Mark Drakeford: Exclusion should only be used as a last resort. Where exclusion cannot be avoided, our exclusion guidance sets out the support schools and local authorities must put in place for all children who have been excluded from school and from pupil referral units.
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: There are a range of projects benefiting communities in Islwyn, including 15 schools delivering the daily mile, four healthy and active fund projects working within communities, investment into active travel and safe routes to schools, sport development funding and four sites gaining the Green Flag Award scheme.
Mark Drakeford: Responsibility for planning school places rests with local authorities. Local authorities have to keep under review whether their pattern of school provision meets demand for places and the requirements of the modern curriculum.
Mark Drakeford: For the period 16 December-6 January, data provided by Public Health Wales shows that, in Bridgend, there were 41 confirmed cases amongst pupils in primary school and 60 confirmed cases amongst primary school staff. Seventeen childcare and play settings in Bridgend have informed Care Inspectorate Wales of confirmed cases.
Kirsty Williams: I continue to be guided by the latest scientific/medical advice. In addition, schools and colleges are being given the opportunity to perform serial testing of close contacts from this month. This will help to reduce the need to self-isolate and reduce the risk of asymptomatic transmission within schools and colleges.
Mark Drakeford: Supported by the Welsh Government with up to £52 million in additional funding, local authorities in the South Wales West region have set in place systems to ensure that those who rely on free school meals do not have to go without whilst they are not at school.
Mark Drakeford: Our national guidance has been updated and schools have been asked to operate at the very high risk level. Two planning days at the start of the term have enabled all schools to plan for the term ahead and ensure robust arrangements are in place to maximise in-person learning.
Jane Hutt: ...Government has provided support worth £1.6 billion, through programmes that protect disadvantaged households and families experiencing hardship. This includes funding for the provision of free school meals, the school essentials grant, our fuel support scheme and our childcare offer.
Alun Davies: I think the Cabinet Secretary’s clear in her vision and she’s in the Chamber and listening to your comments this afternoon. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and the First Minister made such a statement during the National Eisteddfod, and we as a team of Ministers have been discussing this since that time. I know that the Cabinet Secretary for Education is about to make a statement.
Mark Drakeford: ‘Taking Wales Forward’ sets out our programme of education reforms to improve education in Wales.
Alun Davies: We are using a variety of methods to promote Welsh-medium education and the opportunities it offers. Ensuring an increase in the number of children in Welsh-medium education in all parts of Wales will be vital if we are to achieve the aim of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Mark Drakeford: I am delighted to say that the National Academy for Educational Leadership was launched last week. It will support and impact on the whole education sector in Wales. It will be a small, independent, agile organisation, at arm’s length of Government. A further update will be provided later today.
Julie James: The Cabinet Secretary for Education and I have regular discussions about priority matters, including educational support for ethnic minority and Gypsy/Roma/Traveller learners.
Mark Drakeford: Last month, the Cabinet Secretary announced a record level of investment to support health education and training in Wales. We also continue to work with health boards and with Health Education and Improvement Wales on recruitment challenges, supported by our successful 'Train. Work. Live.' campaign.
Mark Drakeford: I hold regular meetings with the Minister for Education including discussions on key issues relating to higher education.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that all young people receive high-quality sexuality and relationships education. In May 2018, we announced our intention to rename this area of study and have proposed that relationships and sexuality education will be statutory in the new curriculum.
Vaughan Gething: We have asked Health Education and Improvement Wales and Social Care Wales to develop a workforce strategy for health and social care in Wales. This work will consider the best way to support career-long training, development and education for all the workforce.
Kirsty Williams: We have been working in close partnership with universities, NUS Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to develop our collective response to the pandemic. We have provided more than £213 million to HEFCW this financial year, including an additional £27 million higher education investment and recovery fund, recognising the impact of the pandemic on universities.
Mark Drakeford: Devolution has been the most important influencing factor on education policy in Wales. Our national mission is helping us to raise standards, raise the attainment of all children and ensure we have an education system that is a source of national pride and public confidence.
Mark Drakeford: We have provided substantial financial support to help higher education institutions deal with the impact of the pandemic. This year's total allocation of funding to HEFCW amounts to over £274 million. This funding, together with our student support system, provides a good foundation for maintaining the sustainability of Welsh higher education.
