(Title Image: BBC Wales)
Following the previous look at the Welsh Government’s record on health during the Fifth Senedd, it’s time to turn attention towardsn education which, of course, was the responsibility of a Lib Dem Minister rather than Labour.
Key Events & Issues of the Fifth Senedd
New National Curriculum – The principle of curriculum reform was agreed before the last election so didn’t feature heavily in the 2016 manifestos. It became one of the big non-Brexit, non-Covid events of the Fifth Senedd. The new curriculum, set to be rolled out from 2022, is more open-ended and gives more power and flexibility to teachers and schools. Nonetheless there have been criticisms of the de-specialisation of subjects and teaching, concerns perhaps not eased by recently revealed proposals to reform GCSEs. There was also much debate over which subjects would be included as mandatory on the face of the Bill itself, instead of being left to guidance.
Free Childcare Offer – One of Labour’s major manifesto commitments, the policy created a new free childcare packages for working parents. However, there was criticism during the legislation’s passage through the Senedd over the restriction to working parents alone and not all parents.
Diamond Review & New Student Support Offer – Student finance is one of the reasons why the Lib Dems are on their death bed, though Kirsty Williams has gone some way to restore their reputation through reformed student support. These reforms reintroduced means-tested student maintenance grants and expanded support available to part-time and postgraduate students.
Devolution of Teachers’ Pay & Conditions – Powers were devolved in 2018 and, resultingly, has largely kept pace with England with input from an independent body.
Summer 2020 Exam Algorithm Fiasco – With 2020’s summer exams cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a controversial algorithm was used to award grades. The resulting downgrades – which often were massively out of kilter with teacher-predicted grades prompted outcry and protests leading to an eventual embarrassing u-turn. It looks set to be avoided in 2021. Let’s see.
Impact of Covid-19 on Education – Despite the hard work of teachers, lecturers and support staff to get something going for their pupils and students during the various lockdowns, it’ll probably be some time until we know the effect of the pandemic on attainment. Catch-up classes and summer school will likely be on the agenda after the election.
Impact of Brexit on Universities – Universities are set to be hit harder than most by Brexit and subsequent changes to immigration rules, largely due to the expansion in international student numbers (who generally pay more to study here), no longer being able to access the Erasmus programme and the loss of EU structural funding (a large part of which was spend on universities).
Key Committee Inquiries
- Teachers’ Professional Learning (Education & Young People)
- Targeted Education Funding to Improve Attainment/Pupil Premium (Education & Young People)
- Status of the Welsh Baccalaureate (Education & Young People)
- School Funding (Education & Young People)
- Children’s Rights (Education & Young People)
- Teaching of Welsh history (Culture)
- Improving access to education in British Sign Language (Petitions)
Key Legislation
- Additional Learning Needs Act 2018 – Sets a new framework for identifying students with additional and special needs and accompanying action plans. It also establishes a new Additional Learning Needs Tribunal to challenge decisions. The new system is set to come into force from September 2021.
- Education (Student Support) Regulations – Implemented the Diamond Review reforms to student support as mentioned above.
- Childcare Funding Act 2019 – Introduced a free child care scheme for working parents of three-and-four-year olds.
- Curriculum & Assessments Act 2021 – Laid the legislative groundwork for the new National Curriculum for Wales, which is set to be phased-in from September 2022.
