English: I just wanted to follow on from what was said by the Tory spokesman on the foundation stage and primary schools. I just wanted to look at the most important sector, in my view, which is the early years sector, because that is when you can make the most difference in terms of disadvantage. I suppose the first thing I'd like to say is that I am concerned about the reduction in non-statutory nursery education from the height of over 700 providers to just over 500 in July last year. It might not be that that is so worrying if it has led to an increase in the statutory sector of nursery education provision, and perhaps the education Minister could clarify that, but in the context of our ambition to expand the early years sector and increase the provision for two-year-olds as well as three and four-year-olds, that is potentially a pretty serious issue. I obviously am also concerned, as others are, about the impact of the pandemic, particularly on the youngest children who don't live in houses with lots of lovely garden space, because for them the consequences will have been devastating. Trying to teach and provide an alternative education through a screen for two, three and four-year-olds - well, good luck on that one, because it really is very difficult to engage their attention online for more than a few moments. I think that one of the biggest concerns is the decline in behaviour, the physical skills and the speech and language difficulties, which of course lead to frustration, because any child who cannot express themselves is bound to take it out in poor behaviour. There are some positives from the Estyn report, which is always great to read about, which is making a virtue out of the need to have more education outdoors, because obviously having education outdoors massively reduces the risk of contracting COVID. It was great to read about the good work being done in Denbighshire, Wrexham and Llanidloes to really increase the wealth of understanding that young people can get from the outdoors, as well as encouraging, during the lockdown, parents' learning by providing the right tools to encourage parents to take their kids out and help their learning, just by standing on the grass with bare feet. I think there's a worrying concern as well in relation to early years, which is that many settings didn't accept college students or apprentices this year, which obviously leads to even greater challenges for getting appropriately qualified staff for our endeavours in expanding the early years sector. These are clearly quite worrying issues and produce significant challenges for us moving forward.
Welsh: Hoffwn i ychwanegu at yr hyn a ddywedodd llefarydd y Torïaid am y cyfnod sylfaen a'r ysgolion cynradd. Hoffwn i edrych ar y sector pwysicaf, yn fy marn i, sef y sector blynyddoedd cynnar, oherwydd dyna pryd y gallwch chi wneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf o ran anfantais. Mae'n debyg mai'r peth cyntaf yr hoffwn ei ddweud yw fy mod i'n pryderu am y gostyngiad mewn addysg feithrin anstatudol o'r penllanw o 700 o ddarparwyr i ychydig dros 500 ym mis Gorffennaf y llynedd. Efallai nad yw hynny'n peri cymaint o bryder os yw wedi arwain at gynnydd yn y sector statudol o ddarpariaeth addysg feithrin, ac efallai y gallai'r Gweinidog addysg egluro hynny, ond yng nghyd-destun ein huchelgais i ehangu'r sector blynyddoedd cynnar a chynyddu'r ddarpariaeth ar gyfer plant dwy flwydd oed yn ogystal â phlant tair a phedair oed, gallai hynny fod yn fater eithaf difrifol. Rwy'n pryderu hefyd, yn amlwg, fel y mae eraill yn ei wneud, am effaith y pandemig, yn enwedig ar y plant ieuengaf nad ydyn nhw'n byw mewn tai sydd â llawer o le gardd hyfryd, oherwydd byddai'r canlyniadau wedi bod yn ddinistriol iddyn nhw. Ceisio addysgu a darparu addysg amgen drwy sgrin i blant dwy, tair a phedair oed - wel, pob lwc gyda hynny, gan ei bod yn anodd iawn cadw eu sylw ar-lein am fwy nag ychydig funudau. Rwy'n credu mai un o'r pryderon mwyaf yw'r dirywiad mewn ymddygiad, y sgiliau corfforol a'r anawsterau iaith a lleferydd, sydd wrth gwrs yn arwain at rwystredigaeth, gan fod unrhyw blentyn na all fynegi ei hun yn sicr o adlewyrchu hyn drwy ymddygiad gwael. Mae rhai pethau cadarnhaol o adroddiad Estyn, sydd bob amser yn wych i ddarllen amdanyn nhw, sef gwneud yr angen i gael mwy o addysg yn yr awyr agored yn rhinwedd, oherwydd yn amlwg, mae cael addysg yn yr awyr agored yn lleihau'r risg o ddal COVID yn aruthrol. Roedd yn wych darllen am y gwaith da sy'n cael ei wneud yn sir Ddinbych, Wrecsam a Llanidloes i gynyddu'n wirioneddol y ddealltwriaeth gyfoethog y gall pobl ifanc ei chael o'r awyr agored, yn ogystal ag annog, yn ystod y cyfyngiadau symud, ddysgu rhieni drwy ddarparu'r offer cywir i annog rhieni i fynd â'u plant allan a helpu eu dysgu, dim ond drwy sefyll ar y glaswellt gyda thraed noeth. Rwy'n credu bod pryder hefyd mewn cysylltiad â'r blynyddoedd cynnar, sef nad oedd llawer o leoliadau'n derbyn myfyrwyr coleg na phrentisiaid eleni, sy'n amlwg yn arwain at fwy byth o heriau o ran cael staff sydd â chymwysterau priodol ar gyfer ein hymdrechion i ehangu'r sector blynyddoedd cynnar. Mae'r rhain yn amlwg yn faterion sy'n peri cryn bryder ac yn creu heriau sylweddol i ni wrth symud ymlaen.