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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question.
Contributions
114 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 1 of 3. Counted by Siambr
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My priority is high standards and high aspirations for every learner. That is why this Government has worked at pace to develop the 'Foundational literacy and numeracy plan'. The plan sets out a clear and ambitious programme of action to raise literacy and numeracy outcomes throughout this Senedd term and is our first step in delivering sustained improvements in educational outcomes for all learners in Wales.
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I think that's pushing it rather at this point, but thank you for the contribution. Of course, this is an important area for us. There has been, you're quite right, a slight reduction on the latest figures, and there are a number of actions we are taking to tackle that. We are aware that school attendance has gone up again incrementally post COVID but is nowhere near the rate pre COVID. We're also aware that the cohort we are now targeting is likely to require a considerable focus and probably considerable support to push that figure higher. One of the things we have included in our literacy and numeracy foundational plan is targets on attendance. You will see a 0.5 per cent increase year on year to bring that level up. There's also a focus on persistent absence, which is missing 10 per cent or more of school sessions. A 2 per cent increase year on year is what we expect there. There are a number of other areas we are focusing on. You will have heard me speak about the national framework on behaviour, attendance and well-being we are now bringing together, in the recognition that no single intervention, albeit we have targets now too, will address those persistent absence problems. They are often complex issues and do require tailored support, which is why we are looking at this framework in the round and making swift progress on introducing that. Another thing we have done is to look in more detail—. Because often what we find is that reliable, consistent data across Wales is sometimes hard to find, so we've published new school attendance code guidance to give us that greater consistency in recording absence across Wales, to help us to target our work around this area to make a difference and to increase those figures over time. Because I agree with you: you need to be at school to benefit from the education system. It is very much a focus for us. Diolch.
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Obviously, funding for schools is a priority for us, which is why we were pleased last week, or was it the week before, that the supplementary budget did go through, with that £60 million earmarked for pressures in schools linked to ALN, but a recognition that schools and the education system is under pressure across Wales. On the points you make about those flexibilities locally, I would refer you back again to the foundational literacy and numeracy plan, because that will show us, on a national and a local level, the direction we're going in. It will make it easier for us to align the support appropriately in different areas and different schools in Wales in order to make that progress. I've also announced an intention to conduct a targeted review of the curriculum to make sure that we can have a better understanding and provide better advice to schools about some of the areas we expect learners to have access to.
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Diolch yn fawr. Mae gweithio yn agos gyda'r gweithlu i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cael eu talu a'u cefnogi yn ddigonol ar gyfer y gwaith pwysig maen nhw'n ei wneud yn flaenoriaeth greiddiol i fi. Rwy'n ddiolchgar iawn am y gwaith mae ASCL wedi ei wneud gyda ni, er enghraifft i symud ymlaen y ddadl ehangach ynglŷn ag ariannu ysgolion. Pan ddes i i fy swydd ym mis Mai, roedd yna drafodaethau manwl yn y cyfnod hwnnw er hwyluso cael yr un math o ddyfarniad o ran codiad cyflog i athrawon yng Nghymru o'i gymharu â Lloegr, ac roedd hwnna'n ofyn pendant gan yr undebau. Rwyf wastad yn agored i siarad gydag unrhyw un ar sut rŷm ni'n symud y ddadl yma ymlaen ynglŷn â chefnogaeth addas i'r gweithlu, ac rwy'n benodol yn frwd iawn i drafod baich gwaith a'r moddion y gallwn eu rhoi yn eu lle er lleihau y faich honno. Dwi'n gweld nad yw arweinydd yr wrthblaid yma heddiw. Dwi wedi cael sgyrsiau gyda hi, a phob athro neu athrawes rwyf wedi cwrdd â nhw ers 20 mlynedd, yn trafod, yn benodol, baich gwaith. Mae angen symud y ddadl honno yn ei blaen, ac rwy'n barod i siarad ag unrhyw un sydd â syniadau grymus er hwyluso'r drafodaeth honno. Mae'r drws bob amser yn agored.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Working closely with the workforce and ensuring that they are paid and supported adequately in the important work that they do is a core priority of mine. I'm very grateful for the work that ASCL has done with us, for example to move on the broader debate on school funding. When I came into my role in May, there were detailed discussions at that point in order to facilitate getting the same kind of pay award for teachers in Wales as compared to England, and that was a very firm ask from the unions. I'm always open to speaking to anyone as to how we move this debate forward in terms of appropriate support for the workforce, and I'm particularly eager to discuss workload and what we can put in place in order to reduce that burden. I see that the leader of the opposition isn't here today. I've had conversations with her, and every teacher that I've met over a period of 20 years, discussing workload specifically. We need to move that debate forward, and I'm willing to speak to anyone who has forceful ideas as to how we can make that progress. My door is always open.
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Diolch yn fawr. Thank you for the question. I think we are dealing with two issues simultaneously here. I mentioned earlier on that I was pleased that £60 million had gone into the system this year, as a result of the supplementary budget, to support with immediate pressures. But you are quite right, in the longer term we need to arrive at a system that is more sustainable and is inclusive of the learners in Wales. I think every jurisdiction everywhere over a time, and particularly post COVID, has been dealing with increasingly complex demand from children and families trying to negotiate a range of issues that their learners are facing. The education system, arguably, experiences changes in society faster than most of us sitting here and probably most of our services as well. So, we have made an effort now to focus on the sustainability of the ALN system over time. You will have seen that a proportion of what was agreed last week has been allocated specifically for that purpose, and we will work now quickly with local authorities and other partners to work our way to a more sustainable system over time. We need this to be a coherent continuum, we need it to be of high quality, we need it to be inclusive, with—and this is the crucial part I think—clearer national expectations of what this system should look like, stronger mainstream capacity, which in turn comes with demand for support, obviously. One of the first steps is to understand in detail, with all our partners, what an inclusive system looks like and plot our way from here to that system and this commitment—. There is a great willingness amongst all our partners to work on this and we will do so with speed.
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It is obviously important that staff feel safe at school and are able to operate appropriately. It is clear that staff may use reasonable force where necessary to prevent harm, an offence, damage to property or serious disruption, but that intervention must necessarily, and I think we'd all agree on this, be proportionate and use the minimum force required. And it should never be used as a punishment. I think we can all agree on those principles. If there are examples, individual examples, that you have, then I would be glad to look at them. But we are clear that that is the environment in which our workforce is working. It is also our expectation that restrictive practices are a last resort. And to go back to your first point around behaviour, the behaviour and well-being framework is a priority for this Government, and bringing together a greater national consistency around our expectations and around the support that will help the workforce and the learners in turn is a piece of work that is ongoing.
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Thank you. These are adaptive tests. The idea is that the learner engages with them, and it helps to indicate what the next steps in their development should be. That's how they've been constructed to operate. We can use the data more broadly that this system gives us, to give us an indicator at year 6, which is what we're doing as part of this plan, and which gives us a place go to, then, as a national trajectory of improvement, and also to make sure that we can align the support available appropriately for those schools and for those learners. I'm not going to go back to the future. I am, however, going to have, during this Senedd term, a clearer expectation that we can communicate effectively to learners and to schools.
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Thank you. I think, as I said in my earlier answer, I remain committed to the social partnership, and I'm always willing to talk to those social partners on issues that we have in common as concerns. I announced that fully funded pay award last week, following that consultation, because I wanted to respect the principle of no detriment, so that there'd be no difference between the pay increases here and those over the border in England. I know this has been a continuing debate over many years, to ensure that we remain in that alignment. I think the previous education Minister will also be aware of the financial environment, and the budgetary environment we are now in, and I judged, at this point, that 4.25 per cent was not affordable when we consider the other priorities of this Government, and Wales more broadly, around, particularly, health service demand—the national health service—and other priorities that this Government is committed to. The 3.5 per cent was important to me. It was important to most partners. But I remain committed to talking to anybody who wishes to examine areas of mutual interest and concern.
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I think that the judgment on where each of these parties is depends, rather, on who you talk to at this point. I think we have, for example, had very helpful and fruitful discussions with ASCL, in particular, around some of these elements. The social partnership—I've been part of arrangements like this for many years—is very important to me. And it is a place where some of these pressing issues that the workforce has been calling for action on for many, many years—. It is a good place to resolve them, particularly on ALN, particularly on workload, recruitment, retention, behaviour, attendance—all these things that are very important to everybody who works in our schools and has an association with them. All of those issues, I am entirely open to engaging on them. But I would repeat my first point around the salary increases—the pay increases—that 3.5 per cent was as far as I felt able to go. But I am and remain committed to discussing any and all other issues.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn. Hoffwn i ategu fy niolch innau hefyd i Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg am ei gwaith hithau. Mi fyddwn ni, ym mis Rhagfyr, yn cyhoeddi ymgynghoriad ar strategaeth y Gymraeg, Deddf y Gymraeg ac Addysg (Cymru) 2025, a'r cod ar y gallu i siarad Cymraeg. Byddwn i'n gofyn i chi edrych ar y pwynt hwnnw ar yr hyn rŷn ni'n ei gyhoeddi achos byddwn ni'n dangos y taflwybr i sicrhau bod defnydd o'r Gymraeg, mynediad at y Gymraeg, Cymraeg yn ein cadarnleoedd, Cymraeg yn ein hysgolion ni, yn clymu at ei gilydd i un strategaeth gydlynus, yn seiliedig ar y cysyniad bod y Gymraeg yn perthyn i ni i gyd. Yn y cyd-destun hwnnw, byddwn ni'n dangos siẁd rydyn ni'n mynd i gyrraedd y nodau priodol o ran y cyfleoedd hyn, gan gynnwys y gweithle. Mi fydd yna fanylder yn dangos y ffordd ymlaen, yn cynnwys, felly, dargedau mwy penodol.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for the question. I would like to add my thanks as well to the Welsh Language Commissioner for her work. We will, in December, be publishing a consultation on the Welsh language strategy, the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, and the Welsh language proficiency code. I would ask you to look at that point at what we will publish, because we will indicate what the trajectory is to ensure that the use of the Welsh language, access to the Welsh language, the Welsh language in our heartlands, the Welsh language in our schools, all tie together under one co-ordinated strategy that will be based on the concept that the Welsh language belongs to us all. In that context, we will show how we will reach those particular goals in terms of those opportunities, including the workplace. There will be detail showing that trajectory, including, therefore, more specific targets.
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Efallai y bydd angen i fi ysgrifennu atoch chi gyda manylder y cwestiwn cyntaf. Ond ar yr hyn a fydd yn ofynnol er mwyn gwireddu'r uchelgais yn y strategaeth y byddwn ni yn ei chyhoeddi—byddwn ni'n cyhoeddi ar gyfer ymgynghoriad ym mis Rhagfyr, i mewn i'r flwyddyn nesaf—fel rhan o hynny, er mwyn ei chyflawni hi, mi fyddwn ni'n edrych ar yr hyn sydd ei angen o ran adnoddau i'w gwireddu hi. Bydd y ddau beth yn mynd law yn llaw.
Official English translation
Perhaps I'll have to write to you with the detailed response to that first question. But on what will be needed in order to realise the ambition in the strategy that we will publish—it will be published for consultation in December, into next year—as part of that, in order to deliver that, we will be looking at what's needed in terms of resources to deliver it. Both things will go hand in hand.
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Diolch. Awdurdodau lleol sy'n gyfrifol am benderfyniadau ynghylch dyfodol ysgolion, ac mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw ddilyn gweithdrefnau statudol wrth gyflwyno cynigion. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ymgynghori â chymunedau, darparu digon o wybodaeth i bobl allu dod i farn ddeallus, ymgysylltu â phartneriaid perthnasol, gan gynnwys cyrff crefyddol, a rhoi sylw i ddymuniadau rhieni.
Official English translation
Thank you. Local authorities are responsible for decisions on the future of schools, and they must follow statutory procedures when bringing forward proposals. This includes consulting communities, providing sufficient information to enable people to come to informed views, engaging with relevant partners, including religious bodies, and having regard to the wishes of parents.
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Diolch. Local authorities are democratically accountable to their communities and are responsible for developing school organisation proposals. In so doing, they must comply with the requirements set out in the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, and the school organisation code, which is quite clear about the processes and involvement that is required in these cases. I do expect all proposers to comply fully with these statutory requirements and to engage openly and meaningfully with all those affected by any proposal. These decisions should be informed by the evidence gathered through consultation and taken in accordance with the legislative framework. You will be aware, because I've said it several times, that the role of Welsh Ministers in the statutory process means that I'm unable to comment on proposals that I may later be required to determine. But, in the context of all decisions, I would expect my first two points to be clear.
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Thank you. I seem to have lost you in my book. Wait a second. I'm sorry.
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Rydyn ni'n cydnabod y pwysau sylweddol ar draws ein hysgolion a'n hawdurdodau lleol ni, yn ogystal ag ymrwymiad y gweithlu addysg i barhau i gefnogi dysgwyr. Mae penderfyniadau ynghylch lefel y cyllid sydd ar gael i ysgolion, gan gynnwys ysgolion gwledig, yn cael eu gwneud gan bob awdurdod lleol wrth bennu eu cyllideb gyffredinol.
Official English translation
We recognise the significant pressures across our schools and local authorities, and acknowledge the commitment of the education workforce in continuing to support learners. Decisions on the level of funding available to schools, including rural schools, are made by each local authority as part of their overall budget setting.
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Diolch yn fawr. Rydyn ni'n gwybod yn iawn pa mor bwysig yw ysgolion i'n cymunedau gwledig, ac yng nghyd-destun ysgolion llai, er enghraifft, mae yna ofynion manwl iawn ynglŷn ag ymgynghori ynglŷn ag aildrefnu mewn unrhyw fodd. Mi fydd yr Aelod hefyd yn gwybod bod fy nghydweithiwr y Gweinidog dros ddygnwch gwledig yn edrych ar fesurau i feithrin a gwarchod dygnwch cymunedau gwledig, a bod ystyriaethau ynglŷn â chynnal gwasanaethau gyda phoblogaeth mwy gwasgaredig, er enghraifft, yn rhan o'r ystyriaethau hynny. Dwi'n credu mai'r ateb ehangach yw, o edrych ar y gofynion mewn cymunedau gwledig, fod yna gyfrifoldeb yn ehangach ar draws y Llywodraeth ar gyfer sicrhau ein bod ni'n deall yr heriau penodol yn yr ardaloedd hynny ac yn ymateb yn briodol iddyn nhw.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. We understand just how important schools are for our rural communities, and in the context of smaller schools, for example, there are very detailed requirements in relation to consultation on any reorganisation that's proposed. The Member will also be aware that my colleague the Minister for rural resilience is looking at ways of nurturing and protecting the resilience of rural communities, and that considerations on sustaining services with a more dispersed population, for example, are part of those wider considerations. I think that the broader response is that, in looking at the needs of rural communities, there is a broader responsibility across Government in ensuring that we do understand the specific challenges faced by those areas and respond appropriately to them.
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Diolch yn fawr. Mi fydd yr Aelod efallai'n ymwybodol ein bod ni'n peilota'r cynllun ysgolion hynny ar hyn o bryd i edrych ar ddatblygu ein dealltwriaeth ni o'r heriau sydd yn eu hwynebu nhw, ac yn tynnu, fel roeddwn i'n dweud ynghynt, yr elfennau gwahanol yma o bolisïau at ei gilydd. Mi fydd hi'n ymwybodol hefyd fod trafnidiaeth ysgol yn flaenoriaeth benodol i'r Dirprwy Weinidog dros Drafnidiaeth, bod y Gweinidog dygnwch gwledig yn edrych ar y materion yma hefyd, a fy mod i innau hefyd yn edrych yn gyson ar yr heriau demograffig sydd mynd i effeithio ar sut rŷn ni'n darparu gwasanaethau ac addysg mewn cymunedau cefn gwlad, ac yng Nghymru yn ehangach, i ddweud y gwir. Felly, beth fydden i'n annog yr Aelod i edrych arno fe yw'r gwaith manwl ar draws nifer o feysydd gwahanol rŷn ni'n symud arno fe'n gyflym ac sydd yn bethau sydd yn berthnasol i'r cwestiwn a gododd hi, ond nad sydd o angenrheidrwydd wedi eu hynysu i'r portffolio addysg yn unig, ac rŷn ni wedi mynd ati'n fwriadus i sicrhau nad ydyn ni'n edrych ar y gofynion hyn trwy un lens yn unig.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. The Member may be aware that we are currently piloting the Community Schools Plus programme at the moment in order to look at developing our understanding of the challenges facing those schools and, as I said earlier, drawing on those different elements of policies and bringing them together. I am, of course, aware, too, that school transport is a particular priority for the Deputy Minister for Transport, that the Minister for rural resilience is also looking at these issues and I, too, am looking at the demographic challenges that will impact on how we provide services and education, particularly in rural communities and in Wales more broadly, too. So, what I would encourage the Member to look at is the detailed work happening across a number of different areas, which we are progressing quickly, as areas that relate to her question but are not necessarily reserved to the education portfolio, and we have taken meaningful steps to ensure that we don't look at these issues in isolation.
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Improving recruitment and retention is one of my priorities. We already know that teachers leave the profession for a range of reasons, including workload, well-being and working conditions. We are drawing on national and international evidence and working with our social partners to take practical action to address these issues.
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Diolch. Dydw i ddim yn credu ei bod hi'n gywir i ddweud nad oes tystiolaeth gyda ni. Mae nifer o adroddiadau wedi ymchwilio i’r broblem benodol hon—un yn gymharol ddiweddar gan Cardiff Met, er enghraifft, y brifysgol yng Nghaerdydd, a gyhoeddwyd yn 2024. Mae’r OECD hefyd wedi edrych ar yr heriau yma yng nghyd-destun y gwaith y maen nhw wedi’i wneud yng Nghymru. Mae un o bwyllgorau’r Senedd hefyd wedi edrych yn fanwl ar y broblem yma. Yr un casgliad maen nhw i gyd wedi dod iddo, i bob pwrpas, sef bod y baich gwaith yn ormodol ac yn drwm. Mae teimlad hefyd nad yw cymdeithas yn gwerthfawrogi ymdrechion athrawon fel yr oedd ar un cyfnod. Rwy’n credu bod dyletswydd arnom i gyd i edrych ar siẁd rydyn ni yn siarad am y proffesiwn addysgu; gallwn ni i gyd fod o gymorth yn y cyd-destun hwnnw o leiaf. Mae hefyd cwestiynau ynglŷn â’r llwybr proffesiynol—dyrchafiadau felly, wrth i rywun symud drwy’r system. Wedyn, mae yna feysydd a phynciau penodol lle mae’n arbennig o anodd i recriwtio a chadw athrawon. Mae dibyniaeth hefyd ar athrawon sydd efallai wedi’u cymhwyso i ddysgu un pwnc, ond sydd yn cael eu gofyn yn gynyddol i addysgu un arall. Mae’r rhain i gyd yn faterion sydd yn dylanwadu ar ein gallu ni i recriwtio a chadw athrawon, ac mae hwn wedi bod, yn amlwg, yn flaenoriaeth i mi dros y cyfnod diwethaf. Dyna pam, er enghraifft, gwnaethom ni roi taliadau ychwanegol yn eu lle i recriwtio i rai pynciau sydd yn arbennig o anodd, ac wedyn yn edrych ar y gofynion ehangach gyda chynrychiolyddion o’r gweithlu eu hunain.
Official English translation
Thank you. I don't think it's correct to say that we don't have any evidence. There are a number of reports that have looked into this specific problem—one quite recently carried out by Cardiff Met, for example, which was published in 2024. The OECD has also looked at these challenges in the context of work that they have done in Wales. One of the Senedd committees has also looked in detail at this issue. They've all come to the same conclusion, to all intents and purposes, namely that the workload is excessive and is a heavy workload. There's also a feeling that society does not appreciate the efforts of teachers as it did at one stage in the past. I think that we all have a responsibility to examine how we speak about the education profession; we can all be of help in that context, at least. There are also questions about the professional pathway—in terms of promotions and so on, as you move through the system. Then, there are specific subject areas where it is especially difficult to recruit and retain teachers. There is a dependence as well on teachers who are perhaps qualified to teach one subject but are increasingly asked to teach another subject. These are all issues that influence our ability to recruit and to retain teachers, and this has, clearly, been a priority for me over the recent period. That is why, for example, we provided those additional payments for recruitment to difficult-to-recruit subjects, and also are looking then at the broader requirements with representatives from the workforce itself.
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The safety and well-being of learners is an absolute priority for the Welsh Government. We continue to work closely with schools, local authorities, the police and other partners to prevent harm, identify emerging risks and ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to respond effectively when concerns arise.
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Thank you. As I referred to in an earlier answer around school transport more broadly, this has been a challenge on many levels—access to Welsh-medium education, for example. The cost of transport has been an increasing concern and that's why, with my colleague the Minister for transport, we are looking at school transport in particular as an immediate priority and linking that, which may be of interest to you as well, to additional learning needs learners for whom this is a pressing priority. I can't commit this afternoon to looking at the learner travel Measure again, but, certainly, issues more broadly around access to school and transport to get learners there safely are right at the top of my colleague's agenda, I know.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that question.
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Our priority is to raise standards for every child, wherever in Wales they go to school. We want to see sustained improvement in literacy and numeracy, more children and young people making good progress from where they start, and more school leavers earning useful qualifications ready for further study, training or work.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that question.
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I'm aware obviously of the plans that he raises with me in terms of school organisation proposals from Pembrokeshire County Council. He has been here far longer than I have and will be equally aware that I am unable to comment on the merits or otherwise of any local authority proposals, which may later be referred to Ministers for determination.
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Diolch. Thank you. And I too want to see all pupils in Wales being able to engage in all aspects of the curriculum, including, obviously, sport and physical activity. We know how important that is for their development, for their health, for their inclusion in school and in society, and I think I've referred in previous answers to our focus on that inclusion. We want our system and access to curriculum to be available for all our learners. I don't have to hand the numbers that she asks for, but I can look into that and share that with her. But I can assure her that all pupils will be a focus of all our work in terms of education standards and the accessibility of the curriculum for learners across Wales.
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Thank you for the gallop through PISA in Wales that I think most of us are familiar with and has got us to a place where we don't want to be. What is different about this plan is its focus on nought to 16 as the first element in that. We recognise that the very earliest years have an impact on learners' development in schools. We're tying it in very firmly with all the interventions that we are making in that space, in order that we can apply the support for those learners and for staff that is appropriate. I'm also—and this too is new—looking at a baseline for entry into schools, a year 6 indicator, which I and others will be able to be held to account for the trajectory we are making in literacy and numeracy, and we also want to see improvements in qualifications outcomes at 16. What I am keen to do is to make live in our schools system the ability to demonstrate what we are doing, what you can hold me to account on, and the clarity that we give school staff about those expectations. The plan will be published in detail for consultation, in terms of what those expectations look like, very soon. And we will be able to see, on literacy and numeracy specifically, in which direction we are going, and that is different from the responses in the past.
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I think, to go back to your first point, on the literacy and numeracy framework, one was introduced in Wales, but the sustained focus on it was not maintained. And I said last week that one of the factors that does make a difference in jurisdictions across the world is that sustained focus, which is what we are offering. On Curriculum for Wales, you are right that there are similarities in the way these have evolved, but while we might learn from Scotland in some respects, you will find that a lot of the emerging research now suggests that they might very well learn from us too. I have announced that I will begin a targeted review of the curriculum, in order that we have greater clarity around expectations regarding the content of that curriculum. I don't want to start again, because 15 years of further reform would not be helpful, and the curriculum is being applied well in very many schools—I have seen that. So, there will be a review; I will come back and explain how that will work and the timeline for it. There is a need for a review, but I think that we are not in the same place as Scotland, and that lessons work both ways.
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There are two points there to take up, I think. Looking at the trajectory and progression of students into post-18 and post-16 education is part, I think, of my colleague's review, and that will feature in that regard. I think, on GCSEs and A-levels, it is important to remember that none of the pupils, the learners, who have done Curriculum for Wales have yet gone through these qualifications. So, drawing lessons about Curriculum for Wales with these particular cohorts may not be as helpful as we need at this point. I think, also, it's important to remember that the consistency of testing—. PISA is one test and it tells us valuable things, and I want to draw on the detail and the granular detail of what that tells us, particularly how good we are at stretching our most able learners. I want to look at that and feed that knowledge and information into our plan. What is also clear, though, is that it doesn't measure everything. GCSEs measure something slightly different. A-levels, in which we perform, actually, very well, measure something else. So, I think it is important and is a responsibility to think of all these results in the round, while also being clear about what our expectations are, particularly around foundational skills, which is what our plan is about.
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On one thing I do agree with you: the support staff in our schools do an enormously positive and important job. And any teacher and, indeed, any learner you talk to will attest to that. She's also quite right that these are issues that need to be considered across portfolios. Health in particular and arguably, also, preventative health are going to be key partners in deciding how the education system and how we support support staff, but, more crucially also, the learners, in this work. I can't give her a timeline at this point, but I can assure her that, in pursuit of the breaking down of silos that I think every Minister on this bench has mentioned over the past few weeks, that is one of the very clear areas of focus that we have. Because, again, to go back to an associated point to yours, making sure that all our learners are able to make the best progress that they can, and that they are well supported whatever their needs are, is a priority for us.
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Yes, that is an assurance I can absolutely give her. Thank you.
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Thank you for the question. I'm afraid I have to refer you to the previous answer that I gave to your colleague, in that, obviously, these are decisions for local authorities. There are clear codes that govern the process that need to be followed in order to look at school organisation, and, particularly in relation to smaller schools, you will see a commitment in our manifesto to make sure that those codes are well applied. But I cannot, as Minister, comment on any particular plans in any local authority in Wales, as I am conscious that some of these decisions may at some point be referred to Welsh Ministers.
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Thank you. I can't commit to that, for the reasons that I mentioned earlier on. But I think your question does illustrate the importance of schools in our communities, and I wouldn't dispute that for a second. They are key institutions in all our communities. We all have a vested interest in their success and in the success of the learners who are in those schools. So, while, obviously, for your constituents this will be an issue that they will want to pursue with you and with others, I will leave it there.
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Diolch. Cardiff Council is implementing its Welsh in education strategic plan to ensure sufficient Welsh-medium secondary education in all areas of Cardiff. I understand that the council is currently developing strategic, long-term options for Welsh-medium secondary school provision, and we should await the outcomes of that work.
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Diolch yn fawr. The Welsh Government's commitment to developing Welsh language schools and opportunities for learners across Wales is clear. It is expressed, again, in our manifesto. We are consulting very soon in this autumn term on the broader strategy around Welsh and the implementation of the Welsh language and education Act—Deddf y Gymraeg ac Addysg (Cymru) 2025. I may not have translated that wholly accurately. That is a focus for our work as a Government, and I would invite him to look in detail at that consultation when it is issued. Additionally, we have just conducted a rapid review of the Welsh in education strategic plans that all local authorities are required to develop to demonstrate how they propose to develop these options for all learners in Cardiff and elsewhere.
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Thank you. I know my predecessors and I are very keen to learn from examples of successful bilingual countries and cultures across the world. It always strikes me as interesting that we consider this in some way unusual. In most places in the world, bilingualism is an accepted part of life—it's just the way things are. Learning from those countries, learning from those jurisdictions, has always, I think, been important to this Government and the previous one. Certainly, I can commit to continuing that interest in the way things are done elsewhere and to learn appropriately from that.
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Diolch yn fawr. Diolch yn fawr am gydnabod hefyd fod y sefyllfa hon yn gallu bod yn ddyrys i rywun fel fi, sydd hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn byw yn Grangetown. Ond, wedi dweud hynny, rwy'n ymwybodol, rwy’n credu, fod yr Aelod wedi ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog cyllid, ac rwy'n hyderus y bydd hi'n ateb hynny yn fuan. Fe fyddwn i yn nodi ar y pwynt hwn nad ydyn ni wedi cael gohebiaeth swyddogol gan Gyngor Caerdydd ar y mater hwn, ac efallai fod hwnna’n rhywbeth i edrych arno fe. Ond i fynd nôl at fy ateb blaenorol, mae datblygu addysg Gymraeg ym mhob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru, cynnydd yn nifer y disgyblion sydd yn gallu cael mynediad rhwydd at addysg gyfrwng Gymraeg, a bod dysgwyr yn ein system ni, pa bynnag ysgol maen nhw wedi mynd iddi hi, yn gadael yr ysgol yn 16 yn siaradwyr hyderus o'r Gymraeg yn ganolog i weledigaeth y Llywodraeth hon ar gyfer y Gymraeg. Bydd yna ymgynghori helaeth iawn ar yr amryw ffyrdd y byddwn ni'n symud i'r cyfeiriad hwnnw dros gyfnod y Llywodraeth hon.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Thank you also for recognising that this situation can be quite complex for someone like me, who also, of course, lives in Grangetown. However, having said that, I'm aware, I think, that the Member wrote to the Minister for finance, and I am confident that she will respond shortly. I would like to note on this point that we haven't received any correspondence officially from Cardiff Council on this issue, and perhaps that would be something to look at. But to return to my previous answer, developing Welsh-medium education in every local authority in Wales, increasing the number of pupils who can have easy access to Welsh-medium education, and that learners in our system, whatever school they attended, can leave the school aged 16 as confident, proficient Welsh speakers are central to this Government's vision for the Welsh language. There will be very extensive consultation on the variety of ways in which we will be moving in that direction through the period of this Government term.
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Specifically—I think I mentioned this in my earlier answer—on the location, I haven't. But, of course, alongside what is happening is that we are looking at the Welsh in education strategic plans, and these have now been submitted, the review has concluded, and we will be communicating with all local authorities in October to discuss the progress that has been made and the national picture that we can glean from those plans aligned, then, with the priority we as a Government give to developing Welsh language education. Diolch yn fawr.
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Diolch. Improving educational standards for learners in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, and indeed in every community across Wales, is a core mission of this Government. Last week, I published the foundational literacy and numeracy plan, which represents an important first step in our vision for an education system that works for all learners and supports key partners to succeed.
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Diolch yn fawr. Spending time litigating previous Governments' records is not how I intend to use my time, because I want to move forward from here, so I have no intention of starting today. I think you will see a commitment across this Government particularly to tackle the impact of poverty on children across Wales, both in schools and more broadly in our society. That's why the childcare offer, for example, is such a focus for us. You will see, in each of our portfolios, I think, a strategic commitment to tackling the impact of poverty in Wales on children and on societies and on families across our country, including in your constituency. You will see also, in the foundational literacy and numeracy plan that I published last week, that there is in that explicitly a commitment to looking at our success in delivering this plan in terms of how well we are getting to grips with those gaps, because some of these statistics are alarmingly and stubbornly high and have been for a very long time. And I hope you will have heard, over the past few weeks, how important that is, in all its complexity, for all of us.
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Diolch yn fawr. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni wedi clywed yn yr wythnosau diwethaf gan rai o'n cydweithwyr hefyd amboutu'r impact personol mae rhai o'r dewisiadau anodd yma wedi'i gael pan nad oes modd cael y gefnogaeth addas ar gyfer anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yn y Gymraeg, ac i ddysgwyr mewn ysgolion Cymraeg hefyd. Rydyn ni wedi edrych yn fanwl ar hwn, yn benodol ar y ddarpariaeth hynny o safbwynt dysgwyr mewn ysgolion Cymraeg, ac mae e'n sicr yn flaenoriaeth i ni. Mi allaf i anfon mwy o fanylion ynglŷn ag amserlen, efallai, iddi y tu allan i'r cyfarfod y prynhawn yma, ond rwy'n moyn ei sicrhau hi ein bod ni yn sylweddoli bod hwn yn broblem benodol ac mae cefnogi teuluoedd sydd yn dymuno cael addysg Gymraeg i'w plant a chael y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnyn nhw yn sicr yn rhywbeth y byddwn ni yn barnu ein llwyddiant arno fe dros gyfnod y Llywodraeth.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I think we've heard in the past weeks from some of our colleagues as well about the personal impact that some of these difficult decisions have had when suitable support hasn't been available for ALN through the medium of Welsh, and for learners in Welsh-medium schools as well. We have looked at this in detail, in particular at that provision from the perspective of students in Welsh-medium schools, and certainly it is a priority for us. I can send you some more details about the timetable, perhaps, outside of this meeting this afternoon, but I want to assure you that we do realise that this is a particular problem and that supporting families who would like to have Welsh-medium education for their children and get that support that they need is certainly something that we would judge our success on over the period of this Government.
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Decisions on the level of funding available to schools are made by each local authority as part of their overall budget setting. I'm committed to working collaboratively with local authorities to consider how education funding is used most effectively.
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Diolch. I can assure him certainly that education is a priority for the entire Government, and that I, as an advocate for support for it in all aspects, will be delivering with determination. I think it is important to note the funding settlements that are in place at the moment. He may remember, in the last budget negotiations, that an additional £112.8 million was sourced for local government, which resulted in £6.56 billion in core funding for local authorities, and that is an increase of 4.5 per cent. I know that there are issues around funding in education and in our schools. I am determined to work with all partners to try and resolve some of the more outstanding issues, and assure him that the Vale of Glamorgan and all the other 21 authorities will be in my mind as I do that, because, as I said, we recognise the importance of education, and success in delivering for our learners is a key measure of our success as a Government.
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We are committed to improving the condition of the school estate in Wales so that every learner is educated in a safe, sustainable and high-quality environment. To do this, the Welsh Government works in partnership with local authorities, who are responsible for school repairs and maintenance. Condition surveys are used to identify schools in need of the most urgent repairs and upgrades, and we are committed to working with colleagues to ensure the most effective use of resources.
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Thank you. The Welsh Government only holds very high-level information on school conditions, so I think this is an issue that will need to be pursued with the local authority. But I will say that we did commit to conducting that survey of school buildings, and that work is continuing now, to recognise the fact that we know that there is a significant issue across Wales with school buildings. We are going to prioritise those that are categorised as C and D, which are the buildings that are in the worst conditions according to what we currently hold in terms of data. I think, more broadly, a focus on this to ensure that our school buildings really are appropriate for our learners and the opportunities we want to give them is what sits behind making that priority a manifesto commitment.
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We recognise that schools and local authorities continue to face a range of financial pressures. I am committed to listening to, engaging with and working collaboratively with local authorities to ensure our decisions make a real difference for learners.
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Thank you very much. These are conversations that are ongoing with local authorities. I met, in fact, with the Welsh Local Government Association yesterday to discuss a range of factors that are impacting local authorities at the moment. To return to the ALN spending, I agree with you that this is a pressing priority for local authorities and for our schools, which is why we made those commitments around funding in the supplementary budget. She will be aware that that was not successful, but that is continuing work and there remain opportunities for that funding to be sent to local authorities and schools to address some of these issues.
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Sources
The Record of Proceedings for each sitting day, quoted verbatim.