Decisions

The item started at 15.18

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

NDM5972 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the annual report for 2014-15 of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes that the Estyn report states that "Schools with successful leaders have a strong culture of professional learning and focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning" and believes that paying a teaching premium to highly qualified education staff who maintain their professional development would be a significant contribution to raising teaching standards.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
7	12	31	50

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes that this year's Estyn report shows that more needs to be done to narrow the attainment gap between secondary school pupils in receipt of free school meals and their peers.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
50	0	0	50

Amendment 2 was agreed.

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Believes that at a time of increasing pupil numbers in primary schools, school closures, and teacher shortages, smaller class sizes for infants are ever more important to give teachers the time to properly teach our children.

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
6	18	26	50

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM5972 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the annual report for 2014-15 of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

2. Notes that this year's Estyn report shows that more needs to be done to narrow the attainment gap between secondary school pupils in receipt of free school meals and their peers.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
49	0	0	49

The motion as amended was agreed.

The item started at 16.31

NDM5698 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the annual report for 2013-14 of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Applauds the stronger aspects of Welsh education, but regrets that overall standards are still weak and that:

a) schools with strong leadership need to share best practice with weaker schools to boost standards; and that

b) the Welsh Government needs to improve both access to, and provision of, continuing professional development for both new and experienced teachers.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Regrets the state of pupil referral units in Wales, all of which, barring two, need improvement.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 3 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Regrets Estyn's finding that standards in primary schools declined this year, with the proportion of primary schools with good or excellent standards falling from seven in ten to just over six in ten.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Regrets Estyn's finding that pupils struggle to use numeracy skills appropriately across the curriculum in around half of schools.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 5 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Believes that the Welsh Government needs to build the capacity of the education workforce for effective implementation of key policies such as the Literacy and Numeracy Framework, the Foundation Phase and the new National Curriculum.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Amendment 6 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Believes that teachers in all parts of Wales should have access to best practice.

The amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM5698 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the annual report for 2013-14 of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

2. Applauds the stronger aspects of Welsh education, but regrets that overall standards are still weak and that:

a) schools with strong leadership need to share best practice with weaker schools to boost standards; and that

b) the Welsh Government needs to improve both access to, and provision of, continuing professional development for both new and experienced teachers.

3. Regrets the state of pupil referral units in Wales, all of which, barring two, need improvement.

4. Regrets Estyn's finding that standards in primary schools declined this year, with the proportion of primary schools with good or excellent standards falling from seven in ten to just over six in ten.

5. Regrets Estyn's finding that pupils struggle to use numeracy skills appropriately across the curriculum in around half of schools.

6. Believes that the Welsh Government needs to build the capacity of the education workforce for effective implementation of key policies such as the Literacy and Numeracy Framework, the Foundation Phase and the new National Curriculum.

7. Believes that teachers in all parts of Wales should have access to best practice.

The motion as amended was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.