Written question WQ86862
- Asked by
- James EvansConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 7 days
Question
What has the Welsh Government done to support Hongkongers in Wales on a British National (Overseas) visa with education and language learning?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The Welsh Government is committed to equality of opportunity and equity of provision, ensuring that all our learners are properly supported to achieve their full potential.
Those arriving through this immigration route with children aged 3 and 4 are eligible – provided they meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria - for the Childcare Offer Wales, and able to access up to 30 hours free childcare.
We have also ensured that children of compulsory school (age 5-16) who have arrived through this immigration route are entitled to access state-funded, full-time education in Wales, in accordance with our school Admissions Code. They are also eligible to access support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) to help them to participate and progress in learning.
Those aged 16 and over who have arrived and settled here on a British Nationals Overseas visa are able to access post-16 education and training (including, English for Speakers of Other Languages - ESOL). In addition, those who arrive in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, or Wrexham are able to access the REACH+ ESOL Assessment Hubs, providing language assessments and referrals to ESOL provision in those areas.
We have begun collecting data for this group of visa holders as part of our post-16 Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR), for the current (2022-23) academic year. The official statistics will be available and will be published February 2024.