Written question WQ82704

We are aware of the significant issues around wellbeing and learning experienced by those in the qualifications years (years 11, 12 and 13), in terms of their confidence to move to the next stage of their course or their next steps in their education (whether that be in schools, FE and HE). Supporting learners in years 11, 12 and 13 has been highlighted as one of the key priorities as we respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to enable them to have the best opportunity to progress to their next phase of education, training or employment.

Funding has been allocated to support learners before they start their next academic year (20231/22) ensure they are given the opportunity to maximise their learning and to prepare for their chosen post-16 pathway.

Specific funding has been provided to Local Authorities to enable schools to develop and deliver programmes of transition support. Guidance has also been issued to schools and colleges to support their decisions in regard to this funding (Transition funding for learners in year 11 and learners in year 12 and 13 studying AS/A levels: guidance | GOV.WALES).

Examples of what can be delivered by schools and colleges include:

• Virtual open events

• School/college engagement events where colleges work closely with local schools

• On-site and/or virtual transition events

• Skills support sessions to provide opportunities for year 11 learners to attend college

• Encouraging learners to access resources relevant to learner’s A’ level subject and career aspiration

• Engagement with current year 12 learners to offer subject specific encouragement, insights and mentoring

• Provide tutorial activities – either face to face or through a Blended Learning approach

• Summer activities for sports academies, MAT learners and any other groups of learners identified as needing specific engagement

• Wellbeing support and learner development activities such as team working, time management, organisational skills, vision, citizen skills.

• Engagement with Careers Wales

• Study Skills sessions delivered by local universities such as note taking, research skills, etc

More widely the Welsh Government has provided a comprehensive range of support to learners in these specific exam year cohorts. Some examples of which are detailed below.

In 2020-21 over £1.9m was invested in a project to deliver a suite of resources targeted at the WJEC examinations through different models. The suite of resources include:

• Blended learning resources to enable self-study by all learners in a remote-asynchronous delivery model

• Exam walk throughs that offer practical hints and tips on how to effectively approach questions in the assessments. Using questions from past exam papers, the resource will walk learners through a mock examination paper, helping them revise and practise useful exam techniques. Although the Minister for Education has agreed that exams will not take place during summer 2021, the exam walk throughs will still be a useful revision tool for learners as they prepare for the assessments that will take place instead of the exams.

• Knowledge organisers that allow learners to make links between themes and condense content into bitesize chunks.

• revision guides for AS and A Level learners.

Further information can be found on Hwb and WJEC website.

In addition, Welsh Government has invested £200,000 in a project aimed at transition to university in partnership with the Open University and Universities Wales. The University Ready Hub is aimed at those learners who have already decided that they will be going to university and for those who are curious and thinking about progress to university in the autumn. “University Ready” is a free, open access hub with resources and material to help young people with subject specific resources as well as advice on moving out, organising your finances and mental health and wellbeing support. It’s a great resource for all our learners.

• The Open University will be promoting the hub over the next few weeks as learners look to get their results and make future choices.

• The hub will also be promoted over the summer as part of our ‘Your Future Festival’ and the ‘Virtual Open Day’.

The outreach programme will focus on working with key partners, including the Regional Education Consortia and Colegau Cymru to ensure direct engagement with learners, tutors, advisors, teachers, and lecturers. The Hub will also be presented at other events, like parents evenings and open evenings for schools and colleges.

Along with these developments our Recruit, Recover, Raise Standards programme includes a focus on those learners in exam years. Our funding has allowed schools to develop support that has included a range of approaches. These include extra coaching support, personalised learning programmes and additional time and resources for exam year pupils. The distribution of these resources remains dependent on local need. Examples of use of the money in secondary schools include learning coach staff appointed to support learners focussed on KS 4 and post-16 learners preparing for exams (a priority group in our guidance.