Consultation on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill
Evidence submitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill.
Organisation: Parents Voices in Wales CIC
1. The Bill’s general principles
1.1 Do you support the principles of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill?
Yes
1.2 Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1500 words)
Yes there needs to be a change to the curriculum as it is outdated and not meeting the needs of all learners. Those who are not reaching potential are being failed by the academia focussed process which is based on stats attainment and not the strengths of the child as an individual. Academia is not the strength of all children and the impact of those children can be life lasting - especially those with Neurodiverse conditions which constitute 20% of learners. There needs to be a new way of providing opportunities for success through a variety of learning mediums and opportunities through arts culture and apprenticeships. Mental health and wellbeing is indeed the foundations of the new curriculum and this would be most effective with the embedding of the whole school approach to provide an optimum Healthy environment for learners to achieve.
We would like to see Child Rights also embedded in the curriculum to meet the above needs and to be in the legislation of the Bill along with the whole school approach to prevent variability in standards and quality between schools. We need to ensure that legislation and frameworks are in place to support each school in providing equitable education to every child and those in EOTAS. No child should suffer a deficit in their education because they are not suited to a populated environment with peers. We must ensure that legislation supports all learners in every environment.
1.3 Do you think there is a need for legislation to deliver what this Bill is trying to achieve?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
Yes we need equity across all schools in Wales and avoid schools working in silos where attainment of pupils may differ. Uniformity of quality in standards should be a legal requirement of all schools.
Whole school approach should also be in the legislation to ensure mental health and wellbeing is embedded across all schools.
We also require a children’s rights approach in the legislation so that UNCRC aims and objectives are met for every child in Mental and physical health, education, safety and play.
A whole systems approach is the gold standard of service delivery and is being proposed in the transformation in Wales. We believe that partnership working should therefore be a requirement in the Bill as this will be valid going forward. If the Bill includes partnership as a requirement it will ensure that the whole school approach, child Rights and whole systems will meet the needs of every child in every school in Wales.
2. The Bill’s implementation
2.1 Do you have any comments about any potential barriers to implementing the Bill? If no, go to question 3.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
Whole systems approach would benefit the implementation of the Bill to ensure that every school is supported by business, health, social and third sectors to ensure the health and wellbeing as the foundations of the curriculum and whole school approach & AOLEs can be implemented effectively. The ALN Bill and Autism Bill needs to be full
Dovetailed to compliment the C&A Bill to ensure there are no barriers in every child meeting the objectives of each AOLE.
2.2 Do you think the Bill takes account of these potential barriers?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
No not until Child Rights Approach and Partnership working via whole systems approach & dovetailing of ALN Bill & Autism Bill are included in the Bill as a legislative requirement to support each and every child
3. Unintended consequences
3.1 Do you think there are there any unintended consequences arising from the Bill? If no, go to question 4.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
If the UNCRC Articles, ALN Bill, Transformation in Wales for Mental Health services and Autism Bill are not appropriately dovetailed to the Curriculum & Assessment Bill - there will be failings to meet the aims and objectives of the health and wellbeing, a curriculum for vulnerable learners, and for Early Help and Neurodiversity to be effectively considered. Each Bill should be working towards Early Holistic Assessment and Support for every child as required so that every child has the opportunity to meet the objectives of each AOLE. This can only be undertaken with legislation of the ALN & Autism Bill also be included in the C&A Bill.
4. Financial implications
4.1 Do you have any comments on the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum)? If no, go to question 5.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
Funding for the whole school approach should be additional to the funding of the implementation of the Bill. We also believe that the £7m monies for the Transformation of Services in Wales in the Mental Health Services Improvement Fund should also be ringfenced and protected and independent to this funding.
5. Powers to make subordinate legislation
5.1 Do you have any comments on the appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (as set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum). If no, go to question 6.1.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
There may be subordinate legislation for different sectors to meet their requirement for delivery but there should be a common theme of partnership and a whole systems approach in each to ensure that the main legislation of the Bill is able to meets its objectives. There may be subordinate legislation on softer issues like religion, sex education, ALN & Autism which may require updating as research dictates.
6. Other considerations
6.1 Do you have any other points you wish to raise about this Bill?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
No please see other points. Our main concern is the elements below are also embedded in the Bill and made part of the legislation to ensure that quality of education is inclusive and equitable in all
Schools in Wales.
UNCRC
Mental health and wellbeing
whole school approach
Additional Learning Needs Bill
Autism Bill
Whole Systems Approach