Written question WQ96242
- Asked by
- Natasha AsgharConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Education
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 7 days
Question
What steps is the Cabinet Secretary taking to ensure children in key stage 1 and key stage 2 have sufficient access to high-quality play provision and adequate time for play at school?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Education
The Welsh Government recognises access to play as a fundamental right for all learners. Curriculum for Wales, introduced in September 2022, provides a continuum of learning for all learners aged 3-16, and the Curriculum in Wales is no longer organised into key stages.
Through Curriculum for Wales guidance, we promote the importance of play in successful pedagogy. This encourages practitioners to recognise play as essential for children of all ages, acknowledging learners’ capacity for positive development.
The Welsh Government has provided £2m in funding in 2025-26 to support schools in delivering enrichment activities, including play, in and around the school day. Our Framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing guidance recognises that having time, and the freedom, to play indoors and outdoors can help keep children and young people of all ages emotionally well and build resilience. It is key that schools support free play for all children by providing sufficient time within the school day for play and break times.
The Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme encourage and support
projects that incorporate flexible spaces, for example, sports halls, pitches and play provision and opportunities.