What could have been better?

Children’s rights

Whenever the Welsh Government makes a decision that affects children, they need to show how they’ve thought about how it will their children’s rights.

Welsh Government didn’t always write down how their actions would affect children’s rights at the beginning of the pandemic.

And they stopped some important work they were doing to help children who usually learn at home, and go to private schools.

When they said they were stopping this work, they didn’t show how it would affect children’s rights.

Online Learning

The Welsh Government did not tell children or schools what they should expect to happen with online learning, and children across Wales had very different experiences.

Lots of children found it difficult to understand the work they were sent.

Exams

Lots of young people were unhappy about the exam results they received in August that felt unfair.

On 17 August, the Education Minister decided to give GCSE and A-Level students the grades their teachers thought they would receive. These are their ‘predicted grades’.

The Welsh Government has now asked a team of experts to look at how these results were given. This is something called a ‘review’.

Parks and libraries

Some parks and libraries stayed shut even after the Government said they could open again.

They are both very important places for children.

Information for children

Some of the information given to children and young people through the pandemic could have been clearer.

This includes information about exams and about how young people could complain about their results.

There is a lot more detail in the full report.