Written question WQ86842

I recognise the importance of giving practitioners the time, space, and support to make a success of Curriculum for Wales, and so we have taken steps to support this. Over the last 3 years, we have provided an additional National Professional Learning In-Service Training (INSET) day, to create additional whole-school time for practitioners to engage with reform, and lifted a range of performance measures and assessment burdens during the pandemic to provide further space. We have recently consulted on adding further Professional Learning INSET days for the next 3 academic years. We have also provided flexibility for secondary schools to begin teaching Curriculum for Wales from this academic year or from September 2023. Around half of secondary schools have taken up this flexibility. This year, schools will receive over £21 million to directly support their work on the new curriculum, enabling them to work collaboratively with others, to free up time and space to plan their approaches, and to access professional learning and other nationally available support programmes.

As part of the Programme for Government commitment to reduce bureaucracy for schools, we are actively working with stakeholders, trade unions and employers through our Managing Workload and Reducing Bureaucracy Group, to identify where we can reduce workload, eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, and create space for practitioners.

We are also ensuring schools have the right support to deliver the curriculum. That includes the National Professional Learning Entitlement, which makes quality professional learning opportunities more easily accessible by bringing together a package of professional learning that all practitioners can benefit from, wherever they are based in Wales. Schools have access to a range of detailed guidance and tailored support from school improvement services, who continue to identify schools in need of further support to help target this appropriately.