Schools
Standards and attainment, the curriculum and exams, additional learning needs, attendance and behaviour, teachers, and school funding.
In the Programme for Government this sits under the well-being objective Raising standards in our schools, and ensuring the best conditions for learning.
Showing the theme Additional learning needs. The Programme commitments are the brief's as a whole.
- Statements and debates
- 0
- Contributions
- 177
- Written questions
- 4
- Commitments raised
- 10 of 11
177 contributions in the Seventh Senedd touched on this. The busiest month was Jun 2026, with 63.
- Plaid45%
- Labour24%
- Reform19%
- Conservative11%
- Green1%
On this page
- The debate so far
- Where things stand
- What the government has promised
- From the Welsh Government
- Key moments in the Senedd
- Related votes
- Who raises it
- Who ministers have met
- What people say matters
- Written questions
- Petitions
- In committee
- From Senedd Research
- Latest contributions
- Month by month
- How this brief is put together
The debate so far
Since May 2026 the Senedd has focused on standards in schools after the PISA results, with the new Plaid Cymru Government publishing a foundational literacy and numeracy plan. Funding for additional learning needs (ALN), and whether UK consequentials should go to schools, caused the sharpest dispute. Members also debated support staff pay, the curriculum, teacher recruitment and retention, behaviour and school closures.
The main arguments
- Janet Finch-Saunders (Welsh Conservatives) and Helen Jenner (Reform UK) cite PISA results as failure. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) called them disappointing. Anna Brychan's plan sets year-by-year expectations, phonics and a baseline assessment at school entry.
