MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Education said: The Curriculum for Wales is designed to
be purpose-driven, aiming to develop informed citizens, healthy
and confident individuals, enterprising contributors to society,
and ambitious capable lifelong learners who are ready for their
next steps when they finish compulsory education at 16.
We want to support learning and progression within these four
purposes by using data and information in a way that keeps
learners' needs at the centre, enabling schools to understand
their learners and to inform their self-evaluation and
improvement planning. Our use of data should enable this without
placing additional burdens upon the workforce or diverting the
system away from what is in the best interest of learners, whilst
supporting our drive to raise standards.
From September 2025, Curriculum for Wales learners will reach
Year 10, and by September 2026, it will be fully implemented
across the 3-16 continuum. We recognise that Years 10 and 11 are
crucial as students begin to undertake external assessment for
qualifications that significantly influence their future choices
and pathways.
Last September I published statutory guidance on 14 to 16
learning under the Curriculum for Wales. This guidance outlines
the policy for teaching and learning for this age group, and
explains the legal requirements for schools set out in
legislation, and is part of the broader Curriculum for Wales
framework. It sets clear national expectations to ensure a
consistent approach across all schools.
At the heart of this guidance is the 14 to 16 Learner
Entitlement, which details the learning opportunities that should
be made available to all Year 10 and 11 students under the
Curriculum for Wales. The Learner Entitlement aims to ensure that
each learner follows a path that suits them, with schools
supporting them in planning their next steps.
The Learner Entitlement also provides a framework for schools to
self-evaluate and reflect on the learning, progress, and
achievements of their students in Years 10 and 11 allowing them
to plan for further improvements.
Today I am launching a consultation on our
proposals for
-
An approach to data and information and a set of
information ecosystem principles: We aim to establish
a shared understanding of how data and information should be
used within the school system. We have developed a set of
principles to guide this and are seeking feedback on how well
these principles reflect our goals.
-
A 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators
Framework: We are proposing a framework to support a
balanced understanding of 14 to 16 curricula and learner
achievement in schools. The indicators and framework, which
align with the Learner Entitlement, will replace the “Key Stage
4 interim performance measures” (including the Capped 9). We
want to know if stakeholders believe these proposals align with
our policy aims, and we are looking for feedback on the
framework's structure and potential challenges during the
transition to these new arrangements. Additionally, we seek
input on developing systems for data reporting and analysis,
and where further guidance might be needed.
The 14 to 16 learning policy and supporting information
requirements will inform Estyn's inspection framework
from September 2025.
We plan to publish a summary of the responses to this
consultation in summer 2025. Alongside this, we will release a
statement outlining our new approach to using data and
information in schools and the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement
Indicators Framework. This will include our next steps for
improving reporting, developing tools, and creating supporting
resources.
We want to understand how our proposals might affect schools. To
do this, we will conduct a 'workload impact assessment,' which
will be part of the overall Integrated Impact Assessment
published in the summer. We have included a specific consultation
question to gather practitioners' views on how these proposals
might impact their workload.
I welcome feedback on our proposals.
