English: With regard to exams and assessment, I want to be certain that the decisions that we make now are in the best interests of all learners, and that means making sure that we do indeed learn the lessons from 2020. Unlike the Westminster Government, I have established an independent review to help us learn those lessons and to provide recommendations for how qualifications are assessed in 2021. Qualifications Wales will also be providing further advice about how assessment should be completed in 2021, given the continuing disruption of COVID-19 to those exam classes' education. I will look at both pieces of advice and then will make a decision immediately after the half-term break. I think it's important that that decision is taken whilst children are in school so that they can have the appropriate levels of support and information and conversations with their teachers. Can I just say, acting Presiding Officer - ? When Gareth Bennett makes the accusations that he does about standards in Welsh education and entrance to top-level universities, in 2019, Welsh students gained more top-level A-level results that any other part of the United Kingdom. We have record numbers of students applying successfully to read medicine, veterinary science, engineering at our very top universities. Our Seren programme has ensured that if you are a comprehensive-educated child in Wales, you are more likely to receive an offer from Cambridge university than anywhere else in the United Kingdom. And when you consider the challenges faced in some of our communities of ingrained poverty, that is no mean feat at all. And rather than denigrate Welsh teachers and students here this afternoon, we should thank them for their huge efforts in achieving those issues. Goodness, 'perish the thought' he said. Well, perish the thought that we should be a nation that wants to ensure that all of our children and young people can leave their education system speaking both languages. Perish the thought to have a Member in this place that doesn't see the value in having and creating an education system that allows our children to be bilingual. I think that's much more surprising than anything else that I've heard this afternoon. Now, I also know that schools are concerned at this time about progressing the curriculum. We have recently published 'Curriculum for Wales: the journey to 2022'. While this shared expectation document doesn't require action at this time, it does provide clear direction towards curriculum reform. Publishing these expectations is an important milestone towards curriculum change, but, of course, under the current circumstances, schools should only use these to support their planning processes when their staff and learners are ready. We're also continuing to work on the content of the curriculum, and I'm clear that it should encompass the breadth of experiences and histories that make up Wales, and that's why we've appointed Professor Charlotte Williams OBE to lead a working group to advise and improve the teaching of themes related to black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and experiences, not just in history, but in all parts of the school curriculum. Turing to Welsh-medium education, I can assure Members that I am fully committed to ensuring linguistic continuity from pre to post-16. Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's post-16 plan details the short, medium and long-term actions required to make this a reality. Work has started on strategic projects in health and social care, childcare and public services to establish sound provision and to develop a network of support for tutors and commission resources specifically to embed Welsh-medium provision for our learners. In the apprenticeship sector, more Welsh-medium assessor training is being provided, and the success of the Welsh language awareness e-learning module, Prentis-Iaith, is way beyond our expectations. The coleg is also developing the HE infrastructure, providing academic grants to universities in STEM, health and social care, and social sciences, to name but a few. I'm also working to achieve a common understanding of the expected linguistic outcomes of learners. A review of current school definitions was undertaken last year, and I will be consulting on new non-statutory arrangements around school designations shortly. But, of course, learning is not just about exams or the curriculum. The mental health and well-being of our learners particularly during this time is of primary importance. Consultation on the whole-school approach to emotional well-being framework guidance ended in September, and we intend to publish the final version of the framework towards the end of the year or in early January. This statutory guidance will support local authorities and schools in meeting their own well-being needs in a consistent and holistic fashion that promotes equity of access. It's also an important tool in tackling the short, medium and long-term response to COVID-19 by addressing the well-being needs of children and young people. Acting Presiding Officer, mitigating the impact of this pandemic has been a major focus for me and this Welsh Government and we've worked closely with the sector to provide guidance and support to ensure that COVID-secure education can be delivered, and I'm extremely grateful to everyone for the way in which they have worked to ensure that learning has continued. Jenny Rathbone's contribution just highlighted perfectly the hard work that has been going on in our schools, our colleges and our universities. We have strong foundations in place, and working together, we are determined to continue to raise standards, to reduce the attainment gap, and to deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and public confidence, and we're doing all of that in the face of a global pandemic. And once again, I want to put on record my thanks to those professionals working in the education system who are doing everything that they possibly can in the most trying of circumstances to ensure that our national mission is reached.
Welsh: Mewn perthynas ag arholiadau ac asesu, rwyf am fod yn sicr fod y penderfyniadau a wnawn yn awr er lles gorau pob dysgwr, ac mae hynny'n golygu sicrhau'n bendant ein bod yn dysgu gwersi 2020. Yn wahanol i Lywodraeth San Steffan, rwyf wedi sefydlu adolygiad annibynnol i'n helpu i ddysgu'r gwersi hynny ac i ddarparu argymhellion ar gyfer y modd y caiff cymwysterau eu hasesu yn 2021. Bydd Cymwysterau Cymru hefyd yn rhoi cyngor pellach ar sut y dylid cwblhau asesiadau yn 2021, o ystyried yr aflonyddu parhaus yn sgil COVID-19 ar addysg y dosbarthiadau arholiad hynny. Byddaf yn edrych ar y cyngor ac yn gwneud penderfyniad yn syth ar ôl toriad hanner tymor. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn bwysig fod y penderfyniad hwnnw'n cael ei wneud tra bo plant yn yr ysgol fel y gallant gael y lefelau priodol o gymorth a gwybodaeth a sgyrsiau gyda'u hathrawon. A gaf fi ddweud, Lywydd dros dro - ? Pan fo Gareth Bennett yn gwneud y cyhuddiadau y mae'n eu gwneud am safonau addysg yng Nghymru a mynediad i brifysgolion ar y lefel uchaf, yn 2019, enillodd myfyrwyr Cymru fwy o ganlyniadau Safon Uwch ar y lefel uchaf na'r un rhan arall o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Mae gennym y nifer uchaf erioed o fyfyrwyr yn gwneud ceisiadau llwyddiannus i astudio meddygaeth, milfeddygaeth, peirianneg yn ein prifysgolion gorau un. Mae ein rhaglen Seren wedi sicrhau, os ydych yn blentyn wedi'i addysgu mewn ysgol gyfun yng Nghymru, eich bod yn fwy tebygol nag unman arall yn y Deyrnas Unedig o gael cynnig gan brifysgol Caergrawnt. A phan ystyriwch yr heriau a wynebir yn rhai o'n cymunedau cynhenid dlawd, mae honno'n dipyn o gamp. Ac yn hytrach na difrïo athrawon a myfyrwyr Cymru yma y prynhawn yma, dylem ddiolch iddynt am eu hymdrechion enfawr yn cyflawni yn y modd hwnnw. Mawredd, 'a'n gwaredo' meddai. Wel, a'n gwaredo rhag bod yn genedl sydd am sicrhau y gall ein holl blant a phobl ifanc adael eu system addysg yn siarad y ddwy iaith. A'n gwaredo rhag bod gennym Aelod yn y lle hwn nad yw'n gweld gwerth cael a chreu system addysg sy'n caniatáu i'n plant fod yn ddwyieithog. Rwy'n credu bod hynny'n llawer mwy o syndod na dim arall rwyf wedi'i glywed y prynhawn yma. Nawr, gwn hefyd fod ysgolion yn poeni ar hyn o bryd am ddatblygu'r cwricwlwm. Rydym wedi cyhoeddi 'Cwricwlwm Cymru: y daith hyd at 2022' yn ddiweddar. Er nad oes angen gweithredu ar y ddogfen disgwyliadau cyffredin hon ar hyn o bryd, mae'n rhoi cyfeiriad clir tuag at ddiwygio'r cwricwlwm. Mae cyhoeddi'r disgwyliadau hyn yn garreg filltir bwysig tuag at newid y cwricwlwm, ond wrth gwrs, o dan yr amgylchiadau presennol, dim ond pan fydd eu staff a'u dysgwyr yn barod y dylai ysgolion ddefnyddio'r rhain i gefnogi eu prosesau cynllunio. Rydym hefyd yn parhau i weithio ar gynnwys y cwricwlwm, ac rwy'n glir y dylai gwmpasu ehangder y profiadau a'r hanesion sy'n ffurfio Cymru, a dyna pam ein bod wedi penodi'r Athro Charlotte Williams OBE i arwain gweithgor i gynghori a gwella'r gwaith o addysgu themâu sy'n ymwneud â chymunedau a phrofiadau pobl dduon, Asiaidd a lleiafrifoedd ethnig, nid mewn hanes yn unig, ond ym mhob rhan o'r cwricwlwm ysgol. Gan droi at addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, gallaf sicrhau'r Aelodau fy mod wedi ymrwymo'n llwyr i sicrhau parhad ieithyddol o'r cyfnod cyn 16 oed i'r cyfnod ôl-16. Mae cynllun ôl-16 y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn manylu ar y camau gweithredu tymor byr, tymor canolig a hirdymor sydd eu hangen i wireddu hyn. Mae gwaith wedi dechrau ar brosiectau strategol ym maes iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, gofal plant a gwasanaethau cyhoeddus i sefydlu darpariaeth gadarn ac i ddatblygu rhwydwaith o gymorth i diwtoriaid a chomisiynu adnoddau'n benodol i ymgorffori darpariaeth cyfrwng Cymraeg ar gyfer ein dysgwyr. Yn y sector prentisiaethau, mae mwy o hyfforddiant asesydd cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cael ei ddarparu, ac mae llwyddiant y modiwl e-ddysgu ymwybyddiaeth o'r Gymraeg, Prentis-Iaith, ymhell y tu hwnt i'n disgwyliadau. Mae'r coleg hefyd yn datblygu'r seilwaith addysg uwch, gan ddarparu grantiau academaidd i brifysgolion mewn pynciau STEM, iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol, a'r gwyddorau cymdeithasol, i enwi ond rhai ohonynt. Rwyf hefyd yn gweithio i sicrhau dealltwriaeth gyffredin o ddeilliannau ieithyddol disgwyliedig dysgwyr. Cynhaliwyd adolygiad o ddiffiniadau cyfredol o ysgolion y llynedd, a chyn bo hir, byddaf yn ymgynghori ar drefniadau anstatudol newydd ar gyfer dynodiadau ysgolion. Ond wrth gwrs, mae dysgu'n ymwneud â mwy nag arholiadau a'r cwricwlwm yn unig. Mae iechyd meddwl a lles ein dysgwyr, yn enwedig yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, o'r pwys mwyaf. Daeth yr ymgynghoriad ar y dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin â chanllawiau fframwaith lles emosiynol i ben ym mis Medi, a bwriadwn gyhoeddi fersiwn derfynol o'r fframwaith tuag at ddiwedd y flwyddyn neu ddechrau mis Ionawr. Bydd y canllawiau statudol hyn yn helpu awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion i ddiwallu eu hanghenion lles eu hunain mewn modd cyson a chyfannol sy'n hyrwyddo mynediad cyfartal. Mae hefyd yn arf pwysig i fynd i'r afael â'r ymateb tymor byr, tymor canolig a hirdymor i COVID-19 drwy fynd i'r afael ag anghenion lles plant a phobl ifanc. Lywydd Dros Dro, mae lliniaru effaith y pandemig hwn wedi bod yn ffocws pwysig i mi a'r Llywodraeth hon ac rydym wedi gweithio'n agos gyda'r sector i ddarparu arweiniad a chymorth i sicrhau y gellir darparu addysg ddiogel rhag COVID, ac rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar i bawb am y ffordd y maent wedi gweithio i sicrhau bod dysgu wedi parhau. Roedd cyfraniad Jenny Rathbone yn tynnu sylw'n berffaith at y gwaith caled sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yn ein hysgolion, ein colegau a'n prifysgolion. Mae gennym sylfeini cadarn yn eu lle, a thrwy weithio gyda'n gilydd, rydym yn benderfynol o barhau i godi safonau, lleihau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad, a darparu system addysg sy'n destun balchder cenedlaethol a hyder y cyhoedd, ac rydym yn gwneud hynny i gyd yn wyneb pandemig byd-eang. Ac unwaith eto, hoffwn gofnodi fy niolch i'r gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n gweithio yn y system addysg ac sy'n gwneud popeth yn eu gallu dan yr amgylchiadau mwyaf anodd i sicrhau ein bod yn cyflawni ein cenhadaeth genedlaethol.