NDM9022 - Opposition Debate
Tabled on 15/10/2025 | For debate on 22/10/2025To propose that the Senedd:
1. Regrets that:
a) the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that Wales's performance has fallen to its lowest level ever in maths, reading and science, the lowest of all UK nations for the fifth consecutive time; and
b) physical attacks on teachers and knife attacks in Welsh schools are at their highest ever levels.
2. Calls on the Welsh Government to improve educational outcomes and academic rigour by:
a) improving accountability via the introduction of more rigorous school inspections;
b) developing a new accessible Welsh school performance database to promote learner and parental choice;
c) enabling the establishment of academy schools in Wales to encourage innovation;
d) restoring discipline and respect in schools via a crackdown on poor behaviour, including the automatic exclusion of learners who bring knives and other weapons into a school;
e) improving teacher retention and authority by stamping out pupil defiance;
f) empowering schools to ban mobile phones in Welsh classrooms, and encourage children to safely use AI and technology;
g) instilling rigour in our education system through the mandatory teaching of phonics; and
h) ensuring a purpose-driven curriculum which supports the formation of essential life-skills, including mandatory home economics and the importance of personal responsibility, healthy eating, budgeting and independent living.
Tabled By
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To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the findings of Estyn’s latest annual reports, which draw attention to the ongoing challenges in literacy, numeracy and digital skills across schools in Wales, alongside serious issues of teacher recruitment and retention in the education profession.
2. Regrets the failures of the Welsh Labour Government, where:
a) education standards have fallen, leading to the lowest ever PISA results for Wales in reading, mathematics and science in 2022;
b) teacher recruitment targets have failed in nearly a decade; and
c) one in every four primary schools lacks access to specific library space.
3. Welcomes Plaid Cymru’s commitment to making raising educational standards a national mission in Government by establishing:
a) a foundational literacy and numeracy plan, including:
i) national benchmarks for core skills;
ii) early intervention for pupils who fall behind;
iii) evidence-based professional development for teachers; and
iv) transparent progress tracking and reporting.
b) a library space in every primary school;
c) a reading initiative across the curriculum to incorporate literacy in every subject at secondary level; and
d) a fair and competitive strategy to recruit and retain teachers.
Tabled By
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To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that:
a) the latest national personalised assessments report shows improvement in English and Welsh reading, and numeracy improving for our youngest learners; and
b) school attendance improved in 2024-25, rising to 89.1 per cent from 88 per cent in the previous year and as part of a positive trajectory reversing the decline seen during the pandemic years.
2. Welcomes the work of the Welsh Government to:
a) ensure the systematic teaching of phonics in the Curriculum for Wales, supported by establishing a set of nationally consistent literacy, phonics and numeracy professional learning programmes for all schools in Wales, to be taken forward by Dysgu, our new national professional learning and leadership organisation;
b) provide a clearer set of expectations and information about schools through participation in PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), and developing more granular expectations of literacy and numeracy for schools;
c) progress concerted action following the National Summit on Behaviour in School and Colleges in Wales including new forums on the use of mobile phones in schools and exclusions and detentions, working with schools, local authorities and trade unions in social partnership;
d) fund a range of programmes to support schools positive engagement with their learners, families and communities, including investing £9.5 million in family engagement officers and £2 million in enrichment activities to tackle disaffection;
e) invest over £13 million annually in our whole school approach to emotional and mental health and wellbeing, including funding to support the wellbeing of schools staff;
f) take forward a Strategic Education Workforce Plan to consider the range of different workforce issues in Wales, including recruitment and retention, wellbeing and the issues for teaching assistants and covering absence; and
g) build a new coherent school improvement system which places schools at the centre, aligning with Estyn’s more regular inspection cycle.
