Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
I welcome Estyn’s report on attendance rates in Secondary Schools since the removal of restrictions in place as a result of the pandemic, and its publication in January.  

We know how important regular school attendance is in terms of learner outcomes, standards, and progression. I’m pleased therefore, that this report coincides with an improvement in average attendance rates for this school year to date which now stands at 90\.5%, up from 88\.3% over the same period last year. 

While this improvement is very welcome, I am not suggesting that this is the extent of our ambition or that there is not room to improve further. I remain committed to ensuring there is a relentless focus on continuing to improve attendance. This is particularly so for learners who we know are more likely to be absent, such as those who are eligible for free school meals. That is why we will continue to work with parents, children, local authorities and schools to remove barriers to attendance and drive sustained improvement.

Estyn’s report also sets out some concerning trends, such as the large variation in attendance rates in individual schools. We are already considering, along with the National Attendance Taskforce, what additional data analysis is required to understand geographical trends as well as exploring cluster development to support schools in sharing best practice and maximising the support and services available within individual areas. 

Another concerning finding was the use of part\-time timetables in ways that were not planned or reviewed regularly enough to provide pupils with more support to return to good attendance levels. 

I have previously outlined my concerns about the use of part\-time timetables. As part of a formal plan, such as a reintegration plan, part\-time timetables can help learners re\-integrate into a school after a long absence; or be a means of preventing greater absence; but it can also have a negative impact on learner progress and wellbeing, placing further pressures on families and lead to further disengagement from education. The Belonging, engaging and participating guidance  provides clarity in relation to the use of part\-time timetables in schools but we intend to publish separate guidance about the use of part\-time timetables, that will include further detail about the use of part\-time timetables for EOTAS pupils and pupils with additional learning needs.

Welsh Government’s response to the recommendations can be found here







Translation:


 
Rwy'n croesawu adroddiad Estyn ar gyfraddau presenoldeb mewn ysgolion uwchradd ers cael gwared ar y cyfyngiadau a oedd ar waith o ganlyniad i’r pandemig, a'i gyhoeddiad ym mis Ionawr.  

Rydym yn gwybod pa mor bwysig yw presenoldeb rheolaidd yn yr ysgol o ran deilliannau, safonau a chynnydd y dysgwyr. Rwy'n falch felly bod yr adroddiad hwn yn cyd\-daro â gwelliant yn y cyfraddau presenoldeb cyfartalog ar gyfer y flwyddyn ysgol hyd yma, sydd bellach yn 90\.5%, i fyny o 88\.3% dros yr un cyfnod y llynedd. 

Er bod y gwelliant hwn i'w groesawu'n fawr, nid wy’n awgrymu mai dyma hyd a lled ein huchelgais neu nad oes lle i wella ymhellach. Rwy'n parhau i fod wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod ffocws di\-baid ar barhau i wella presenoldeb. Mae hyn yn arbennig o wir ar gyfer dysgwyr yr ydym yn gwybod eu bod yn fwy tebygol o fod yn absennol, fel y rhai sy'n gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim. Dyna pam y byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda rhieni, plant, awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion i gael gwared ar rwystrau i bresenoldeb ac i ysgogi gwelliant parhaus.

Mae adroddiad Estyn hefyd yn nodi rhai tueddiadau sy’n achosi pryder, megis yr amrywiad mawr mewn cyfraddau presenoldeb mewn ysgolion unigol. Rydym eisoes yn ystyried, ynghyd â'r Tasglu Presenoldeb Cenedlaethol, pa waith dadansoddi data ychwanegol sydd ei angen i ddeall tueddiadau daearyddol, yn ogystal ag edrych ar ddatblygu clwstwr er mwyn cefnogi ysgolion i rannu arferion da a gwneud y mwyaf o’r gefnogaeth a'r gwasanaethau sydd ar gael mewn ardaloedd unigol. 

Canfyddiad arall a oedd yn achosi pryder oedd y ffaith bod amserlenni rhan\-amser yn cael eu defnyddio mewn ffyrdd na chawsant eu cynllunio na'u hadolygu'n ddigon rheolaidd i roi mwy o gefnogaeth i ddisgyblion i ddychwelyd i lefelau presenoldeb da. 

Rwyf eisoes wedi amlinellu fy mhryderon ynghylch defnyddio amserlenni rhan\-amser. Fel rhan o gynllun ffurfiol, megis cynllun ailintegreiddio, gall amserlenni rhan\-amser helpu dysgwyr i ailintegreiddio mewn ysgol ar ôl cyfnod hir o absenoldeb, neu gallant fod yn ffordd o atal mwy o absenoldeb. Fodd bynnag, gallant hefyd gael effaith negyddol ar gynnydd a llesiant dysgwyr, gan roi rhagor o bwysau ar deuluoedd ac arwain at ymddieithrio ymhellach oddi wrth addysg. Mae'r canllawiau Perthyn, ymgysylltu a chyfranogi yn rhoi eglurder mewn perthynas â defnyddio amserlenni rhan\-amser mewn ysgolion. Er hynny, rydym yn bwriadu cyhoeddi canllawiau ar wahân ynghylch defnyddio amserlenni rhan\-amser, a fydd yn cynnwys rhagor o fanylion ynghylch defnyddio amserlenni rhan\-amser ar gyfer disgyblion sy’n cael addysg heblaw yn yr ysgol a disgyblion ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. 

Gellir dod o hyd i ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r argymhellion yma.