Leighton Andrews

Deep Thought

I have known the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, since he worked for one of the Scottish TV companies about 20 years ago.

But, Western Mail please note, I am not him!

The Western Mail reports today:

Education Minister Leighton Andrews has pinpointed fewer vice-chancellors in his plans to restructure provision in Wales. He said he wanted to see sixth-formers doing “fewer, more rigorous exams” to elicit more evidence of “deep thought” at A-level.

We need to ensure that the knowledge expected of A-level students is such that they can hit the ground running and they don’t need, as some have suggested, four-year courses or catch-up tuition”, he said

Well, I plead guilty on vice-chancellors. But as the BBC reported at the time, the rest of that quote is from Mr Gove:

'Deep thought'

Mr Gove indicated exam bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would still be able to offer the AS/A2 combination.

But he said he wanted to switch emphasis back to examinations taken at the end of two years of study in order to revive "the art of deep thought".

"We need to ensure that the knowledge expected of A-level students is such that they can hit the ground running (at university) and they don't need, as some have suggested, four-year courses or catch-up tuition" he told the Sunday Times newspaper.

No A* there, then.

School re-organisation consultation

We published the first stage of our proposals to reform the school re-organisation process on Friday. It's important to stress this is only the first stage - as I said in my statement on the subject in June, we need an Assembly Measure to achieve some of the objectives, like changing the way in which only one objection can trigger the need for the decision to be sent to Welsh Ministers. The need for legislation does not seem to have been understood, even by people who generally have a good grasp of the rules. The current consultation deals with things we can do by changing regulations. The Measure, unfortunately, will take a bit longer to produce.

Meanwhile, my views on the Capel Iwan situation were covered in my BBC and S4C interviews on Friday.

Dychwelyd o'r Eisteddfod

Dwi wedi cymryd rhan yn llawer o ddigwyddiadau yn y Steddfod - lansio ymgyrch darllen gyda Nigel Owens (llun o Nigel), lansio pecyn dysgwyr amgueddfa cenedlaethol Blaenafon gyda ei awdur Cennard Davies (Cynhongwr yn Nhreorci), lansio Canolfan Hywel Teifi gyda'i fab Huw Edwards, hyrwyddo llenyddiaeth Cymreig yn Saesneg gyda Daniel Williams a Dai Smith a dwi wedi anghofio rhai eraill. Dwi wedi cwrdd a Susan Robeson hefyd - pan o'n i dirpwy gweinidog dros adfywio, cefnogais i syniad i ddod a hi i'r Steddfod.

Y prynhawn'ma, dwi wedi siarad i'r cyfarfod Cymdeithas yr Iaith. Mae Vaughan Roderick wedi sylw am hynny. 

Finance Committee, 15 July

Apologies for delay in updating. My appearance before the Finance Committee can be found about 1 hour and 50 minutes in.

Our new office

 

My new office is Oxford House, Dunraven St., Tonypandy, CF40 1AU where you can find me, Chris Bryant MP and our staff, and the Rhondda Labour Party.

Phone numbers remain 01443 682550 or 685261

Despair

Despair as news reaches Wales that BBC Trust plans to publish star salaries....

 

Desperate Measures

 Desperate Measures as BBC cuts expenses

 

Enterprise and Learning Committee June 24

I gave evidence to the committee on young people not in education, employment or training

Education Questions June 30 2010

New constituency office

We have now successfully moved into our new constituency office at Oxford House, Dunraven St., Tonypandy CF40 1AU.

Telephone numbers remain the same. My constituency organiser Ceri Jones is on 682550 and my caseworker Hayley Hughes is on 685261.

By email they are ceri dot jones at wales dot gov dot uk and hayley dot hughes at wales dot gov dot uk