By MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Education
My focus is on boosting standards in our schools and colleges.
The continued commitment of our workforce is central to achieving
this. This is why we gave teachers a very deserved 5.5% pay rise
last year, meaning that the starting salary for a new teacher is
£32,433.
I recognise the scale of the various challenges across education
in Wales. We need to focus on getting our existing programme of
reforms right – on the Curriculum for Wales, on improving
additional learning needs support and on school improvement.
Along with countries across the world, we see issues in
recruitment and retention, and concerns around the wellbeing of
teachers, school leaders and support staff.
Increasing workload pressures are a theme I hear repeatedly in my
engagement with the profession. This is impacting on time and
opportunity both to participate in professional learning and to
undertake relevant planning and administrative tasks.
Society's expectations of what we expect from our schools has
changed. The cost-of-living crisis, increasing complex health
needs of learners, and changes in society's expectations of what
schools should do, all have an impact. Pressures on wider public
services mean children need greater levels of support to be ready
to engage with learning.
Leaders and practitioners highlight that this has changed the
experience and nature of teaching, and the role of a teacher.
Leaders, teachers and teaching assistants are spending more time
addressing these issues, which has a knock-on effect on teaching
and learning.
This is beginning to impact on the attractiveness of teaching as
a profession. All staff – leaders, teaching professionals,
support staff - play a critical role in the life of the school
and the progress of children and young people. It is critical to
get the balance right in terms of workload, experience, as well
as pay and conditions.
I am announcing today that I have begun discussions with the
sector to develop a strategic education workforce plan, for
schools and early years settings in the first instance. This will
embed our vision and values for leaders, teachers and support
staff for the future recognising that there are a range of
important roles across the school workforce.
We will set out a strategic way forward working in partnership
with local authorities / governors as employers, union partners
and school staff, parents / carers, and learners. This strategic
plan will ensure we are focusing clearly on delivery and
improvement for our education workforce.
I intend to focus on developing this plan transparently with our
partners and will provide an update to the Senedd in due course.
