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Policy objectives

The Welsh Government recently published our statutory guidance on 14 to 16 learning under the Curriculum for Wales. This guidance expresses our intention for information requirements and reporting arrangements to align with the priorities and aims of the Learner Entitlement for 14 to 16-year-olds (‘the 14 to 16 learner entitlement’). We committed to consulting on these information proposals, providing clear direction on our expectations for the use and publication of relevant data at a school level.

To achieve this, we have developed a list of Information Ecosystem Principles that underpin our approach to using data and information as part of an overall ‘Information Ecosystem’ and a 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework (LEIF) on using data and information to support learning and improvement. 

The proposed principles and LEIF set clear expectations for the use of data and are designed to help cultivate an appropriate and proportionate use of data across the school system, focusing on what is important and where it can be impactful in driving improvements for our learners, supporting our education reforms and aligning with the ethos of Curriculum for Wales and our supporting National Improvement Framework. 

The 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement requires a curriculum offer in Years 10 and 11 that provides a broad and balanced profile of learning and experiences and that is designed with reference to the 4 components of the 14 to 16 learner entitlement:

  • Qualifications related to literacy and numeracy.
  • Qualifications to encourage breadth.
  • Wider learning and experiences across the curriculum.
  • Reflections on learning and progress and post-16 planning.

The 14 to 16 learning guidance specifies that schools should ensure all learners can demonstrate and communicate their learning, progress and achievements across all four components of the learner entitlement by the time they complete compulsory education at age 16.

Our proposed LEIF is designed to fully align with the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement. It includes a mix of reporting arrangements and expectations for data and information to be made publicly available by all secondary schools, covering each of the 4 components.

In summary, the LEIF:

  • outlines what data and information we expect to actively and routinely publish at the school level
  • signals our intent regarding the use of this data at other levels of the system and sets expectations for partners in using this data
  • confirms plans to continue reporting more comprehensive datasets to schools and local authority (LA) audiences, allowing for further interrogation to aid self-evaluation
  • outlines expectations for schools and LAs to use data and information we report in conjunction with their locally held data and knowledge of their learners’ and school’s context
  • commits to considering how to ensure that learners receiving Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) provision are also accounted for in our reporting arrangements

LEIF includes a mix of information relevant to each of the four 14 to 16 learning entitlement components. This includes qualifications data, other quantitative data (e.g. attendance) and qualitative aspects of the 14 to 16 learner entitlement. It sets out expectations on schools to provide information which in many cases are already required and exists with current guidance.

We will present information on a public platform, for each secondary and middle school, organised across the four components of the 14 to 16 learning entitlement. This will be part of a broader set of information available about each maintained school in Wales. Currently we use 'My Local School' to provide public access to data and information about each school.

Starting in September 2025, the Curriculum for Wales will be introduced to Year 10 learners as part of a phased rollout, and by September 2026, it will be fully implemented for Year 11 learners. Our proposals are expected to be in place in secondary schools starting in Summer 2027 ready for the first award of wave 1 of the new Made-for-Wales GCSEs and related qualifications.

Gathering evidence and engaging with children and young people

Developing these proposals has been informed by evidence such as the research commissioned by the Welsh Government into developing a new data and information ecosystem. That included extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, including children and young people, as well as internal policy leads.

The proposals also seek to support other key policies and workstreams which have already involved the use of a broad range of evidence and extensive stakeholder engagement e.g. the Curriculum for Wales, the National Improvement Framework and the 14 to 16 learner entitlement.

We will also be undertaking a consultation on these specific proposals, which will be an opportunity for learners to see and comment on our Information Ecosystem Principles and LEIF. We will publish two versions of the consultation, main version to the stakeholders within the education system and a simplified version which will be simplified for its target audience of young learners. We are working with our Comms team to ensure that the consultation is publicised to our target audience, including young people, by using established social media channels. 

This CRIA is a draft and should any other as yet unidentified issues arise from the consultation, the CRIA will be amended to reflect this.

Analysing the evidence and assessing the impact

We are proud of our record of promoting children’s rights and working to ensure all children in Wales have the best start in life. Our ambition is that the rights of every child and young person in Wales should be promoted and respected to enable them to be the best they can be. 

As clearly defined by the proposed Information Ecosystem Principles, on which the proposed LEIF is built, the proposals seek to ensure a learner-focused approach, one where learner needs, progress, and wellbeing guide all decisions. The proposals align closely with our statutory 14 to 16 Learning Guidance, which is intended to support practitioners to design, implement and review an inclusive curriculum for learners in Years 10 and 11 as part of the 3 to 16 curriculum, with all learners progressing and developing in ways described by the four purposes of the curriculum, supporting learners to become ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives, enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work, ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world, and healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

The proposals outline a balanced set of data and information to be published across the four components of the LEIF to help support a comprehensive understanding of breadth, depth, level and scale of learning in schools and across different groups of learners, to drive improvements in pursuit of the above aims.
The approach is therefore expected to have a positive impact on young people, specifically 14 to 16 year olds, by improving the way data and information is used to drive improvements to teaching and learning, in the best interests of learners. This means an environment will be cultivated where every learner is able to follow a path that suits them, with schools supporting them in planning their next steps.

Outlined plans within the LEIF, to continue reporting more comprehensive datasets to schools and local authority (LA) audiences, will help support a comprehensive understanding of breadth, depth, level and scale of learning in schools and across different groups of learners, for example, males and females, those eligible for Free School Meals (as the current accepted proxy indicator for deprivation), with Additional Learning Needs, learning English as an Additional Language.

The Welsh Government worked closely with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner during the development of the Curriculum for Wales to ensure that due regard was given to the UNCRC. The proposals support children’s rights in ensuring broad and balanced information is available in relation to the learning and experiences available to all Year 10 and 11 learners as an integral part of a school’s Curriculum offer.

Under Article 2:

The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from. Our intention is that we want data and information will be used in a way that supports efforts to achieve the best for all of our learners within the school system.
 

Under Article 12:

Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account. This will be achieved through our consultation process where young people will have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the proposals.

How the proposal enhances or challenges children’s rights, as stipulated by the UNCRC articles and its Optional Protocols

Article 2

The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from.

Enhances children's rights: the proposals set clear expectations for the use of data and specific requirements. These are aimed at empowering educators to better support learners, helping to cultivate an appropriate and proportionate use of data across the school system, focusing on what is important and where it can be impactful in driving improvements for our learners.

Context is a recurring theme in both the principles and the requirements outlined in the LEIF.

Article 12

Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

Enhances children's rights: children and young people were included in the engagement work undertaken as part of the earlier WG commissioned research on developing a new data and information ecosystem. This was done by conducting focus groups with primary age (7 to 12) and secondary age (12 to 16) learners. They will also have an opportunity to provide their views on these proposals as part of the upcoming consultation on the LEIF framework and underpinning principles.

Article 13

Children have the right to get and to share information as long as the information is not damaging to them or to others.

Enhances children's rights: the LEIF framework includes proposals to improve transparency by providing a more meaningful and comprehensive picture of school provision in an accessible way. This will be publicly accessible, allowing learners to find out more information about their school. Safeguards will be in place to ensure learners will not be identifiable through the publishing of any data associated with our proposals. Data items will be suppressed if they are disclosive.

Article 16

Children have a right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good name, their families and their homes.

Safeguards will be in place to ensure learners will not be identifiable through the publishing of any data associated with our proposals. Data items will be suppressed if they are disclosive.