Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:36 pm on 21 September 2022.
Thank you, Minister. You'll be aware of the recent report of the Education Policy Institute, stating that no progress has been made in trying to close the gap between pupils from different social backgrounds over the past decade. According to the report, the poorest pupils are two years behind their contemporaries from more affluent backgrounds, on average. I know that you are concerned about this, Minister; you've made that clear. But, can you give us an explanation as to what has gone wrong as well as detailing your plans to tackle this problem, on top of what you've already said? I understand the challenges caused by austerity, but this doesn't explain why the situation is worse in Wales than it is in England. Could you also tell us what your analysis is of what is at the heart of this problem? Is it the fact that schools in poorer areas don't have the same resources and funding, or are there challenges in attracting teachers, perhaps, to some of these areas? How will you be targeting resources and funding to support pupils facing such disadvantage? And finally, Minister, how much will you prioritise trying to teach those who need more support in smaller groups, please? Thank you.