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Education, lifelong learning and skills
Open WAG Consultations
Updated replacement for the Education (Specified Work and Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2004
Opened 18/06/10; Closes 10/09/10
The Welsh Assembly Government is consulting on proposals to update the Education (Specified Work and Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2004. For more information, click here.
Relevant WAG Publications
Review of standards in summer 2009 GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science
(21/07/10)
(16/07/10)
Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009: Local Curriculum for Students aged 16 to 18 Guidance.
(15/07/10)
The exams officer's guide: Managing results and post-results services for the June 2010 exam series
(14/07/10)
A Survey of Professional Qualification Training for Youth Workers in Wales
(25/06/10)
(15/06/10)
(10/06/10)
Responsibility and Responsiveness – Stakeholder Review of FE Governance Arrangements
(08/06/10)
Learner Involvement Strategies: Guidance for lifelong learning and skills providers in Wales
(08/06/10)
Access to Education and Support for Children and Young People with Medical Needs
(03/06/10)
(27/05/10)
School Business Managers – A Best Practice Guide
(26/05/10)
Ensuring the successful delivery of national examinations
(25/05/10)
(23/05/10)
UNCRC Awareness raising toolkit
(20/05/10)
Review of the Cost of Administering the Education System in Wales
(18/05/10)
Ensuring all learners achieve their potential
(17/05/10)
Information for exams office staff about changes to GCSE and managing controlled assessments
(12/05/10)
Supporting your Examinations Officer during the summer examinations season
(12/05/10)
Review of Standards Over Time - GCSE and GCE Advanced Level Welsh First Language 2003-2008
(05/05/10)
21st Century Schools Information Document Summary
(26/04/10)
The Draft Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for Wales (SASW)
(22/04/10)
Delivering Skills that Work for Wales: A Labour Market Framework
(21/04/10)
Statutory guidance to help prevent children and young people from missing education
(20/04/10)
(14/04/10)
GCSE, GCE, Principal Learning and Project code of practice
(14/04/10)
Welsh Reading and Writing Proficiency Survey
(12/04/10)
Enquiries About Results and Appeals Report on the June 2009 GCSE and A Level Examinations Series
(26/03/10)
Guidance on the Vetting and Barring Scheme
(26/03/10)
The Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS): School or Further Education College exchanges
(25/03/10)
(22/03/10)
Revised National Standards for Head Teachers in Wales: Circular 14/06
(19/03/10)
Guidance for Governing Bodies on School Uniform and Appearance Policies (revised February 2010)
(25/02/10)
Awarding the new A* grade at A level
(17/02/10)
Report on the performance of the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) in 2009
(17/02/10)
Special consideration in GCSE and GCE: June 2009 examination series
(16/02/10)
Access arrangements for GCSE and GCE: June 2009 examination series
(16/02/10)
Malpractice in GCSE and GCE: June 2009 examination series
(15/02/10)
Information and communication technology (ICT) at Key Stage 4
(07/12/09)
Guidance on Home to School Transport Risk Assessments
(27/11/09)
(24/11/09)
School-based Counselling Services in Wales a National Strategy
(19/10/09)
Individual Learning Plan Summary Wales
(15/09/09)
NAfW Committee Inquiries
Vulnerable Young People in Work Based Learning
The National Assembly for Wales’s Petitions Committee has launched an inquiry into the experiences of vulnerable young people in work-based learning and is calling for evidence from interested parties. For more information, click here.
Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
The National Assembly’s Enterprise and Learning Committee is hearing oral evidence. To read transcripts of meetings and written responses, click here.
The Role of School Governors
The Enterprise and Learning Committee has published its report. To read it, click here. The Minister has published her response. The report has been debated in Plenary. Contact your local AM should you wish to discuss a specific matter arising from the report.
Education Maintenance Allowance
The Enterprise and Learning Committee has published its report. To read it, click here. The Minister is now duty-bound to respond, should you wish to raise a specific matter with them click here for further contact details.
The Economic Contribution of Higher Education
The report has been debated in Plenary.
Rapporteur Group on Bilingualism
The Enterprise and Learning Committee has established a rapporteur group on bilingualism in schools. They have so far held informal meetings with the Welsh Language Board; visited Treorchy Comprehensive School to speak to teachers, pupils, parents and members of the local community; and met officers from ESIS (the Education and Schools Improvement Service) based in Treforest to discuss the role of Athrawon Bro (responsible for supporting Welsh teaching in primary schools).To respond to the group’s questionnaire, click here.
Funding of Post 16, Further and Higher Education
The Finance Committee has decided to undertake an inquiry into the funding of post 16, further and higher education and is hearing oral evidence. To read written evidence and meeting transcripts, click here.
Specialist provision for young people with autism in further education
The National Assembly for Wales' Enterprise and Learning Committee is undertaking an inquiry into Specialist provision for young people with autism in further education. The Minister has published his response. The report will now be debated in Plenary. Contact your local AM should you wish to discuss a specific matter arising from the report.
Financial Inclusion and the impact of Financial Education
The National Assembly for Wales’ Communities and Culture Committee is undertaking an inquiry into ‘Financial Inclusion and the impact of Financial Education.’ The deadline for responses has now closed.
Petitions
Amendment to the Assembly Learning Grants and Loans Regulations: Regulations Relating to Previous Study
Open since 06/11/07
Background: Currently, the Student Support Regulations prohibit mature students who already hold an honours degree from applying for a student loan for living expenses. There is, however, and exemption from this rule for students studying for a degree which ultimately leads to qualification as a medical doctor, dentist, veterinary surgeon, architect, landscape architect, landscape designer, landscape manager, town planner or town and country planner. No facility exists for any mature student for the provision of student loans to pay for fees.
The petitioners call upon the National Assembly for Wales to extend the aforementioned exemption to include any undergraduate degree course which is a mandatory legal prerequisite for qualification and registration in a given profession. Examples of such courses include:
BSc/Op for registration as an Optometrist
MPharmacy for registration as a Pharmacist
They strongly urge the National Assembly for Wales to implement these changes as a matter of priority, retrospectively enacting these changes if permissible. The motivation for this petition is to ensure that mature students, particularly those from less affluent backgrounds, are not excluded from admittance into professions which are not included in the current regulations, and which have no other route of registration. In addition, they would ask that the National Assembly for Wales give due consideration to the possibility of the provision of student loans for part-payment of fees for such qualifications. For more information, click here.
Current status: A response has been received from the Minister for Health and Social Services, which noted the modernisation of the pharmacy industry in Wales. A letter will be sent to the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning to ask for an update on the outcome of a review of cause eligibility in England, and if this would affect Wales.
Public Accountability and Consultation in Higher Education
Open since 13/03/09
The petitioners ‘call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh government to introduce an open and transparent system to scrutinise the standards of service and value for money offered by the Higher Education sector in Wales, and to ensure changes in service levels are subject to public consultation’. For more information, click here.
Current status: Information has been received from the petitioners, which will be sent on to the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning.
To abolish top-up fees in Wales
Open since 15/03/09
Cymru X calls upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Assembly Government to abolish tuition fees for Welsh domiciled students studying at Welsh higher education institutions. For more information, click here.
Current status: The committee has tried to contact the petitioners but have received no reply. The petition has been officially closed.
Prohibition of political events in schools
Open since 06/04/09
The petitioners ‘call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh government to ensure that political organisations, including affiliated or associated youth organisations, be prohibited from organizing events or interacting with children without their parents express permission, at any school premises or event. Such prohibition to apply to all children and young people attending school. Where for reasons of a curriculum, exposure to political organisations is required, express permission should be gained from parents prior to the event’. For more information, click here.
Current status: The committee has tried to contact the petitioners but have received no reply. The petition has been officially closed.
Include leaving home information and education in the National Curriculum -
Shelter Cymru
Open since 09/11/09
The petitioners ask the National Assembly for Wales to apply pressure on the Welsh Assembly Government to include leaving home information and education in the national curriculum. For more information, click here.
Current status: The committee is awaiting the evaluation report on the housemate resource from Shelter Cymru to give to the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning.
Save Welsh Universities
Open since 03/02/10
The petitioners call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Assembly Government to fully fund universities in Wales. We further call for:
- the Welsh Government not to follow the example of England by slashing university funding in the March remit letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
- a timetabled commitment from the Assembly Government to close the investment gap between the university sectors in Wales and England
- Wales to follow the example of France, Germany and the US who have chosen to invest heavily in their universities as a key strategy for economic recovery from the recession. For more information, click here.
Current status: Correspondence has been received from the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning and the committee will contact the Vice Chancellors of Welsh Universities to seek their views on the matter.
Relevant LCOs/Measures
Relevant Welsh Affairs Select Committee Information
Committee Report (published 08/03/10): The Proposed Legislative Competence Order relating to School Governance: Government Response to the Committee's Seventh Report
Committee Report (published 09/02/10): The Proposed Legislative Competence Order relating to School Governance
Call for evidence (28/10/09): Pre-legislative scrutiny of the proposed Legislative Competence Order in Council on Education relating to School Governance
Committee Report (published 16/01/09): Cross-border provision of public services for Wales: Further and higher education
