, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Thank you. Thanks, Chair.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Thank you. Would you therefore expect measures to be put in place to track every pupil who has been offered the opportunity, and compliance more generally, then?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
From what you've just said, what do you think should be measured? And also, do you think there's a risk of placing an additional administrative burden on schools by doing this?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Thank you. In your view, who should be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Bill? Thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Thank you, Chair. Yes, utilising outdoor spaces is widely promoted now and developed and used, particularly post pandemic, and we've all seen the benefits from that. Schools actively take part in forest schools, utilising the spaces within the school grounds…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Just quickly, Chair. I mean, where do you propose that money would come from in a tight budget? Would you take away more teachers, or—? Where would that money come from? Because we know there are absolute struggles for the schools at the moment. Estyn's…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill—evidence session 3
Thank you, Chair. Sorry, a problem with the sound there. Yes, thank you, Chair. What we've heard in evidence that the committee has seen recently is that the group who are most likely to miss out, as James just said, with outdoor residential activities within…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you, Chair.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you. Your annual report says that, in some subjects, grade boundaries needed to be very low to achieve the policy aim—presumably the policy aim of a gradual trajectory back to pre-pandemic levels. And you say that you considered, just now, the WJEC's…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you. Yes, I hear what you're saying. A lot of people don't go on to higher education, though, and will just go on with those grades to employers, so they are quite important stakeholders to look into, particularly with the press surrounding it and the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you. Do you include—? You say 'stakeholders', and you mentioned higher education and other ones, but do you include businesses and prospective job prospects in that?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Okay, thank you. You've answered some of the questions that I had, but, as you've just said, different approaches were taken in Wales and England towards grading of qualifications, whereas, in Wales, there was a further transition year of generous grading, as…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Qualifications Wales Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you, Chair. I'd just like to—. Good morning, first of all, sorry. I'd just like to ask you some questions on awarding qualifications in summer 2023. How satisfied are you that the second transitional year of generous grading in summer 2023 has continued…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Do you think that that needs to be incorporated, then, as a requirement?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Thank you. My question's asked, but I just wanted to ask an additional one. Do you think, then—? If this Bill goes through and all the schools come to you, do you think there is sufficient equipment for disabled people in every single centre, in order to meet…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Okay, yes, thank you. You've answered my next question, really. Some of the responses to Sam Rowlands's consultations have raised concerns that the Bill could lead to a significant increase in funding to the sector, which is of course welcome, but that could…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Thank you. It has been very interesting today so far. Thanks for your input. One of the fantastic aims of the Bill, as you've outlined already, is the equality of opportunity and experiences for all people. What is your view on setting a minimum level of…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Thank you. They're really positive comments about how the centres are preparing to relieve that anxiety, but particular anxiety will come from perhaps those parents with children with additional learning needs or disabled children. How prepared are you to not…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 2
Thanks, Chair. I put my hand down, because they actually answered that just now. I had the delight of going to Gilwern and Forest Coal Pit, as I'm in Monmouthshire county—I went to school there—and it was wonderful. It's lovely to hear all of you today…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
Okay, Chair. I think that the Member has actually answered my final question. Sam Rowlands, you've talked about local authorities having things already in place to track whether children have had the opportunity. It was very interesting in what Heledd Fychan…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
It was about how will outcomes be measured. How do you find that, considering the social return on it and mental health, changing life habits and things like that? Those are going to be long-term benefits. How are you going to measure that?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
Thank you. I’m just going to be asking about implementation now. Who is going to be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Bill? And, obviously, we’ve heard you today talk about the social returns on the cost that’s inputted—the change of life…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
Thank you, Sam. I’m going to move on to a question about that in a minute, actually, but I just wanted to say: I recognise, too, and we all know there is a link between the importance of the social side of school and outdoor experiences, and them having a…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
Thank you, Chair. Can I start by saying that it's great to see you here, Sam, and to hear so much more about your Bill, and, obviously, the wide-ranging benefits that residential outdoor education can bring? I was lucky enough to have those experiences…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 1
Thanks for that, Sam. Just building on what you've just said, it would be interesting to have those conversations with providers, perhaps, and maybe look into small businesses or providers themselves in terms of sponsorship or donations in that sort of…
