Commenting on the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle's, statement, Nicola Fitzpatrick, Interim Wales Secretary for the National Education Union Cymru, said:
"NEU Cymru members will be pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has set out her priorities today. We look forward to our discussions with the Cabinet Secretary as part of her commitment to listening and working in partnership with the workforce.
"A focus on a system which is more joined up is to be welcomed and especially on additional learning needs (ALN) reform.
"The workforce is struggling with ALN, and will especially welcome "legal clarification". But here it is funding and workload which are critical barriers to ensuring that children have access to the support services they need. Schools need help from other services, including health and local authorities.
"A focus on mental health support for staff and students alike will be welcomed. Our education system is suffering a mental health crisis. But here the root cause of the mental health challenges that pupils face must be addressed - including lack of access to mental health services, including CAMHS.
“For our members, it is vital the Cabinet Secretary redoubles the focus on workload, so that the workforce can feel the impact in the classroom - and know what it is they can stop doing.
"A decision needs to be taken soon to withdraw the plans to change the structure of the school year. The unions are all agreed, that this is an unhelpful distraction from a focus on education.”