Commenting as Reform launch their manifesto for Wales, Laura Doel, national secretary of school leaders' union NAHT Cymru, said:

"Reform has acknowledged the need to return to core teaching and learning, but has missed the real opportunity here by looking backwards at outdated practice, rather than forward to focusing on what will make a real difference.

"The idea that there is too much emotional support for pupils in schools is completely misunderstanding the situation on the ground. School staff are wrestling daily with the symptoms of children and young people’s emotional distress, and without tackling these issues they will continue to get in the way of their learning. Schools need more funding for emotional support, not less.

"It is hard to see how introducing league tables pitting schools against each other will reduce bureaucracy or do anything to lessen workload and pressure or free up school staff to teach. And there is no evidence that the structure of a school leads to improvement, so we question why Reform would seek to move to academisation in Wales.

"School leaders would welcome elements of these plans, including ALN reform and support for speech and language therapies, but much of it is extremely misguided and fundamentally misunderstands the realities facing schools and young people in Wales. Reform policy might benefit from deeper engagement with school leaders and other education professionals."