Written question WQ84562
- Asked by
- Laura Anne JonesConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
How is the Minister ensuring that professional networks are set up between schools to ensure that emerging best practice can be shared among the teaching workforce?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The National Approach to Professional Learning is designed to ensure that practitioners are able to access best practice in defining and sharing professional learning at a school, regional and national level through critical enquiry and collaborative learning.
Professional learning networks and clusters are well established across the regions/partnerships to support the delivery of professional learning on a cluster, local or regional basis. Enhanced professional learning funding awarded directly to schools since 2018, with a further £12 million investment during 21-22 has also supported schools to work within and beyond their own setting.
The 300 schools involved in the National Professional Enquiry Project (NPEP) actively engage in collaborative enquiry clusters. HEIs across Wales play a key role in supporting cluster partnerships. A number of regions/partnerships have also established enquiry hubs to disseminate outputs more widely.
We have established the national Talk Pedagogy, Think Learning network as an online digital space to share practice and support collaboration within and across our schools. Over 1225 practitioners are engaging with the network to discuss pedagogy and practice in an informal environment.
In September 2021, the National Network Conversations were launched. The National Network Conversations support leaders and practitioners in schools and settings to plan, design and implement the curriculum so that our children and young people develop in the ways described in the four purposes. They enable co construction, establish a new insight into reform and provide a direct voice for the profession to inform policy development and professional learning.
Over 250 schools and settings participated in the Autumn National Conversations on Preparing for the New Curriculum, Progression and Resources and Supporting Materials. National Conversations on Curriculum Design, Qualifications Reform and Welsh History and Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities Histories will be taking place this Spring.