Welsh Liberal blogs

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, has accepted all of the recommendations of a report on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the new school Curriculum. The Minister has also confirmed £500,000 will be provided to support the implementation of the report’s recommendations, as part of the delivery of the new Curriculum for Wales. The  report , by the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and  Cynefin  in the New Curriculum Working Group, chaired by Professor Charlotte Williams OBE, makes 51 recommendations in total. The recommendations focus on a number of key areas, including improving educational resources, workforce training and professional development, and Initial Teacher Education. The report also makes recommendations on issues such as sustainability and the importance of a ‘whole school’ approach, involving parents, governors and wider communities. In the new curriculum, due to be taught t...

Today Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has announced a new package of support for pupils whilst schools are closed. Up to £7 million of funding will be provided to local authorities to urgently provide financial assistance to families of pupils who rely on free school meals but are unable to receive them due to sc “I have already informed local authorities of this additional funding, which will allow them to address immediate needs at a local level – and at pace – so support can get to children and families who need it most.” hool closures. Guidance will also be issued to local authorities to make arrangements to ensure children and young people eligible for free school meals receive access to alternative provision. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented: “Today’s announcement will ensure no child goes hungry because their school is closed and will allow our schools to continue to support those children who need ...

Student application data published today (Thursday, February 6) saw a 6% increase in the number of applications to higher education institutions in Wales - the largest increase among the four UK nations. The figures, published by UCAS for applications up to January 15, also show the proportion of applicants from the most deprived areas in Wales increase by 10% this year. The proportion of Welsh 18-year-olds applying for university reached a record high, with almost a third applying to higher education. The proportion of all applicants from Wales who applied to Welsh higher education providers rose to 76.3%, up from 75.5% last year. Kirsty Williams, the Minister for Education, has radically reformed the student finance system in Wales, with a fundamental shift towards supporting students with their day-to-day living costs. Wales is the only country in Europe which offers equivalent living costs support for undergraduate full-time, part-time and post-graduate st...

Last month, the Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, announced that the £250,000 Supporting Service Children in Education Wales Fund would be extended into 2019-20. 27 schools across Wales received funding for projects last year. The fund helps schools provide additional support to children from families of Service personnel. The challenges can include the effects of moving from one school to another due to the location of the posting. It can also include the effects of parents or guardians in the Armed Forces being deployed away from home, either on operation or a long term training exercise.  The fund is administered by the Supporting Service Children in Education (SSCE) Cymru project, hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA). The closing date for schools to submit applications is 30th September. Kirsty Williams said: Ensuring equity of access to education for all children and young people is one of my top priorities and I recognise the parti...

New bursaries aimed at increasing the number of Welsh graduates remaining in or returning to Wales to study a Master’s degree have been announced this week by Kirsty Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Minister. Funding is available for degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. Additional funding will be available for those undertaking a Master’s degree in Welsh. Up to £17,000 will be available for postgraduate students starting a course this autumn, and £1.3million will be allocated to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales for the scheme. Postgraduate applications have already seen a sharp increase of 58%, following student finance reforms that mean Wales has the most generous package of financial support anywhere in the UK. Kirsty Williams AM commented: “ Providing accessible postgraduate study is essential in meeting Wales’ current and future skills needs. The bursaries are aimed at high-demand areas and add to th...

Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer.322 A young person’s ability to benefit from education should never be determined by their background or personal circumstances. Narrowing the attainment gap, between pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers, is at the heart of our national mission to raise standards and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and enjoys public confidence. Secured as part of a budget deal between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the then Welsh Government, the pupil development grant has led to over £475 million additional investment which has directly supported over half a million young people eligible for free school meals in reaching their potential.323 Year on year the PDG has been expanded both in terms of the groups of learners it now supports and the scale of the investment. It focuses funding where it has the greatest impact, which we know is in the early years, so we have increased this element o...