English: Deputy Presiding Officer, I open this debate today by thanking Meilyr Rowlands for his third annual report as chief inspector of education and training in Wales. As well as providing evidence on performance and standards, the chief inspector's report will inform policy development and drive improvements in education. Estyn's 2016-17 annual report looks at progress over the past seven years, back to 2010, when Estyn's current inspection cycle began, and the inspection findings for the sectors. I welcome this long-term approach. It is encouraging to see that the biggest trend over the last seven years has been the move towards a culture of self-improvement, and this remains a key priority for me and the Government. The report shows increased collaboration between schools, particularly in the way the new curriculum is being developed. We are supporting schools to collaborate and play their full part in a self-improving system, and this effort is facilitated through the educational regional consortia. I welcome the findings that show that many strengths exist in nursery settings, maintained special schools and further education colleges. The quality of education is good or better in most cases, and there has been continued progress with early years provision, literacy and numeracy, behaviour and attendance and the performance of disadvantaged learners. I am pleased to see that, between 2010 and 2017, there were also improvements in primary school performance, particularly of boys and those pupils eligible for free school meals. It is encouraging that schools and settings are committed to good foundation phase practice. Children make good progress and show increased motivation and enjoyment of learning where settings get it right. I note, however, that the application of the foundation phase has been inconsistent. I recognise that more needs to be done to embed consistent practice across Wales and to ensure that the right framework exists to support effective teaching and learning through foundation phase pedagogy. Last year, I announced the development of a foundation phase excellence network, which primarily will support the sharing of effective practice and work closely with the networks of excellence in science, technology and mathematics. Deputy Presiding Officer, it's heartening that looking after pupils' well-being, care, support and guidance and the learning environment are strong features of our education system. We know that well-being is strongly linked to educational outcomes, and children with higher levels of emotional, behavioural, social and school well-being, on average, have higher levels of achievement and are more engaged in their schooling. I note the report's findings that seven in 10 primary schools inspected this year are good or excellent, which is similar to last year. While this is positive, and I recognise the dedication and hard work of our schools in achieving this, there is clearly more to be done. Half of the secondary schools inspected are good or excellent, which is an improvement on last year. I'm also pleased to see the report's findings that there are good and excellent providers in all sectors, including in areas of relative poverty. We are committed to creating an inclusive education system for all learners, regardless of their needs, to ensure that all learners are able to access a high standard of education. The report is clear that we are making progress, although I believe, Deputy Presiding Officer, there is still too much variability in some sectors and challenges still remain in raising standards in numeracy, raising standards in Welsh in English-medium schools, improving pupils' progress in digital skills, and in continuing to reduce the attainment gap. The report, however, does show that there are now far more examples of schools collaborating to improve aspects of provision, such as literacy and numeracy projects, improving teaching and developing leadership, which will, I believe, all help reduce variability in the system. There is now a more systematic approach to planning opportunities for pupils to apply and practice their numeracy across the curriculum, resulting from schools' implementation of the national literacy and numeracy framework. Standards of Welsh in many English-medium secondary schools are improving, with the numbers achieving qualifications in Welsh at the end of key stage 4 increasing by over 12 percentage points between 2010 and 2016. However, the chief inspector's foreword notes that some schools focus too much on examination technique rather than on providing broad education, and this is because the secondary schools' accountability system is linked to external examination results, and I recognise this. We are continuing to work with key stakeholders and partners to develop a new evaluation framework and a new model of accountability. We will establish constructive evaluation and accountability mechanisms to reinforce the purposes of reform and bring system alignment to curriculum, assessment and accountability arrangements. I note that in 2016-17, the number of trainees on both undergraduate and postgraduate initial teacher education programmes fell short of intake targets. Recruitment to primary programmes was around 90 per cent of the target, and secondary programmes only attracted 66 per cent of the target. Therefore, I have established a new teacher recruitment and retention advisory board, which will consider these issues and how we can support a high-quality education workforce, able to meet the demands of the curriculum and wider education reform. Let me be clear: our teachers are absolutely integral to our national mission. A profession that collaborates is always learning and, therefore, always raising standards. It is clear from the report that the policies we have put in place are helping to drive improvement, but it's really important that we maintain momentum to secure further and more consistent advances across our education system. The Estyn report will play a key role in highlighting areas in need of improvement and supporting the implementation of our wide-reaching reforms. Our focus must continue to ensure that we properly implement our national mission of education reform to drive up standards and help every learner, whatever their background, to fulfil their potential. Deputy Presiding Officer, I'm grateful to all the teachers, the school leaders and managers throughout the sector for their contributions. We all share the same ambition for our children and young people: an excellent education system. Therefore, it only remains for me to thank Meilyr Rowlands and his team for the work that has gone in to producing this annual report. Diolch yn fawr.
Welsh: Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n agor y ddadl hon heddiw drwy ddiolch i Meilyr Rowlands am ei drydydd adroddiad blynyddol fel prif arolygydd addysg a hyfforddiant yng Nghymru. Yn ogystal â darparu tystiolaeth ar berfformiad a safonau, bydd adroddiad y prif arolygydd yn llywio datblygiad polisi ac yn ysgogi gwelliannau i addysg. Mae adroddiad blynyddol Estyn 2016-17 yn edrych ar gynnydd dros y saith mlynedd diwethaf, yn ôl at 2010, pan ddechreuodd cylch arolygu presennol Estyn, a chanfyddiadau arolygu'r sectorau. Rwy'n croesawu'r dull hirdymor hwn. Mae'n galonogol gweld mai'r duedd fwyaf dros y saith mlynedd diwethaf oedd symudiad tuag at ddiwylliant o hunanwella, ac mae hyn yn dal i fod yn flaenoriaeth allweddol i mi ac i'r Llywodraeth. Mae'r adroddiad yn dangos mwy o gydweithredu rhwng ysgolion, yn enwedig yn y ffordd y datblygir y cwricwlwm newydd. Rydym yn cefnogi ysgolion i gydweithio ac i chwarae rhan lawn mewn system hunanwella, ac mae'r ymdrech hon yn cael ei hwyluso drwy'r consortia addysgol rhanbarthol. Rwy'n croesawu'r canfyddiadau sy'n dangos bod llawer o gryfderau'n bodoli mewn lleoliadau meithrin, mewn ysgolion arbennig a gynhelir ac mewn colegau addysg bellach. Mae ansawdd yr addysg yn dda neu'n well yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, a bu cynnydd parhaus o ran darpariaeth y blynyddoedd cynnar, llythrennedd a rhifedd, ymddygiad a phresenoldeb a pherfformiad dysgwyr dan anfantais. Rwy'n falch o weld, rhwng 2010 a 2017, y cafwyd gwelliannau hefyd i berfformiad ysgolion cynradd, yn benodol bechgyn a'r disgyblion hynny sy'n gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim. Mae'n galonogol bod ysgolion a lleoliadau wedi ymrwymo i arfer da yn y cyfnod sylfaen. Mae plant yn gwneud cynnydd da ac yn dangos mwy o gymhelliant a mwynhad o ddysgu mewn lleoliadau sy'n gwneud hyn yn iawn. Rwy'n nodi, fodd bynnag, fod cymhwyso'r cyfnod sylfaen wedi bod yn anghyson. Rwy'n cydnabod bod angen gwneud mwy i sefydlu arferion cyson ledled Cymru ac i sicrhau bod y fframwaith cywir yn bodoli i gefnogi addysgu a dysgu effeithiol drwy addysgeg y cyfnod sylfaen. Y llynedd, cyhoeddais ddatblygiad rhwydwaith rhagoriaeth y cyfnod sylfaen, a fydd yn bennaf yn cynorthwyo gyda'r gwaith o rannu arferion effeithiol ac yn gweithio'n agos gyda rhwydweithiau rhagoriaeth mewn gwyddoniaeth, technoleg a mathemateg. Dirprwy Lywydd, mae'n galonogol bod gofalu am les disgyblion, gofal, cymorth ac arweiniad, a'r amgylchedd dysgu yn nodweddion cryf yn ein system addysg. Rydym yn gwybod bod cysylltiad cryf rhwng lles a deilliannau addysgol, a bod plant sydd â lefelau uwch o les emosiynol, ymddygiadol, cymdeithasol ac ysgol, ar gyfartaledd, yn cyflawni at lefelau uwch ac yn dangos mwy o ddiddordeb yn eu haddysg. Rwy'n nodi canfyddiadau'r adroddiad bod saith o bob 10 ysgol gynradd a gafodd ei harolygu eleni'n dda neu'n rhagorol, sy'n debyg i'r llynedd. Er bod hyn yn gadarnhaol, ac rwy'n cydnabod ymroddiad a gwaith caled ein hysgolion i gyflawni hyn, mae'n amlwg bod angen gwneud mwy. Mae hanner yr ysgolion uwchradd a gafodd eu harolygu'n dda neu'n rhagorol, sy'n welliant ar y llynedd. Rwyf hefyd yn falch o weld canfyddiadau'r adroddiad bod darparwyr da a rhagorol ym mhob sector, gan gynnwys mewn ardaloedd o dlodi cymharol. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i greu system addysg gynhwysol ar gyfer pob dysgwr, waeth beth fo'i anghenion, i sicrhau bod pob dysgwr yn gallu cael addysg o safon uchel. Mae'r adroddiad yn glir ein bod yn gwneud cynnydd, er fy mod yn credu, Dirprwy Lywydd, fod gormod o amrywioldeb o hyd mewn rhai sectorau a bod heriau'n dal i fodoli o ran codi safonau rhifedd, codi safonau Cymraeg mewn ysgolion cyfrwng Saesneg, gwella cynnydd disgyblion o ran sgiliau digidol, a pharhau i leihau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad. Fodd bynnag, mae'r adroddiad yn dangos bod llawer mwy o enghreifftiau erbyn hyn o ysgolion yn cydweithio i wella agweddau ar eu darpariaeth, fel prosiectau llythrennedd a rhifedd, gwella addysgu a datblygu arweinyddiaeth, a fydd, rwy'n credu, i gyd yn helpu i leihau amrywioldeb yn y system. Bellach, ceir dull mwy systematig o gynllunio cyfleoedd i ddisgyblion ddefnyddio ac ymarfer eu rhifedd ar draws y cwricwlwm, ers i ysgolion roi'r fframwaith llythrennedd a rhifedd cenedlaethol ar waith. Mae safonau'r Gymraeg mewn llawer o ysgolion uwchradd cyfrwng Saesneg yn gwella; cynyddodd y niferoedd a enillodd gymwysterau Cymraeg ar ddiwedd cyfnod allweddol 4 dros 12 pwynt canran rhwng 2010 a 2016. Fodd bynnag, mae rhagair y prif arolygydd yn nodi bod rhai ysgolion yn canolbwyntio gormod o lawer ar dechneg arholiad yn hytrach nag ar ddarparu addysg eang, ac mae hyn oherwydd bod system atebolrwydd yr ysgolion uwchradd yn gysylltiedig â chanlyniadau arholiadau allanol, ac rwy'n cydnabod hyn. Rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol a phartneriaid i ddatblygu fframwaith gwerthuso newydd a model newydd o atebolrwydd. Byddwn yn sefydlu mecanweithiau adeiladol ar gyfer gwerthuso ac atebolrwydd i atgyfnerthu dibenion diwygio ac alinio systemau trefniadau cwricwlwm, asesu ac atebolrwydd. Rwy'n nodi, yn 2016-17, fod nifer yr hyfforddeion ar raglenni addysg gychwynnol i athrawon ôl-raddedig ac israddedig wedi methu â chyrraedd y targedau niferoedd. Roedd y niferoedd ar raglenni cynradd tua 90 y cant o'r targed, a dim ond 66 y cant o'r targed gafodd eu denu at raglenni uwchradd. Felly, rwyf wedi sefydlu bwrdd cynghori newydd ar gyfer recriwtio a chadw athrawon, a fydd yn ystyried y materion hyn a sut y gallwn gefnogi gweithlu addysg o safon uchel, sy'n gallu bodloni gofynion y cwricwlwm a diwygio addysg ehangach. Gadewch imi fod yn glir: mae ein hathrawon yn gwbl ganolog i'n cenhadaeth genedlaethol. Mae proffesiwn sy'n cydweithio'n dysgu drwy'r amser ac, felly, yn codi safonau drwy'r amser. Mae'n glir o'r adroddiad bod y polisïau yr ydym wedi eu rhoi ar waith yn helpu i ysgogi gwelliant, ond mae'n bwysig iawn ein bod yn cynnal momentwm i sicrhau datblygiadau pellach a mwy cyson ar draws ein system addysg. Bydd adroddiad Estyn yn chwarae rhan allweddol wrth dynnu sylw at feysydd sydd angen eu gwella a helpu i roi ein diwygiadau pellgyrhaeddol ar waith. Rhaid inni barhau i ganolbwyntio ar sicrhau bod ein cenhadaeth genedlaethol i ddiwygio addysg yn cael ei rhoi ar waith yn iawn, i godi safonau a helpu pob dysgwr, beth bynnag ei gefndir, i wireddu ei botensial. Dirprwy Lywydd, rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r holl athrawon, arweinwyr a rheolwyr ysgolion ledled y sector am eu cyfraniadau. Rydym i gyd yn rhannu'r un uchelgais ar gyfer ein plant a'n pobl ifanc: system addysg ragorol. Felly, yr oll sy'n weddill imi yw diolch i Meilyr Rowlands a'i dîm am y gwaith a wnaed i gynhyrchu'r adroddiad blynyddol hwn. Diolch yn fawr.