Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
In December, I committed to bringing education partners together to ensure that we have a comprehensive and system level response to our shared challenge of improving educational performance and raising standards.

Today, as a sector we reflected on recent educational performance as well as on the long tail of challenges arising from the pandemic, highlighted again today by Estyn in its annual report. We also acknowledged the extremely difficult operating context for teachers and for school leaders. 

All education partners have a shared interest and role in improving educational performance and I was pleased to hear commitments and consensus from across the sector which collectively will take us forward.  As a system we need a clearer focus on national priorities with a clearer national role in leading improvement.  We must improve performance through stretching our learners but also by continuing to reduce the equity gap. To do this we need a sharper focus on attendance, behaviour and well\-being; excellent teaching; curriculum reform \- with a particular focus on literacy and numeracy; and additional learning needs support. 

**The Review of the future direction and roles and responsibilities of education partners**

Today we also discussed the **review of the future direction, and roles and responsibilities of education partners** which I commissioned last year. I met with the review team in December 2023 and they highlighted to me the consistent messages from across the education system. 

The findings chime with the wider evidence base picking up threads that have been explored in a range of previous reports, (such as the leadership review, OECD’s TPL report, the Sibieta Review of School Spending in Wales, Estyn findings\[1]).  The wider budget pressures are being felt keenly in our schools and as a government we have taken new action to simplify, streamline, and amalgamate funding for 2024\-25\. This action chimes with the review’s feedback on previous grant complexity and we have now taken action to address this. My thanks go to the review team and the large numbers of our practitioners and partners who have engaged with the review and provided their views.

**The next phase: a new focus and clear delivery expectations**

The feedback was clear regarding the preferred direction of travel that school leaders and a majority of local authorities want to see.  I am attaching a copy of the letter I received from Professor Dylan Jones, review team lead, to share these messages transparently with the sector.  Given the alignment of these messages with wider evidence, I concur with the review team that continuing the review with a focus on exploring the features of the current system, and the views across the system would not be best value.  I am therefore moving the review onto a new phase. I have determined that we will use this phase to explore how school improvement can best be supported at three levels:

**1\.** **Supporting school\-to\-school working at a local level**

**2\.** **Supporting school\-to\-school collaboration and networking across local authorities and at national level**

**3\.** **Supporting school improvement at national level.**

Our activities moving forward will therefore be focussed on exploring how school improvement can best be supported at these three levels, (local, supra\-local and national) and this will form the core workstreams for the next phase of the review.

I have asked Professor Jones and ISOS Partnership to continue to engage with and support the work moving forward, particularly focussed on supporting elements exploring school\-to\-school working at the local level, and across local authorities.  I have also asked them to continue to act as a critical friend to my department as it considers the national level support structures and our role in national leadership. 

In agreeing to this move to the second phase of our work I want to emphasise my aspirations for this work. I am clear that I want these new arrangements to:

* deliver improved educational standards, in the context of clear roles and responsibilities across the education system which the Welsh Government will set out;
* target resources in the most appropriate, efficient and effective ways, prioritising funding to schools and improving impact and delivery within the constrained budgets we are working with;
* reduce workload at school level through implementation of a shared national improvement framework and simplified, streamlined reporting;
* deliver more effective local collaboration, between schools and between local authorities, with an expectation that all schools and local authorities will work in partnership.  It will provide greater consistency of support and empowerment, with school improvement at the heart of realising our education reforms.
* build more education expertise and implementation capacity nationally to provide stronger national leadership and clear frameworks to deliver our priorities.

I want all partners to be clear that in undertaking this work our primary aim will be **to improve educational outcomes through stretching our learners and reducing the equity gap**. 

It is also important to me that this next phase is guided and managed in accordance with the following principles: 

* The approach needs to relentlessly focus on improving education standards in Wales in a consistent and coherent way, and how the system will enable this.
* Collaboration and cooperation between schools, between schools and their local authority and between local authorities will be at the heart of the approach. All local authorities will still be expected to work in partnership with at least one other local authority.
* Promoting a culture that supports a genuinely school\-led system and facilitating school leaders to act as system leaders nationally and locally thus creating a more direct two\-way link between national and local action.
* Co\-design and co\-construction of the solutions are our de facto approach.
* The principles and ways of working of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Wales are how we will take this work forward.
* Value for money will be a guiding principle.

I intend to strengthen the governance with the establishment of a National Coherence Group (NCG) to oversee the work of the second phase of the review. The NCG will support and connect the thinking of the Welsh Government, local authorities, regional consortia and partnerships, Estyn and Prof Jones’ team to move forward in an orderly way. Specifically, the NCG will confirm any proposed partnership models as well as ensuring that the totality of change for Welsh Government, Estyn, local authorities, and regional partners is coherent and robust at a system level.

**Timelines and ensuring continued support to schools**

I expect that this second phase of the review will commence immediately in February 2024 and continue for 6 months until August 2024, after which the NCG will agree the proposed approach across the sector. I expect that there will be further phases to the work in terms of transition to any new arrangements that are proposed.

To ensure continuity of support to schools while the review progresses, we will expect any current regional working arrangements to continue during this time and be facilitated through the specific grant funding to support curriculum and professional learning in our schools. 

\[1]independent\-leadership\-review\-nov\-2021\-en.pdf (gov.wales), Teachers’ professional learning study: Diagnostic report for Wales \| en \| OECD , Review of school spending in Wales \| GOV.WALES, Welcome to Estyn \| Estyn (gov.wales)







Translation:


 
Ym mis Rhagfyr, ymrwymais i ddod â phartneriaid addysg at ei gilydd i sicrhau ein bod yn ymateb mewn ffordd gynhwysfawr ar draws y system i'r her sy'n wynebu pob un ohonom, sef gwella perfformiad addysgol a chodi safonau.

Heddiw, fel sector, rhoesom sylw i berfformiad addysgol diweddar yn ogystal â'r gynffon hir o heriau sy'n deillio o'r pandemig, a ddaeth i'r amlwg eto heddiw yn adroddiad blynyddol Estyn. Cydnabuwyd hefyd y cyd\-destun hynod anodd y mae athrawon ac arweinwyr ysgolion yn gweithio ynddo. 

Mae gan bob partner addysg fuddiant cyffredin a rôl yn y broses o wella perfformiad addysgol, ac roeddwn yn falch o glywed ymrwymiadau a chonsensws o bob rhan o'r sector a fydd, gyda'i gilydd, yn ein symud ymlaen.  Fel system, mae angen ffocws cliriach arnom ar flaenoriaethau cenedlaethol, a rôl genedlaethol gliriach wrth arwain gwelliant.  Rhaid inni wella perfformiad drwy ymestyn ein dysgwyr, ond hefyd drwy barhau i leihau'r bwlch cyfleoedd a thegwch. Er mwyn gwneud hyn mae angen inni ganolbwyntio'n fwy craff ar bresenoldeb, ymddygiad a lles; addysgu rhagorol; diwygio'r cwricwlwm \- gyda ffocws penodol ar lythrennedd a rhifedd; a chymorth anghenion dysgu ychwanegol.

**Yr adolygiad o lwybr partneriaid addysg i'r dyfodol, a'u rolau a'u cyfrifoldebau**

Buom hefyd yn trafod heddiw yr **adolygiad o lwybr partneriaid addysg i'r dyfodol, a'u rolau a'u cyfrifoldebau**, a gomisiynwyd gennyf llynedd. Fe wnes i gyfarfod â'r tîm adolygu ym mis Rhagfyr 2023 ac fe wnaethant dynnu fy sylw at y negeseuon cyson o bob rhan o’r system addysg. 

Mae'r canfyddiadau yn cyd\-fynd â'r sylfaen dystiolaeth ehangach, gan roi sylw i elfennau a archwiliwyd mewn ystod o adroddiadau blaenorol, (megis yr adolygiad o arweinyddiaeth, adroddiad yr OECD ar gyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol i athrawon, adolygiad Sibieta o wariant ysgolion yng Nghymru, canfyddiadau\[1] Estyn).  Mae'r pwysau cyllidebol ehangach yn cael ei deimlo'n gryf yn ein hysgolion, ac fel llywodraeth rydym wedi cymryd camau newydd i symleiddio a chyfuno cyllid ar gyfer 2024\-25\. Mae'r camau hyn yn cyd\-fynd ag adborth yr adolygiad ar gymhlethdod grantiau blaenorol, ac rydym bellach wedi gweithredu i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Hoffwn ddiolch i'r tîm adolygu a'r nifer fawr o'n hymarferwyr a'n partneriaid sydd wedi ymgysylltu â'r adolygiad ac wedi rhoi eu barn.

**Y cam nesaf: ffocws newydd a disgwyliadau clir o ran cyflawni**

Roedd yr adborth yn glir ynghylch y cyfeiriad a ffefrir ymhlith arweinwyr ysgolion a'r rhan fwyaf o awdurdodau lleol.  Rwy'n atodi copi o'r llythyr a gefais gan yr Athro Dylan Jones, arweinydd y tîm adolygu, er mwyn rhannu'r negeseuon hyn yn onest â'r sector.  O ystyried y ffaith bod y negeseuon hyn yn cyd\-fynd â'r dystiolaeth ehangach, rwy'n cytuno â'r tîm adolygu nad parhau i drafod nodweddion y system bresennol, a safbwyntiau pobl ar draws y system yw'r ffordd orau o gael budd o'r adolygiad. Rwyf am symud yr adolygiad ymlaen i gam newydd, felly.  Rwyf wedi penderfynu y byddwn yn defnyddio'r cam hwn i archwilio beth yw'r ffordd orau o gefnogi'r gwaith o wella ysgolion ar dair lefel:

**1\.** **Cefnogi gwaith rhwng ysgolion ar lefel leol**

**2\.** **Cefnogi cydweithio a rhwydweithio rhwng ysgolion ar draws awdurdodau lleol ac ar lefel genedlaethol**

**3\.** **Cefnogi'r gwaith o wella ysgolion ar lefel genedlaethol**

O hyn allan, felly, bydd ein gweithgareddau yn canolbwyntio ar archwilio'r ffordd orau o gefnogi'r gwaith o wella ysgolion ar y tair lefel hyn, (lleol, uwch\-leol a chenedlaethol), a dyma fydd y ffrydiau gwaith craidd ar gyfer cam nesaf yr adolygiad.

Rwyf wedi gofyn i'r Athro Jones a Phartneriaeth ISOS i barhau i gyfrannu at y gwaith a'i gefnogi wrth inni symud ymlaen, gan ganolbwyntio'n arbennig ar elfennau sy'n archwilio gwaith rhwng ysgolion ar lefel leol, ac ar draws awdurdodau lleol.  Rwyf hefyd wedi gofyn iddynt barhau i fod yn gyfeillion beirniadol i'm hadran wrth iddi ystyried y strwythurau cymorth ar lefel genedlaethol, a'n rôl o ran arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol.

Wrth gytuno i symud ymlaen at ail gam ein gwaith, rwyf am bwysleisio fy amcanion. Rwy'n glir fy mod am i'r trefniadau newydd hyn:

* ddarparu gwell safonau addysgol, yng nghyd\-destun rolau a chyfrifoldebau clir ar draws y system addysg y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu nodi;
* targedu adnoddau yn y ffyrdd mwyaf priodol, effeithlon ac effeithiol, gan roi blaenoriaeth i gyllido ysgolion a gwella'r effaith a'r ddarpariaeth o fewn y cyllidebau cyfyng rydym yn gweithio gyda nhw;
* lleihau llwyth gwaith ar lefel ysgol drwy weithredu fframwaith gwella cenedlaethol sy'n gyffredin i bawb, ac arferion adrodd symlach;
* sicrhau cydweithio lleol mwy effeithiol, rhwng ysgolion a rhwng awdurdodau lleol, gyda disgwyliad y bydd pob ysgol ac awdurdod lleol yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth.  Bydd yn darparu mwy o gysondeb o ran cefnogi a grymuso, gan roi'r lle canolog i wella ysgolion wrth inni roi ein camau i ddiwygio addysg ar waith.
* meithrin mwy o arbenigedd addysg a chapasiti gweithredu ar lefel genedlaethol er mwyn cynnig arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol gryfach a fframweithiau clir i gyflawni ein blaenoriaethau.

Rwyf am i'r holl bartneriaid fod yn glir mai ein prif nod, wrth ymgymryd â'r gwaith hwn, fydd **gwella deilliannau addysgol drwy ymestyn ein dysgwyr a lleihau'r bwlch cyfleoedd a thegwch**. 

Mae hefyd yn bwysig i mi fod y cam nesaf hwn yn cael ei lywio a'i reoli yn unol â'r egwyddorion canlynol: 

* Mae angen i'r dull gweithredu ganolbwyntio'n ddi\-baid ar wella safonau addysg yng Nghymru mewn ffordd gyson a chydlynol, a sut y bydd y system yn galluogi hyn.
* Bydd cydweithio rhwng ysgolion a'i gilydd, rhwng ysgolion a'u hawdurdod lleol, a rhwng awdurdodau lleol a'i gilydd yn ganolog i'r strategaeth. Bydd yn dal i fod disgwyl i bob awdurdod lleol weithio mewn partneriaeth ag o leiaf un awdurdod lleol arall.
* Hyrwyddo diwylliant sy'n cefnogi system sydd wir yn cael ei harwain gan ysgolion, a hwyluso'r ffordd i arweinwyr ysgolion arwain ar lefel genedlaethol a lleol, gan greu cysylltiad dwy ffordd mwy uniongyrchol rhwng gweithredu cenedlaethol a lleol.
* Cydgynllunio a chydadeiladu'r ffordd ymlaen yw ein dull de facto.
* Byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith ar sail egwyddorion a ffyrdd o weithio Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol.
* Bydd gwerth am arian yn egwyddor arweiniol.

Rwy'n bwriadu cryfhau'r trefniadau llywodraethiant drwy sefydlu Grŵp Cydlynu Cenedlaethol i oruchwylio gwaith ail gam yr adolygiad. Bydd y Grŵp Cydlynu yn cefnogi ac yn cysylltu safbwyntiau Llywodraeth Cymru, awdurdodau lleol, partneriaethau a chonsortia rhanbarthol, Estyn a thîm yr Athro Jones er mwyn symud ymlaen mewn ffordd drefnus. Yn benodol, bydd y Grŵp Cydlynu yn cadarnhau unrhyw fodelau partneriaeth arfaethedig yn ogystal â sicrhau bod yr holl newidiadau i Lywodraeth Cymru, Estyn, awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid rhanbarthol yn gydlynol a chadarn ar lefel y system.

**Llinellau amser a sicrhau cefnogaeth barhaus i ysgolion**

Rwy'n disgwyl y bydd ail gam yr adolygiad yn cychwyn ar unwaith ym mis Chwefror 2024 ac yn parhau am 6 mis tan fis Awst 2024, ac ar ôl hynny bydd y Grŵp Cydlynu yn cytuno ar y strategaeth arfaethedig ar draws y sector. Rwy'n disgwyl y bydd yna gamau pellach i'r gwaith o ran pontio ag unrhyw drefniadau newydd a gynigir.

Er mwyn sicrhau parhad y gefnogaeth i ysgolion wrth i'r adolygiad fynd yn ei flaen, byddwn yn disgwyl i unrhyw drefniadau gweithio rhanbarthol presennol barhau yn ystod y cyfnod hwn a chael eu hwyluso drwy'r cyllid grant penodol i gefnogi'r cwricwlwm a dysgu proffesiynol yn ein hysgolion. 

\[1]adolygiad\-annibynnol\-o\-arweinyddiaeth\-tach\-2021\-cy.pdf (llyw.cymru), Astudiaeth o gyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol i athrawon: Adroddiad diagnostig ar Gymru \| en \| OECD , Adolygiad o wariant ysgolion yng Nghymru \| LLYW. CYMRU, Croeso i Estyn \| Estyn (llyw.cymru)