Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM4772 Peter Black (South Wales West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Calls on the Welsh Government to implement a school standards improvement programme by:

 

a) Introducing a pupil premium to target money at pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping to close the funding gap with England;

 

b) Developing a comprehensive continuing professional development programme, funded by scrapping the General Teaching Council for Wales and improving workforce planning;

 

c) Updating the national curriculum so that it focuses on key skills;

 

d) Ordering a full, independent review of the governance of schools, particularly examining issues of local accountability, the appropriate leadership for governing bodies and whether single governing bodies would be appropriate for catchment areas; and

 

e) Improving transition between pupils from primary and secondary schools by formalising partnership between these schools, hiring more transition teachers and ensuring the early years of secondary schools offer a better balance of pastoral and academic teaching.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
3	0	48	51

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

Delete sub-point a) and renumber accordingly.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	14	51

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Nick Ramsay (Monmouthshire)

 

Delete sub-points b) to e) and replace with new sub-points:

 

Rigorously implementing Welsh Government plans for improving standards of literacy and monitoring the outcomes of those plans;

 

Providing a rounded national curriculum to include time for sport, home economics and life skills; and

 

Developing a middle phase in education.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	8	32	51

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

In sub-point b) delete all after 'development programme'

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	14	51

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

In sub-point d) delete 'Ordering a full, independent review' and replace with 'Conducting a review'.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
8	0	43	51

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

Amendment 5 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Delete sub-point e). 

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	14	51

Amendment 5 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM4772 Peter Black (South Wales West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Calls on the Welsh Government to implement a school standards improvement programme by:

 

a) Developing a comprehensive continuing professional development programme;

 

b) Updating the national curriculum so that it focuses on key skills;

 

c) Ordering a full, independent review of the governance of schools, particularly examining issues of local accountability, the appropriate leadership for governing bodies and whether single governing bodies would be appropriate for catchment areas; and

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
40	0	11	51

The motion as amended was agreed.