning needs reforms and the new curriculum, against the backdrop of the longer term effects of the pandemic on education and well-being, as well as having an impact on staff recruitment and retention issues. The Welsh Government must do everything it can to ensure the well-being needs of the sector are supported, and that meaningful education recovery takes place, with priority given to those most affected by the pandemic.

Our amendment notes our regret that Estyn found that the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic. The report clearly states that the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds was more pronounced, with the former group less likely to have access to Wi-Fi, digital devices and support with their schoolwork at home, and their families more likely be impacted financially by the pandemic, with larger families needing to self-isolate more frequently. And whilst I welcome the Minister's emphasis in terms of digital innovation, which has certainly brought about different ways of working, different ways of engaging pupils, we cannot underestimate the impact we are seeing in terms of that digital divide, and the impact that this has been having to have that disparity even more pronouncedly felt.  

Let's be clear: prior to the pandemic, we knew that around 195,000 children were living in households below the poverty line, and this figure, we know, will have grown due to the current crisis, as well as the pandemic. And we know, as was outlined by the Minister, that poverty has a significant effect on a child's education. As one Member of the Welsh Youth Parliament put it: 'Education is supposed to be free, but a lot of things at school are not.' So, families are routinely asked to contribute towards the cost of school uniforms, trips, charity fundraising, school meals and snacks, and to provide equipment and resources for different subjects. And many families in poverty simply have no disposable income once they have paid for housing and essential bills, which exposes children to the risk of stigma and shame when they are unable to afford even small charges for participation.

I know from speaking to families in my own region of South Wales Central of their distress when schools are collecting for foodbanks, and their children having to explain that they themselves are reliant on foodbank contributions. I know some schools do this very sensitively, but people don't always know what the impact is on a family, a family that perhaps has never been in crisis before, which is now in crisis and having to go to a foodbank for the first time. I think we need to be sensitive to all of this, and it is outlined in the report in terms of that disparity that we're seeing.

We believe that the disparities outlined in the report will be further exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, and, therefore, we are calling on the Welsh Government to work with Estyn to increase efforts to ensure measures to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in schools are implemented urgently.

There are a number of examples of potential solutions where we can take more action on affordability and provide further support for families, for instance, who are struggling to pay for uniforms, or for extra-curricular trips and activities, to ensure consistent practice across Wales. Funding, guidance and accountability mechanisms should be put in place.

The Welsh Government should continue to invest in poverty-awareness training for schools. It's important that school staff are equipped with a clear understanding of the causes and consequences of child poverty in their area, so they can implement policies and practices that are inclusive for all. Therefore, we hope that you will support our amendment today. Diolch.   

I'd like to start by thanking Estyn for this report. Estyn's independent report 2020-21 makes interesting reading and is very concerning in some areas, as I'm sure the Minister will agree, which of course reflects the pandemic, and in some areas what we see is understandable. But there are problems also highlighted that were inherent before the pandemic, were exacerbated by the pandemic, and those are not quite as forgivable. Before I go into the report, I just want to put on record again that the Welsh Conservatives commend all school leaders and staff, who have worked incredibly hard and tirelessly during a very difficult period—in most cases, who went above and beyond.

Moving to the report, the children of Wales have lost the most amount of learning in the entire United Kingdom, with Welsh children losing out on a third of their learning in the last academic year. With Wales having PISA results on a par with former Soviet bloc states, this is a concern. As it states in the report, nearly all schools, leaders and teachers raised concerns over pupils' progress during the impact of the pandemic. Disruption to learning through periods of lockdown and self-isolation led to poorer progress in the literacy and numeracy skills of many pupils. Although schools provided pupils with reading activities online and suggestions for practicing their reading at home, pupils' engagement with these opportunities varied considerably, as we've seen across the board. And this was true of online learning throughout all levels of education. Unfortunately, as the report states, those who did not read regularly during the lockdown made little progress. This meant that, when they returned to school, older pupils, as the report says, sometimes found it difficult to read beyond the literal meaning of a text, and younger pupils often struggled to decode unfamiliar words and make sense of what they were reading. Also, the Education Policy Institute estimated that, on average, pupils in primary schools experienced a loss of learning of about three months of mathematics. Teachers noted a deterioration in pupils' listening, speaking and social skills, particularly for vulnerable pupils and those in the foundation phase. In the foundation phase, the greatest concern was about pupils missing key development and mental milestones, as my own child did, that may affect their emotional well-being, communication and learning development.

Minister, when I read the report, there was one excerpt in the report that particularly stuck with me, as it did, obviously, Plaid Cymru, as it's mentioned in their amendment, which we will be supporting: the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic. I think that is the key thing to take from this report, and is the most worrying, and it cannot be exacerbated any further. Sadly, the impact of the pandemic has been laid bare for all to see in this document, and the adverse effect on pupils not being educated physically in our schools. We must build on the lessons that we've learned, as the Minister just outlined, and our digital offering, and the online support to go with that.

In nearly all schools, a proportion of pupils failed to engage with all learning from home, and this was a particular issue for schools serving more disadvantaged communities. It stated that senior leaders believe that up to a third of pupils did not engage with set work. This is very worrying, particularly for exam-age young people. And, as highlighted by my colleague Tom Giffard, those pupils with additional learning needs and those eligible for free school meals are most at risk of being left behind when they are not physically in school.

Pupil attendance, as the Minister outlined, is concerning for a myriad of reasons. It remained consistently below 90 per cent, even for the summer term, compared with an average attendance of below 94 per cent for the last full year of education, 2018-19. The attendance of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds was notably below that of other pupils. In a few cases, as is set out in this report, year 11 pupils did not even return to school after the second national lockdown, which left them at risk of leaving school without any qualifications. This was for many reasons, but there are clear failings by this Government to help schools, help children and young people whose mental health was affected. I would urge the Minister for a quick roll-out of the support he outlined earlier for helping with mental health.

Although, across Wales, there was considerable variation in the amount of school time secondary school pupils lost due to having to self-isolate, in some schools whole year groups missed out for 12 weeks of face-to-face provision in the autumn term. In my own region of South Wales East, I saw a local school with only two year groups in at one time.

The report states that, following lockdowns, many schools noted a deterioration in pupils' social skills, and nearly all schools found that lockdowns had affected the well-being of pupils adversely to some extent. It's now clear that being kept away from a school environment has a major impact on pupils generally, not just on their education. School plays a huge role, as we all know now, in socialising children, in enhancing their mental health through play and learning with others. We need to see more targeted resources provided to ensure that children can properly recover, adapt and catch up, even though we don't like to use that word, from the effects of the pandemic. Worryingly the report also found that general gaps in pupils' learning correlated with gaps in provision.

Just quickly, the poor mental health of staff was prevalent primarily in secondary schools, due to having to assume the responsibility for centre-determined grades and the onus that was put on them instead of exam boards. This extra pressure had a really adverse effect on many teachers who were unrewarded financially and more stressed.

The curriculum, quickly: progress with planning for the implementation of the curriculum—we've all got to be concerned about—is so sporadic across our schools, and, as Heledd said, alongside putting the new ALN into place as well. We want to ensure, Minister, that the support is being targeted at those schools that really need it.

Welsh Government communication throughout the pandemic is highlighted in the report as 'dire', with announcements and regulations or guidance given with little warning or none at all. I continually heard those concerns during the pandemic. So, I'd like to know how the Minister is going to enhance that communication, improve it between local authorities, the schools and the Welsh Government.

Minister, we need to ensure that education is future-proofed for any eventuality going forward: digital skills, professional learning, broadband out-roll, the dangers of pupils being online. I could go on an on. Sadly, I haven't got enough time to go through this entire report, because it's so big. This report is damning, but due to the pandemic and the evidence we've talked about in committee, it's not surprising. The well-being of pupils needs to be at the top of our agenda. I think that's the thing that keeps being repeated again and again by children and young people in Wales. The report is a damning indictment of Labour's Welsh educational leadership over the last 23 years, and, quite clearly, action needs now to be taken to reverse that decline that they themselves put in motion and that has been exacerbated by this pandemic.

Jayne Bryant, Chair of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee. 

Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to thank Claire Morgan for her work during her time as interim chief inspector, and I'd also like to extend a warm welcome to Owen Evans, who took up the substantive post in January 2022, and it's really good to see Owen here in the gallery today. I look forward to working closely with Owen, Claire and their colleagues throughout the sixth Senedd.

Unsurprisingly, the pandemic is the central theme of Estyn’s 2020-21 report. Although schools resumed face-to-face teaching in September 2020, pupils, staff and families continued to face significant disruption throughout the academic year. The foreword to Estyn’s report tells us that

'the workforce has once again risen to these challenges.'

It urges us to

'recognise and appreciate the teachers, trainers, support staff and leaders who found innovative ways to provide for their learners' educational and wellbeing needs and supported one another through difficult times.'

On behalf of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee, I'd like to record our thanks to Estyn, the learners, staff, families and the many other professions and support staff for everything they have done for children's education and well-being throughout the pandemic.

We scrutinised Estyn on their annual report in December 2021. During that evidence session and in the report itself, Claire and her colleagues set out how Estyn approached its work during the 2020-21 academic year. Estyn had planned to support schools with the roll-out of the new curriculum and the additional learning needs reforms. Instead, it focused on how schools were responding to the pandemic, the well-being of learners, the well-being of the workforce, teaching, learning and leadership. Estyn stepped up its partnership working, meeting regularly with stakeholders, teaching unions and its headteacher reference group. It undertook a series of thematic reviews, which involved engagement with learners, parents and staff. We were also reassured to hear that Estyn continued its professional learning programme for its inspectors, particularly in light of the new curriculum and additional learning needs reforms, and that Estyn continued to monitor schools causing concern. Overall, we felt that Estyn's approach was appropriate. We supported their efforts to help schools to continue to support the well-being of their learners and staff, and deliver the core curriculum.

But we can be in no doubt about the implications of the pandemic for Estyn and for the education and welfare of children. The pandemic disrupted the education of every single child in Wales. For some, such as vulnerable learners, those with additional needs or those for whom English is a second language, the disruption was particularly acute. The pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities between disadvantaged learners and their peers. Estyn was unable to provide the level of support it hoped to institutions in relation to the new curriculum and additional learning needs reforms. Worryingly, Estyn reports that progress with planning for the implementation of the Curriculum for Wales varies widely across the sector. The Welsh-language skills of learners in Welsh-medium schools who don’t speak Welsh at home have declined.

Despite some silver linings, we were and remain concerned by much of what Estyn set out in its annual report and by what we heard in committee. So much so, in fact, that our annual scrutiny of Estyn has been a key driver of two committee inquiries. The first, into peer-on-peer sexual harassment among learners, was triggered by the publication in December of Estyn’s report on sexual harassment among secondary school pupils. Our final report on this deeply troubling and endemic problem is scheduled to be published in July. The second, which we will launch very shortly, will investigate persistent school absenteeism among some children—often our most vulnerable—which has been exacerbated by the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will also draw on Estyn’s work to inform a Senedd-long piece of work to monitor the introduction of the new curriculum and the implementation of the additional learning needs reforms, which will begin in the coming weeks. This demonstrates why Estyn’s work, our annual scrutiny of Estyn’s annual reports and our ongoing relationship with Estyn are so crucial to the Senedd’s ability to hold the Welsh Government to account for the well-being of, and quality of education it delivers to, children and young people. As Estyn’s report makes abundantly clear, that scrutiny is more important now than ever.

I just wanted to follow on from what was said by the Tory spokesman on the foundation stage and primary schools. I just wanted to look at the most important sector, in my view, which is the early years sector, because that is when you can make the most difference in terms of disadvantage. 

I suppose the first thing I'd like to say is that I am concerned about the reduction in non-statutory nursery education from the height of over 700 providers to just over 500 in July last year. It might not be that that is so worrying if it has led to an increase in the statutory sector of nursery education provision, and perhaps the education Minister could clarify that, but in the context of our ambition to expand the early years sector and increase the provision for two-year-olds as well as three and four-year-olds, that is potentially a pretty serious issue.

I obviously am also concerned, as others are, about the impact of the pandemic, particularly on the youngest children who don't live in houses with lots of lovely garden space, because for them the consequences will have been devastating. Trying to teach and provide an alternative education through a screen for two, three and four-year-olds—well, good luck on that one, because it really is very difficult to engage their attention online for more than a few moments. I think that one of the biggest concerns is the decline in behaviour, the physical skills and the speech and language difficulties, which of course lead to frustration, because any child who cannot express themselves is bound to take it out in poor behaviour.

There are some positives from the Estyn report, which is always great to read about, which is making a virtue out of the need to have more education outdoors, because obviously having education outdoors massively reduces the risk of contracting COVID. It was great to read about the good work being done in Denbighshire, Wrexham and Llanidloes to really increase the wealth of understanding that young people can get from the outdoors, as well as encouraging, during the lockdown, parents' learning by providing the right tools to encourage parents to take their kids out and help their learning, just by standing on the grass with bare feet. 

I think there's a worrying concern as well in relation to early years, which is that many settings didn't accept college students or apprentices this year, which obviously leads to even greater challenges for getting appropriately qualified staff for our endeavours in expanding the early years sector. These are clearly quite worrying issues and produce significant challenges for us moving forward.

The Minister now to reply to the debate.

Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you to all Members who have contributed to this debate. Although what is noted in the Estyn report shows that we have a great deal to be proud of in our education system, the report, of course, also sheds light on some of the elements that we need to continue to tackle. I agree that this includes some of the issues that Heledd Fychan talked about in her contribution.

We will be supporting the Plaid amendment, which Heledd Fychan spoke about. It reflects our focus and priority as a Government, and the efforts, indeed, of the entire education workforce. She made some important points in relation to the costs of the school day. She will be aware of the work that we've been doing with partners to provide guidance to schools in relation to that, and I know that she will have welcomed the extension of the PDG access funding, both in terms of availability to all school years and the additional in-year contribution that we've been able to make as a Government to those families that are struggling this year.

Laura Anne Jones made a series of important points. I agree with her that probably the key point in the report relates to the unequal burdens felt by different learners, and in particular those from a disadvantaged background. She gave a warm welcome to the statement I made in the Senedd at the end of last term in relation to the work we are doing as a Government to support those learners. She made an important point about attendance, which is very clearly highlighted as a concern in the report, and I'll be making a statement to the Senedd very soon on our approach to attendance, building on what we've learnt from a review that we've undertaken that goes beyond the data, if you like, to try and put that in its broader context.

Jayne Bryant made a very important point in relation to the impact on the Welsh language.

The work that local authorities in parts of Wales are doing to reimmerse some of our learners who've had the experience of losing some of their Welsh during this past period is important, and I'd also like to thank partners, such as RhAG and others, who have been working with us to do our level best to decrease that detrimental impact on the language.

Jenny Rathbone made an important series of points in relation to the impact on the non-maintained sector. The report talks about the financial fragility of a number of settings. She will know that we committed £8 million between March 2020 and 2021 through the Recruit, Recover and Raise Standards programme, and we're working closely with stakeholders, including with Estyn, to understand where support could be best directed in future, including for speech and language services, which she highlighted in her question. In this coming financial year, we're increasing funding to local authorities so that they can better support settings delivering early education to reflect the important points that she made in her contribution.

As we look to the future, Llywydd, I'd like to touch briefly on the role of Estyn itself. The annual report we've discussed today covered an academic year when core inspections were almost completely suspended because of the pandemic. Instead, Estyn inspectors engaged with schools and education and training providers to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of the pandemic, and, importantly, to offer support. As Jayne Bryant said in her contribution, Estyn continue to maintain close contact with schools and settings in follow-up. Formal monitoring of schools requiring special measures or significant improvement resumed in the 2021 summer term, and I'm pleased to say that, to date, a good proportion of these schools have made sufficient progress and been removed from the category.

Our school leaders and the wider educational workforce have faced and continue to face significant pressures. That's why it was important that I agreed with the previous chief inspector last summer to continue the suspension of Estyn's core inspection programme for a further term, alongside the number of other measures I announced to make space for schools. Estyn subsequently started piloting new inspection arrangements with volunteer schools and pupil referral units in the spring term this year, and during the summer term, they're extending their piloting with a larger sample of schools, which they will select themselves, to test out the new arrangements in a wider variety of settings. They will continue with a return to inspections across other sectors, including for our post-16 settings.

From September, Estyn plan to resume a normal inspection programme across all sectors. The objective and independent information provided by inspections will provide us with vital evidence on how schools are implementing curriculum and ALN reforms, to which a number of speakers have made reference, as well as with wider intelligence about the education system. That's why we've increased funding allocations to Estyn to enable the inspectorate to complete the inspection of all schools in the current cycle by July 2024, in spite of the pause in inspections during the pandemic.

Finally, you will all know that since the publication of the annual report, a new chief inspector has been appointed, and I look forward to continuing to work with Owen Evans over the coming months and to listen to his views on how inspection and Estyn's wider activities can help support our education system to achieve high standards and aspirations for all.

Thank you, Minister. The proposal is to agree amendment 1. Does any Member object? There are no objections, and therefore amendment 1 is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 1 agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Next, the proposal is to agree the motion as amended. 

Motion NDM7980 as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Annual Report for 2020-21 of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales that was laid in Table Office on 7 April 2022.

2. Welcomes that the report recognises the resilience and perseverance of the education workforce and how they have been flexible, creative and adapted in innovative ways to support learners.

3. Welcomes that ‘all providers prioritised the wellbeing of their learners’ and continued to strengthen links with families and communities.

4. Notes that we should not underestimate the impact of the pandemic on wellbeing of learners, staff and leaders.

5. Regrets Estyn’s findings that 'the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic.'

6. Believes that the disparities outlined in the report will be further exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and calls on the Welsh Government to work with Estyn to increase efforts to ensure measures to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in schools are implemented urgently.

Does any Member object? No, therefore the motion as amended as agreed.

Motion as amended agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

That brings us to voting time for the other votes this afternoon, so we'll take a short break in preparation for voting time.

Plenary was suspended at 19:12.

The Senedd reconvened at 19:18, with the Llywydd in the Chair.