English: I thank the welcome that the Member gave to that statement. She's posed a series of questions; I'll do my best to try and run through them as comprehensively but briefly as I can. I don't think it's helpful to talk about grade inflation. We will see that some learners prefer and perform better with exams, and some will do better in continuous assessment. There has been an equalities lens that has been applied to the design of assessment at a centre level. What I can say with certainty is that learners this year will have provided evidence of attainment, and that we've supported schools to deliver a consistent, fair and fairly-applied approach so that learners can have confidence in the grades that they will be awarded. In relation to the first step, as she calls it, I actually think that's an important step because it gives learners an early indication of their prospective grades, and provides them with the opportunity of seeking a review, and provides them with an opportunity of taking that forward to appeal if they're not content with that. And I think the fact that that first step is happening during term time has the effect of meaning that in Wales - I think uniquely - that work will be done during term time rather than during the summer holidays, and gives students that assurances of the direction in which they're going. If students are given grades now that they are content with, those will be the grades that they have, just to be clear. I've read speculation in the press about a sense of limbo. If learners have got the grades and if they wish to review them, that's a matter for them and they're obviously entitled to do that, but if they're content with their grades, those are their grades. In relation to students doing English exam boards, there are reciprocal arrangements, and in relation to private candidates, either those will be assessed with centres with which they have existing relationships, or by the WJEC in centres that have agreed to host them. In relation to the fees, a 50 per cent discount is a significant discount. Teachers have worked incredibly hard to deliver the assessments required for this summer, but the WJEC also has had a very significant role in providing guidance and resource and quality assurance and materials in order to enable that to happen. They are themselves a charity and therefore they need to ensure that their costs are reflected in that. The announcement I've made today will release significant further moneys into the system. In relation to guidance to learners, Qualifications Wales has published a guide to learners about the appeals process. In relation to vocational arrangements, there are some qualifications where, because of the very nature of them, they may be qualifications in sectors, for example, that because of COVID have been under restrictions. Social care would be a good example of that. We have invested £26 million in the sector to support the sector to address that, and a further £41.5 million to support learners who are transitioning through those qualifications, but there will be examples where that has not been, obviously, as straightforward, unfortunately. In relation to 2022, Qualifications Wales has already indicated that the assessments for next year will need to be adapted so that the content of the course reflects the disruption that has occurred already in the system. WJEC is consulting on that, and I understand that their intention is to make an announcement before the end of the summer term.
Welsh: Diolch am y croeso a roddodd yr Aelod i'r datganiad yna. Mae hi wedi gofyn cyfres o gwestiynau; byddaf i'n gwneud fy ngorau i geisio rhedeg drwyddyn nhw mewn modd mor gynhwysfawr ond byr ag y gallaf. Nid wyf i'n credu ei bod yn ddefnyddiol siarad am chwyddiant graddau. Byddwn yn gweld bod yn well gan rai dysgwyr arholiadau a'u bod yn perfformio'n well ynddyn nhw, a bydd rhai yn gwneud yn well mewn asesiadau parhaus. Mae lens cydraddoldeb wedi ei gymhwyso i ddyluniad asesiadau ar lefel canolfan. Yr hyn y gallaf ei ddweud â sicrwydd yw y bydd dysgwyr eleni wedi darparu tystiolaeth o gyrhaeddiad, a'n bod wedi cefnogi ysgolion i ddarparu dull cyson, teg sydd wedi ei gymhwyso mewn modd teg fel y gall dysgwyr fod â hyder yn y graddau sy'n cael eu dyfarnu iddyn nhw. O ran y cam cyntaf, fel y mae hi'n ei alw, rwyf i'n credu bod hynny yn gam pwysig mewn gwirionedd gan ei fod yn rhoi syniad cynnar i'r dysgwyr o'u graddau arfaethedig, ac yn rhoi cyfle iddyn nhw geisio adolygiad, ac yn rhoi cyfle iddyn nhw fwrw ymlaen â hynny i apelio os nad ydyn nhw'n fodlon â hynny. Ac rwy'n credu bod y ffaith bod y cam cyntaf hwnnw yn digwydd yn ystod y tymor yn golygu yng Nghymru - yn unigryw rwy'n credu - y bydd y gwaith hwnnw yn cael ei wneud yn ystod y tymor yn hytrach nag yn ystod gwyliau'r haf, ac yn rhoi sicrwydd i fyfyrwyr o'r cyfeiriad y maen nhw'n mynd iddo. Os rhoddir graddau i'r myfyrwyr yn awr ac maen nhw'n fodlon arnyn nhw, dyna fydd y graddau y byddan nhw'n eu cael, i fod yn glir. Rwyf i wedi darllen damcaniaethu yn y wasg y bydd ymdeimlad o limbo. Os yw dysgwyr wedi cael y graddau a'u bod yn dymuno eu hadolygu, mater iddyn nhw yw hynny ac yn amlwg mae ganddyn nhw hawl i wneud hynny, ond os ydyn nhw'n fodlon â'u graddau, dyna yw eu graddau. O ran myfyrwyr sy'n gwneud arholiadau drwy fyrddau yn Lloegr, ceir trefniadau cyfatebol, ac o ran ymgeiswyr preifat, byddan nhw naill ai yn cael eu hasesu gyda chanolfannau y mae ganddyn nhw berthynas â nhw eisoes, neu gan CBAC mewn canolfannau sydd wedi cytuno i'w cynnal. O ran y ffioedd, mae gostyngiad o 50 y cant yn ostyngiad sylweddol. Mae athrawon wedi gweithio'n eithriadol o galed i gyflwyno'r asesiadau sy'n ofynnol ar gyfer yr haf hwn, ond mae CBAC hefyd wedi chwarae rhan bwysig iawn o ran darparu arweiniad ac adnoddau a sicrwydd ansawdd a deunyddiau er mwyn galluogi hynny i ddigwydd. Maen nhw eu hunain yn elusen ac felly mae angen iddyn nhw sicrhau bod eu costau yn cael eu hadlewyrchu yn hynny. Bydd y cyhoeddiad yr wyf i wedi ei wneud heddiw yn rhyddhau rhagor o arian sylweddol i'r system. O ran canllawiau i ddysgwyr, mae Cymwysterau Cymru wedi cyhoeddi canllaw i ddysgwyr am y broses apelio. O ran trefniadau galwedigaethol, mae rhai cymwysterau, oherwydd eu natur, y gallan nhw fod yn gymwysterau mewn sectorau, er enghraifft, sydd wedi bod o dan gyfyngiadau oherwydd COVID. Byddai gofal cymdeithasol yn enghraifft dda o hynny. Rydym ni wedi buddsoddi £26 miliwn yn y sector i gefnogi'r sector i fynd i'r afael â hynny, a £41.5 miliwn arall i gefnogi dysgwyr sy'n pontio trwy'r cymwysterau hynny, ond bydd enghreifftiau lle na fu hynny mor syml, yn amlwg, yn anffodus. O ran 2022, mae Cymwysterau Cymru eisoes wedi nodi y bydd angen addasu'r asesiadau ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf fel bod cynnwys y cwrs yn adlewyrchu'r tarfu sydd eisoes wedi digwydd yn y system. Mae CBAC yn ymgynghori ar hynny, ac rwyf i ar ddeall mai eu bwriad yw gwneud cyhoeddiad cyn diwedd tymor yr haf.