PLANS to change what children are being taught in Welsh schools have been delayed by a year.

Cabinet Secretary Kirsty Williams announced yesterday that a new curriculum will be introduced from nursery to Year seven in 2022.

Originally the curriculum change was supposed to be introduced to all schools in 2021.

Now the curriculum will be introduced into year eight in 2023, year nine in 2024, year 10 in 2025 and Year 11 in 2026.

All schools will have access the final curriculum from 2020, to allow them to move towards full roll-out in 2022.

The plan sets out the actions the Welsh Government include reducing class sizes, reforming teacher training, strengthening support for learners with additional learning needs, establishing a national approach to long-term career development for teachers, creating a new National Academy for Educational Leadership, reducing bureaucracy for teachers and investing £1.1 billion to upgrade the quality of school buildings.

The education secretary said: “We are entering a fast-changing world that is increasingly competitive, globally connected and technologically advanced. Schools have to prepare our young people for jobs that have not yet been created and challenges that we are yet to encounter. Education has never been more important and, working with the teaching profession, we will continue our national mission to raise standards.

“Our plan is aimed at ensuring every young person in Wales has an equal opportunity to reach the highest standards and their full potential. We can’t achieve those ambitions if we just stand still. Teachers and educators across our system are working together to raise standards and reduce the attainment gap.

“We all share a responsibility to inspire and challenge the next generation. That is why we will support teachers with continuous learning and development, better support and identify our leaders, and reduce class sizes so that we can raise standards for all.”

She added: “It’s the right decision to introduce the curriculum as a phased roll-out rather than a ‘big bang’, and for that to start in 2022. This approach, and an extra year, will mean all schools have the time to engage with the development of the curriculum and be full prepared for the changes. As the OECD have recommended, we will continue our drive to create a curriculum for the 21st century.”

Qualifications Wales welcomed the decision to publish the new timeline for the curriculum

Chief executive Philip Blaker said: “We welcome the revised timeline set out in the national education plan. We will continue to work closely with Welsh Government and Pioneer Schools to look at what new qualifications will be needed to support the new curriculum.

“We recognise that any new qualifications will need to be in place well before their go-live date of September 2025.

“We will make sure that they are ready in plenty of time for schools and teachers to prepare for teaching them, and for bilingual resources to be available to support teachers and learners.”