EB 09

National Assembly for Wales

Children and Young People Committee

Education (Wales) Bill : Stage 1

Response from : Aspect group of Prospect

The Aspect group of Prospect, represents the education officers working in both LEAs and the regional consortia.  It was as a result of our regular meetings with GTCW that we have become aware of some of the proposed changes to the GTCW and its role as a regulatory body.

Accordingly, it was decided that we should seek to make some of our views known on some of the proposals in the Bill.

  1. The title of the new organisation “Education Workforce Council” is not a very aspirational title for what is supposed to be an aspirational profession.  There is no reference of professional standards or the value added of the inclusion of a wider group of staff to a registration process.
  2. The title “workforce” could be confused with reference to the developments in the area of Workforce Partnerships, which WAG is so keen to pursue.  The whole emphasis of this initiative is to engage the workforce in the decision making process in the public sector organisations but this Bill seems to be moving to an organisation more under the influence of the Minister and less of an independent registration body.  For example, the role of the Minster in making  appointments and the setting up of committees; the role of the Minister in directing preparing the first code; the dependent advisory role of the council going forward; the lack of an autonomous role regarding professional standards such as fitness to practice.
  3. Support workers will need separate consideration, when it comes to the level of any registration fees if the employer is not obliged to pay the fee, because of their low pay rates.
  4. The work based learning staff and youth workers are not mentioned in the Bill, and I am interested to know whether there is going to be a need for the Athrowan Bro staff or Education advisory staff to be registered with new Council if they deliver practice lessons in schools.

Don Martin Negotiations Officer

Aspect Group of Prospect