Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Today we see the publication of two separate reports in respect of our newly constituted regional education consortia for school improvement.


The purpose of the reports was to provide an update on consortia progress in relation to school improvement and consortia governance arrangements


I welcome the positive progress noted in both reports considering that the implementation of the National Model only commenced in April 2014\. 


Reflecting on the development of the consortia, we can not lose sight of the substantial pace of change since April 2014; which is still ongoing as these organisations continue to develop.  I welcome the positive feedback contained in these reports and the overall reflection that things are improving.


For example, the Estyn report notes that although the general improvements in standards of pupil attainment over the past three years cannot be solely attributed to the development of the regional consortia, the published data reflects a gradual improvement in pupil attainment across all four regions. It also states that all of the consortia 2014\-15 business plans focus appropriately on the most important areas for improvement.


Estyn also reports that consortia have engaged effectively with LA officers, school leaders and trade unions when developing their regional priorities and policies for school improvement, and that quality assurance arrangements for challenge advisers have been strengthened, ensuring greater consistency in the work of the advisers.


It is pleasing to note that the consortia generally know how well many of their schools are performing through the work of the challenge advisers, supported by their analysis of attainment data and that most headteachers and chairs of governors report that the performance of their school is scrutinised closely and fairly by challenge advisers.


The WAO report concludes that “after an uncertain start, the foundations for regional school improvement services are being established and there are positive signs of progress but remaining weaknesses are hindering the development of the whole system and the effective governance and financial management of the consortia.’


It is important to note that the reports have been published some time after the completion of the field work, I am, however, pleased to note that progress continues to be made at great pace. For example, in respect of strategies to address deprivation each consortium has taken different approaches to supporting schools to tackle the impact of poverty on educational attainment. The consortia have acknowledged the need to develop the skills of their staff and/or challenge advisers.  To facilitate this Welsh Government granted each consortium £50k to build capacity towards the end of 2014\-15


However, that is not to say that I do not accept that there are still some significant issues that consortia and Welsh Government need to address.  I think these areas are well articulated by both of these reports.


The Estyn report highlights whilst the consortia business plans focus on areas for improvement, they do not identify well enough what impacts are expected from actions and how this will be measured.


The report also refers to work that needs to be undertaken to address some weaknesses in scrutiny committees  holding senior officers and representatives to account well enough for their role in ensuring that the consortium meets the needs of the authorities schools.


Estyn has also reported that whilst the consortia have suitable arrangements in place with authorities for sharing information from many service areas, none have a fully developed and consistently used system to collate, analyse and share information about the progress of pupils in schools, and none of the regions have a coherent strategic approach to reduce the impact of deprivation on attainment.


Whilst I accept the point that Estyn makes that the consortia have been slow to fully implement governance arrangements, I also accept that it is too early to judge the effectiveness of those governance arrangements, the senior leadership and management of consortia.


The WAO report also highlights that further work is required to clarify a number of operational points in relation to, roles and responsibilities, longer term planning, sustainability at senior management level and scrutiny functions.


The Estyn report has made 13 recommendations and the WAO report has made 5 and overall the findings of both reports concur and reinforce the overall picture presented.


In particular, I accept that there is a real need to move to a longer term planning time frame for consortia, and that short term planning timeframes have created a degree of uncertainty about the future of consortia (particularly in light of the ongoing issue of Local Government change).


In summary, I accept the recommendations made by the regulators, and I can assure Assembly Members that I am committed to ensuring that my officials work with consortia and local authorities to help them address these issues and the recommendations put forward by both Estyn and the WAO.


www.estyn.gov.uk/english/thematic\-reports/recent\-reports/


www.audit.wales


 


 







Translation:


 
Fe welwn gyhoeddi heddiw ddau adroddiad ar wahân am ein consortia addysg rhanbarthol sydd newydd eu sefydlu er mwyn gwella ysgolion.

Diben yr adroddiadau oedd rhoi diweddariad ar gynnydd y consortia o ran gwella ysgolion a threfniadau llywodraethu’r consortia.

Croesawaf y cynnydd a nodir yn y ddau adroddiad o ystyried mai dim ond ym mis Ebrill 2014 y dechreuwyd rhoi’r Model Cenedlaethol ar waith.  

Wrth ystyried datblygiad y consortia, mae’n rhaid inni gofio pa mor gyflym y mae pethau wedi newid ers mis Ebrill 2014; mae pethau yn dal i newid yn gyflym wrth i’r sefydliadau hyn  
barhau i ddatblygu. Croesawaf yr adborth cadarnhaol sydd i’w weld yn yr adroddiadau hyn a’r sylw cyffredinol fod pethau’n gwella.

Er enghraifft, mae adroddiad Estyn yn nodi, er na ellir priodoli’r gwelliannau cyffredinol yn safonau cyrhaeddiad disgyblion dros y tair blynedd ddiwethaf i ddatblygiad consortia rhanbarthol yn unig, fod y data a gyhoeddwyd yn dangos gwelliant graddol yng nghyrhaeddiad disgyblion ym mhob un o’r pedwar rhanbarth. Mae hefyd yn nodi bod cynlluniau busnes pob consortiwm ar gyfer 2014\-15 yn canolbwyntio yn briodol ar y meysydd pwysicaf ar gyfer gwella.

Mae Estyn hefyd yn adrodd bod y consortia wedi ymgysylltu’n effeithiol â swyddogion awdurdodau lleol, arweinwyr ysgolion ac undebau llafur wrth ddatblygu eu blaenoriaethau rhanbarthol a’u polisïau i wella ysgolion, a bod y trefniadau sicrhau ansawdd ar gyfer ymgynghorwyr her wedi cael eu cryfhau, gan sicrhau mwy o gysondeb yng ngwaith yr ymgynghorwyr. 

Mae’n braf nodi bod y consortia yn gwybod gan amlaf sut y mae eu hysgolion yn perfformio trwy waith yr ymgynghorwyr her, a gefnogir gan eu dadansoddiad o ddata cyrhaeddiad a bod y rhan fwyaf o’r penaethiaid a chadeiryddion y llywodraethwyr yn nodi bod yr ymgynghorwyr her yn craffu ar berfformiad eu hysgol yn fanwl a theg.

Mae adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru yn dod i’r casgliad “after an uncertain start, the foundations for regional school improvement services are being established and there are positive signs of progress but remaining weaknesses are hindering the development of the whole system and the effective governance and financial management of the consortia.”

Mae’n bwysig nodi bod yr adroddiadau wedi cael eu cyhoeddi ymhen peth amser ar ôl cwblhau’r gwaith maes. Rwy’n falch o nodi, fodd bynnag, fod y consortia yn dal i wneud cynnydd mawr. Er enghraifft, o ran strategaethau i fynd i’r afael ag amddifadedd, mae pob consortiwm wedi defnyddio dulliau gwahanol o gefnogi ysgolion i fynd i’r afael ag effaith tlodi ar gyrhaeddiad addysgol. Mae’r consortia wedi cydnabod yr angen i ddatblygu sgiliau eu staff a/neu eu hymgynghorwyr her. I hwyluso hyn rhoddodd Llywodraeth Cymru £50,000 i bob consortiwm tua diwedd 2014\-15 er mwyn cynyddu eu gallu.

Fodd bynnag, rwy’n derbyn bod rhai materion o bwys o hyd y mae angen i’r consortia a Llywodraeth Cymru fynd i’r afael â hwy. Credaf fod y ddau adroddiad hyn yn mynegi’r meysydd hyn yn dda.

Mae adroddiad Estyn yn pwysleisio, er bod cynlluniau busnes y consortia yn canolbwyntio ar feysydd i’w gwella, nad ydynt yn nodi’n ddigon clir pa effeithiau a ddisgwylir o ganlyniad i weithrediadau a sut y bydd hyn yn cael ei fesur.

Mae’r adroddiad hefyd yn cyfeirio at waith y mae angen ei wneud i fynd i’r afael â gwendidau lle nad yw pwyllgorau craffu yn dal uwch swyddogion a chynrychiolwyr i gyfrif yn ddigon da i gyflawni eu swyddogaeth o sicrhau bod y consortiwm yn diwallu anghenion ysgolion yr awdurdodau.

Mae Estyn hefyd wedi adrodd, er bod gan y consortia drefniadau addas i rannu â’r awdurdodau wybodaeth am lawer o feysydd gwasanaeth, nad oes gan yr un ohonynt system sydd wedi’i datblygu’n llawn ac a ddefnyddir yn gyson i goladu, dadansoddi a rhannu gwybodaeth am gynnydd disgyblion mewn ysgolion ac nid oes gan un rhanbarth ymagwedd strategol ystyrlon i leihau effaith amddifadedd ar gyrhaeddiad.

Er fy mod yn derbyn y pwynt a wna Estyn sef fod y consortia wedi bod yn araf o ran rhoi trefniadau llywodraethu ar waith yn llawn, rwy’n derbyn hefyd ei bod yn rhy gynnar i farnu pa mor effeithiol yw’r trefniadau llywodraethu hyn, yr uwch arweinwyr a rheolaeth y consortia.

Mae adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru hefyd yn pwysleisio bod angen gwaith pellach i egluro nifer o bwyntiau gweithredol o ran swyddogaethau a chyfrifoldebau, cynllunio hirdymor, cynaliadwyedd ar lefel yr uwch reolwyr a swyddogaethau craffu.

Mae adroddiad Estyn wedi gwneud 13 o argymhellion ac mae adroddiad Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru wedi gwneud 5 ac at ei gilydd mae canfyddiadau’r ddau adroddiad yn cytuno ac yn atgyfnerthu’r darlun cyffredinol sy’n cael ei gyflwyno.

Yn benodol, rwy’n derbyn bod gwir angen symud at gyfnodau cynllunio hwy ar gyfer y consortia a bod cyfnodau byr y cynlluniau wedi creu rhywfaint o ansicrwydd ynghylch dyfodol y consortia (yn enwedig o ystyried mater parhaus newid mewn llywodraeth leol).

I grynhoi, rwy’n derbyn yr argymhellion a wneir gan y rheoleiddwyr a gallaf sicrhau Aelodau o’r Cynulliad fy mod wedi ymroi i sicrhau y bydd fy swyddogion yn cydweithio â’r consortia a’r awdurdodau lleol i’w helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r materion hyn a’r argymhellion a wneir gan Estyn a chan Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru.

www.estyn.gov.uk/english/thematic\-reports/recent\-reports/  
   
 www.audit.wales