10. Debate: The Estyn Annual Report 2021-22

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:40 pm on 21 March 2023.

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Photo of Heledd Fychan Heledd Fychan Plaid Cymru 5:40, 21 March 2023

(Translated)

I also think that it contrasts, perhaps, with some of the things that we discussed earlier in terms of there being a positive picture in terms of education in Wales. Because one of the things that you look at in terms of the report is the genuine challenges. Clearly, there are positives in the report, as it offers solutions too and talks about the role of so many partners in terms of the contribution that they can make. But I think one of the questions that remains with me is in terms of the Minister, there are so many challenges posed in this report—it's a very honest report regarding those challenges, which you have previously referred to in terms of the disproportionate impact on children and young people specifically. We were in a challenging situation pre COVID, but this outlines an image that shows clearly those additional challenges that have been created.

Clearly, one of the things that we know is a major challenge for the Government is in terms of budgets. Do you believe that you have the resources to genuinely get to grips with all of the challenges outlined in the report? Clearly, there is funding going into several areas, but in general, there are so many—so many—things that we need to improve here in order to be able to achieve the vision that you mentioned earlier in terms of giving the best possible opportunities to all of our learners. I think that this is a moment for us to reflect here on how we work together and how we ensure that all of these things are going to come together.

Some further reflections. Clearly, we have already discussed one of the themes, namely sexual harassment, but looking again at that section, the fact that half of the pupils—the majority of them girls—have personal experience of sexual harassment; that three quarters of all pupils have seen another pupil suffer sexual harassment—these are frightening statistics in our schools now. And I think that one of the other things that I would like to see is how we are going to ensure that the school environment is safe for every single one of our learners. And it aligns with the work that we're trying to do in terms of ensuring that Wales is a nation that provides equal opportunities for everyone, but it concerns me that this is the learner experience in educational institutions at the moment.

I'd also like to just refer to some of the issues regarding teacher training, which you have specifically referred to, but I think one of the things outlined in the report was in terms of the inconsistencies in the experience of training. I just wanted to know how you think we can tackle that.

You've also referred, as is clearly stated in the report, to the impact of the pandemic in terms of mental health—we've already discussed attendance—and the additional funding that's been allocated to that. But one of the things that schools mentioned is the challenges regarding their current budgets in terms of continuing with some of the additional provision that they've been able to offer. For example, counselling in schools; we know that some schools provide that service, and others are entirely dependent on services outwith schools, such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. How are we going to ensure that that experience, regarding access to services, is consistent wherever you may live in Wales? And certainly, there are solutions there regarding attendance and so on, and we need to see where it is possible to get those services in schools and how a school is able to do more than a conventional school in terms of offering that support and that it can make a difference, particularly in those areas where, perhaps, there are social issues that mean that there is a disproportionate impact.

I'd also like to touch on the Welsh language. We've seen specifically in the report the inconsistency with regard to the Welsh language in English-medium schools. There is going to be a great deal of emphasis on the Welsh-medium education Bill certainly in that regard, but do you think that that criticism is fair at the moment? Do you think that sufficient measures are going to be taken via the Welsh-medium education Bill to tackle that? Careers advice is certainly something that I would like to see certainty on and that that should be something that the Government is going to tackle further. 

I know that I'm out of time. That just demonstrates how many important issues are raised in this report, and I hope that we will be able to work together as a Senedd to ensure that we can implement these recommendations and ensure that the Government has the funding too to tackle these issues, because, clearly, there are genuine challenges with regard to education that are outlined here, and it's up to us to get solutions now.