Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
One of the first actions I said I would take on becoming Cabinet Secretary for Education was to consult on strengthening the School Organisation Code in respect of a presumption against the closure of rural schools.  

  

The School Organisation Code, made under the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, imposes requirements in accordance with which relevant bodies (the Welsh Ministers, local authorities, governing bodies and other promoters) must act. It also includes practical guidance to which they must have due regard and sets out the policy context, general principles and factors that should be taken into account by those bringing forward proposals to reconfigure school provision and by those responsible for determining proposals.  

  

A fourteen week consultation on proposed revisions to the Code took place last year. I am pleased to say that there was broad agreement to all of the proposals. The draft Code was amended to reflect consultation responses and laid before the Assembly for 40 days in September as required by 2013 Act.    

  

The 40 day period ended on 26 October. I am now delighted to advise that the revised Code, which introduces a presumption against the closure of rural schools and sets out the first ever designation and list of rural schools for this purpose, came into force today.    

  

A presumption against closure does not mean rural schools will never close. However, the case for closure must be strong and not taken until all viable alternatives to closure have been conscientiously considered, including federation.  

  

I believe that consideration of alternatives should be a two stage process with the proposer doing this before they even decide to proceed to consultation and an opportunity for interested parties to put forward their suggestions for alternatives as part of the consultation process, which the local authority or other proposer must consider. The revised Code provides for this.  

The presumption against closure of rural schools will apply solely to schools designated as rural for this purpose. We therefore sought views on an appropriate designation of a rural school as part of the consultation. The designation and list of schools set out in the Code is informed by responses.    

  

When proposing to close a school, local authorities and other proposers will be required to check whether the school is on the list, if so proposers will be required to follow a more detailed set of procedures and requirements in formulating a rural school closure proposal and in consulting on and reaching a decision as to whether to implement a rural school closure proposal.  

  

The revised Code comes into force on 1 November 2018 and comes into effect immediately. However to ensure that proposers are able to comply with the Code in respect of consultation, where a consultation document has been published prior to the coming into force date of 1 November 2018, proposals must be published and determined in accordance with the first edition of the Code.  

  

The presumption against the closure of rural schools is just one of a number of actions I am taking to support the delivery of education in rural Wales as part of our Rural Education Action Plan. It contributes to our commitment to develop a national approach to small and rural schools within the self\-improving system as part of our national mission.  

  

This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish us to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Assembly returns we would be happy to do so.  

  

The revised Code is available on the Welsh Government’s website at 9:00 on 1 November using the link below.  

  

https://beta.gov.wales/school\-organisation\-code\-0  







Translation:


 
Un o’r camau cyntaf y dywedais i y byddwn i’n eu cymryd pan fyddwn i’n cael fy mhenodi’n Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg oedd ymgynghori ar gryfhau’r Cod Trefniadaeth Ysgolion mewn perthynas â’r rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig.  
  
Mae’r Cod Trefniadaeth Ysgolion, a wnaed o dan Ddeddf Safonau a Threfniadaeth Ysgolion (Cymru) 2013, yn gosod gofynion y mae’n rhaid i gyrff perthnasol (Gweinidogion Cymru, awdurdodau lleol, cyrff llywodraethu a hyrwyddwyr eraill) weithredu yn unol â nhw. Mae’n cynnwys hefyd ganllawiau ymarferol y mae’n rhaid iddynt roi sylw priodol iddynt, ac mae’n amlinellu’r cyd\-destun polisi, egwyddorion cyffredinol a ffactorau a ddylai gael eu hystyried gan y rhai sy’n cyflwyno cynigion i ad\-drefnu darpariaeth ysgolion a’r rhai sy’n gyfrifol am benderfynu ar gynigion.  
  
Cynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad 14 wythnos ar ddiwygiadau arfaethedig i’r Cod y llynedd. Rwy’n falch o ddweud bod yna gytundeb eang i bob un o’r cynigion. Cafodd y Cod drafft ei ddiwygio i adlewyrchu ymatebion i’r ymgynghoriad a’i osod gerbron y Cynulliad am 40 diwrnod ym mis Medi fel sy’n ofynnol gan Ddeddf 2013\.    
  
Daeth y cyfnod o 40 diwrnod i ben ar 26 Hydref. Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cael cyhoeddi bod y Cod diwygiedig, sy’n cyflwyno rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig ac sy’n amlinellu’r dynodiad a’r rhestr gyntaf erioed o ysgolion gwledig i’r diben hwn, wedi dod i rym heddiw.    
  
Nid yw rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig yn golygu na fyddant byth yn cau. Fodd bynnag, rhaid i’r achos dros gau fod yn gryf ac ni ddylid gwneud y penderfyniad i gau ysgol hyd nes i bob opsiwn arall gael ei ystyried yn gydwybodol, gan gynnwys ffedereiddio.   
  
Credaf y dylai’r broses o ystyried opsiynau eraill fod yn broses ddau gam, gyda’r cynigiwr yn gwneud hyn cyn hyd yn oed penderfynu mynd ati i gynnal ymgynghoriad a rhoi cyfle i bartïon â buddiant gyflwyno eu hawgrymiadau fel rhan o’r broses ymgynghori, y mae’n rhaid i’r awdurdod lleol neu’r cynigiwr arall eu hystyried. Mae’r Cod diwygiedig yn darparu ar gyfer hyn.  
Bydd y rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig yn berthnasol i ysgolion a ddynodir yn ysgolion gwledig i’r diben hwn. Felly, roeddem yn awyddus i gael barn pobl ar ddynodiad priodol o ysgol wledig fel rhan o’r ymgynghoriad. Mae’r dynodiad a’r rhestr o ysgolion a amlinellir yn y Cod yn cael eu llywio gan ymatebion.    
  
Wrth gynnig cau ysgol, bydd hi’n ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol a chynigwyr eraill wirio a yw’r ysgol ar y rhestr ac, os felly, bydd hi’n ofynnol i gynigwyr ddilyn cyfres o weithdrefnau a gofynion manylach wrth lunio cynnig i gau ysgol wledig, ymgynghori ar y cynnig hwnnw a gwneud penderfyniad ar a ddylid cyflwyno’r cynnig i gau ysgol wledig.  
  
Daw’r Cod diwygiedig i rym ar 1 Tachwedd 2018 a bydd yn weithredol yn syth. Fodd bynnag, i sicrhau bod cynigwyr yn gallu cydymffurfio â’r Cod mewn perthynas ag ymgynghoriad, lle mae dogfen ymgynghori wedi’i chyhoeddi cyn y dyddiad dod i rym, sef 1 Tachwedd 2018, rhaid i gynigion gael eu cyhoeddi a’u pennu yn unol ag argraffiad cyntaf y Cod.   
  
Mae’r rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig yn un o amryw o gamau rwy’n eu cymryd i gefnogi darpariaeth addysg yng Nghymru wledig fel rhan o’n Cynllun Gweithredu Addysg Wledig. Mae’n cyfrannu at ein hymrwymiad i ddatblygu ymagwedd genedlaethol at ysgolion bach a gwledig o fewn y system sy’n gwella ei hun fel rhan o’n cenhadaeth genedlaethol.  
  
Caiff y datganiad ei gyhoeddi yn ystod y toriad er mwyn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i aelodau. Os bydd aelodau eisiau i ni wneud datganiad pellach neu ateb cwestiynau ynglŷn â hyn pan fydd y Cynulliad yn ailymgynnull, byddem yn hapus i wneud hynny.  
  
Bydd y Cod diwygiedig ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru ar 1 Tachwedd am 9:00am. Dilynwch y ddolen isod.  
  
https://beta.llyw.cymru/cod\-trefniadaeth\-ysgolion\-0