English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Colleagues, we are embarking on a major reform agenda, the biggest education reform that we have seen in Wales since the 1940s. We have begun developing the new curriculum in collaboration with the sector, we are making major improvements to initial teacher training and are working to support the development of the education workforce through the current new deal. These reform programmes are based on our approach of working in a self-improving system. That is often defined as a model where the key players in the education system take shared responsibility for their own improvement and for the improvement of others. My challenge is to build on the momentum of improvement we have seen through continuing to work with pace with the sector in a collaborative way with a clear focus on the quality of teaching. The biggest impact on learner outcomes is teaching and leadership, and this needs to be positioned against the backdrop of our self-improving system. Therefore, I intend to develop a workforce and leadership strategy to set out explicitly a clear and coherent picture of the way forward for the workforce and how that will be developed and supported through the process of change. This strategy will build upon the existing plans developed as part of the new deal for the education workforce, such as the deployment of pioneer schools to support peer-to-peer professional learning, the introduction of an enhanced professional learning passport and strengthened school development plans to support more effective planning and choice of professional learning. It will continue to implement the reforms of initial teacher education proposed by Professor John Furlong. The strategy will also strengthen the focus in areas such as the development on new professional teaching standards, leadership development, the development of learning support staff and starting the transition to an all-Master's teaching profession. I also intend to establish a Welsh academy of leadership. This will be developed in partnership with consortia, local authorities, higher education providers, and education leaders from Wales and elsewhere. Now, class sizes remain a huge concern for both parents and teachers. The Welsh Government has listened to those concerns, which is why I have asked officials to scope out options to reduce class sizes, starting with the largest classes first. However, reducing class sizes is not just all about bricks and mortar, it is also about creating the space for teachers to teach, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and ensuring that they are supported by excellent higher level teaching assistants. Therefore, the workforce and leadership strategy that I have previously mentioned will also focus on the development of learning support staff. This will provide a range of career development paths and address the need for a more coherent set of professional standards, qualifications and professional learning opportunities. I also want to build the capacity of learning support staff to obtain higher level teaching assistant status and will invest funding into a coherent suite of development programmes leading to higher level teaching assistant status. In order for education to improve, we also need to further deepen and extend school-to-school working. This will be done through encouraging collaborative work by signposting and supporting schools to develop partnership models of governance, new models of school leadership and new pathways into leadership that will support this agenda and address the underlying problems with leadership recruitment. Now, the most formal of those collaborations will be federations, bringing together a number of schools under one governing body. Different partners can offer different solutions. However, federations can bring strengths to areas of weakness, ensure effective accountability for performance, spread effective leadership and help build teacher capacity. Federation is an effective structural driver that can be used to enhance school improvement. Where teaching and/or leadership within a school is weak, a federation with a high-performing school that can implant its leadership, systems, practices and expertise can bring about the required change to improve the performance of the school. It can also assist with the recruitment and retention of good headteachers through deploying experienced practitioners in executive roles with heads of schools working to them. An effective leadership programme needs to be developed to support this move to federations, and that will form part of my new workforce and leadership strategy. Now, for smaller schools, federations can recruit more effectively than each stand-alone school seeking its own headteacher. Additionally, across a number of smaller schools, a federation can ensure that there is relevant expertise for each area of the curriculum. This is essential, as every pupil in Wales must benefit fully from 'Successful Futures'. So, this all-Wales approach to federation would also include a specific national strategy for small and rural schools. Whilst I am pleased that the GCSE results last summer showed progress in closing the stubborn attainment gap between those pupils eligible for free school meals and their contemporaries, it does not go far enough. The pupil deprivation grant, introduced in 2012 as part of a budget deal between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government, is clearly making a difference in our schools and my priority is for the PDG to remain a key pillar for driving up standards for our poorest pupils. Finally, I also intend to target resources in a number of specific areas relating to Welsh language and additional learning needs. I am fully committed to the continued development of Welsh-medium education from the early years to higher education. Ensuring that the Welsh-medium sector is considered at the heart of all developments, and that is a key priority for me. I intend to develop proposals to ensure that we strengthen the teaching of Welsh language through increasing the numbers of practitioners with high-quality Welsh language skills. Proposed ALN legislation will enable us to improve the planning and delivery of additional learning provision, placing much greater focus on individual need and ensuring the needs of learners are identified early, and effective interventions are put in place, are monitored and are adapted to ensure they deliver the desired outcomes. But legislation is only one part of the reform that is needed; practitioners have indicated that they need significant skills development and easier access to specialist support if they are to deliver effective support to learners with ALN in the classroom. I am proposing a three-level response. All practitioners should have the core skills development to support a wide range of low complexity, but high incidence ALN within settings, and access to ongoing professional development. Each school setting should have immediate access to one individual with advanced skills. I want to develop the role of additional learning needs co-ordinators, who will replace the current SENCOs. And all education settings should have access to individuals with specialist skills, for instance, educational psychologists, teachers of the visually or hearing impaired, and speech therapy. I will say more about each of these developments in the coming months and I'm committed to keeping the Chamber updated. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Gydweithwyr, rydym yn cychwyn ar agenda ddiwygio fawr, y diwygio mwyaf ar addysg yr ydym wedi'i weld yng Nghymru ers y 1940au. Rydym wedi dechrau datblygu'r cwricwlwm newydd mewn cydweithrediad â'r sector, rydym yn gwneud gwelliannau mawr i hyfforddiant cychwynnol athrawon ac yn gweithio i gefnogi datblygiad y gweithlu addysg drwy'r fargen newydd ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r rhaglenni diwygio hyn yn seiliedig ar ein dull o weithio mewn system hunanwella. Mae hynny'n cael ei ddiffinio yn aml fel model lle mae'r chwaraewyr allweddol yn y system addysg yn cymryd cyfrifoldeb ar y cyd am wella eu hunain ac am wella pobl eraill. Fy her i yw adeiladu ar y momentwm o welliant a welwyd trwy barhau i weithio'n gyflym gyda'r sector mewn ffordd gydweithredol, gyda phwyslais clir ar ansawdd yr addysgu. Yr effaith fwyaf ar ddeilliannau dysgwyr yw addysgu ac arweinyddiaeth, ac mae angen i hyn gael ei leoli yn erbyn cefndir ein system hunanwella. Felly, rwy'n bwriadu datblygu strategaeth gweithlu ac arweinyddiaeth i nodi'n bendant darlun clir a chydlynol o'r ffordd ymlaen ar gyfer y gweithlu a sut y bydd hynny'n cael ei ddatblygu a'i gefnogi drwy'r broses o newid. Bydd y strategaeth hon yn adeiladu ar y cynlluniau presennol a gafodd eu datblygu yn rhan o'r fargen newydd ar gyfer y gweithlu addysg, megis y defnydd o ysgolion arloesol i gefnogi dysgu proffesiynol cymheiriaid i gyymheiriaid, cyflwyno pasbort dysgu proffesiynol gwell a chryfhau cynlluniau datblygu ysgolion i gefnogi cynllunio a dewis mwy effeithiol o ddysgu proffesiynol. Bydd yn parhau i weithredu'r diwygiadau addysg gychwynnol i athrawon a gynigiwyd gan yr Athro John Furlong. Bydd y strategaeth hefyd yn cryfhau'r pwyslais mewn meysydd fel datblygu ar safonau addysgu proffesiynol newydd, datblygu arweinyddiaeth, datblygu staff cymorth dysgu a dechrau ar y cyfnod pontio i broffesiwn addysgu holl-Feistr. Rwyf hefyd yn bwriadu sefydlu academi arweinyddiaeth yng Nghymru. Bydd hyn yn cael ei ddatblygu mewn partneriaeth â chonsortia, awdurdodau lleol, darparwyr addysg uwch, ac arweinwyr addysg o Gymru a mannau eraill. Nawr, mae maint dosbarthiadau yn parhau i fod yn bryder mawr i rieni ac athrawon. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwrando ar y pryderon hynny, a dyna pam yr wyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion bennu cwmpas yr opsiynau i leihau maint dosbarthiadau, gan ddechrau gyda'r dosbarthiadau mwyaf yn gyntaf. Fodd bynnag, nid yw lleihau maint dosbarthiadau yn ymwneud â brics a morter yn unig, mae hefyd yn ymwneud â chreu'r lle i athrawon addysgu, gan leihau biwrocratiaeth ddiangen a sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu cefnogi gan gynorthwywyr addysgu lefel uwch ardderchog. Felly, bydd y strategaeth gweithlu ac arweinyddiaeth yr wyf eisoes wedi'i chrybwyll hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu staff cymorth dysgu. Bydd hyn yn darparu ystod o lwybrau datblygu gyrfa ac yn mynd i'r afael â'r angen am set fwy cydlynol o safonau proffesiynol, cymwysterau a chyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol. Rwyf hefyd yn awyddus i feithrin gallu'r staff cymorth dysgu i gael statws cynorthwy-ydd addysgu lefel uwch a byddaf yn buddsoddi arian mewn cyfres gydlynol o raglenni datblygu sy'n arwain at statws cynorthwy-ydd addysgu lefel uwch. Er mwyn i addysg wella, mae hefyd angen i ni ddyfnhau ac ymestyn gweithio ysgol i ysgol ymhellach. Caiff hyn ei wneud drwy annog gwaith cydweithredol drwy gyfeirio a chefnogi ysgolion i ddatblygu modelau partneriaeth o lywodraethu, modelau newydd o arweinyddiaeth ysgolion a llwybrau newydd i mewn i arweinyddiaeth a fydd yn cefnogi'r agenda hon ac yn mynd i'r afael â'r problemau sylfaenol gyda recriwtio arweinyddiaeth. Nawr, y mwyaf ffurfiol o'r cydweithio hwnnw fydd ffederasiynau, gan ddwyn ynghyd nifer o ysgolion dan un corff llywodraethu. Gall gwahanol bartneriaid gynnig atebion gwahanol. Fodd bynnag, gall ffederasiynau ddod â chryfderau i feysydd lle ceir gwendidau, sicrhau atebolrwydd effeithiol ar gyfer perfformiad, lledaenu arweinyddiaeth effeithiol a helpu i feithrin gallu athrawon. Mae ffederasiwn yn yrrwr strwythurol effeithiol y gellir ei ddefnyddio i gryfhau gwella ysgolion. Lle mae addysgu a / neu arweinyddiaeth o fewn ysgol yn wan, gall ffederasiwn gydag ysgol sy'n perfformio'n dda a all fewnblannu ei harweinyddiaeth, ei systemau, ei harferion a'i harbenigedd sicrhau'r newid sydd ei angen i wella perfformiad yr ysgol. Gall hefyd gynorthwyo gyda recriwtio a chadw penaethiaid da trwy ddefnyddio ymarferwyr profiadol mewn swyddogaethau gweithredol gyda phenaethiaid ysgolion sy'n gweithio iddynt. Mae angen datblygu rhaglen arweinyddiaeth effeithiol i gefnogi'r symudiad hwn at ffederasiynau, a bydd hynny'n ffurfio rhan o fy strategaeth gweithlu ac arweinyddiaeth newydd. Nawr, ar gyfer ysgolion llai, gall ffederasiynau recriwtio yn fwy effeithiol na phan fydd pob ysgol annibynnol yn recriwtio ei phennaeth ei hun. Yn ogystal â hyn, ar draws nifer o ysgolion llai, gall ffederasiwn sicrhau bod arbenigedd perthnasol ar gyfer pob maes o'r cwricwlwm. Mae hyn yn hanfodol, gan fod yn rhaid i bob disgybl yng Nghymru elwa'n llawn ar 'Dyfodol Llwyddiannus'. Felly, byddai'r dull Cymru gyfan hwn o weithredu ffederasiwn hefyd yn cynnwys strategaeth genedlaethol benodol ar gyfer ysgolion bach a gwledig. Er fy mod yn falch bod canlyniadau TGAU yr haf diwethaf yn dangos cynnydd o ran cau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad styfnig rhwng y disgyblion hynny sy'n gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim a'u cyfoedion, nid yw'n mynd yn ddigon pell. Mae'r grant amddifadedd disgyblion, a gyflwynwyd yn 2012 yn rhan o gytundeb cyllideb rhwng Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru, yn amlwg yn gwneud gwahaniaeth yn ein hysgolion. Fy mlaenoriaeth i yw sicrhau bod y grant amddifadedd disgyblion yn parhau i fod yn egwyddor allweddol ar gyfer gwella safonau i'n disgyblion tlotaf. Yn olaf, rwyf hefyd yn bwriadu targedu adnoddau mewn nifer o feysydd penodol sy'n ymwneud ag â'r Gymraeg ac anghenion dysgu ychwanegol. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo'n llawn i ddatblygiad parhaus addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg o'r blynyddoedd cynnar i addysg uwch. Mae sicrhau bod y sector cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cael ei ystyried wrth wraidd yr holl ddatblygiadau, yn flaenoriaeth allweddol i mi. Rwy'n bwriadu datblygu cynigion i sicrhau ein bod yn cryfhau'r gwaith o addysgu'r Gymraeg trwy gynyddu nifer yr ymarferwyr sy'n meddu ar sgiliau Cymraeg o safon uchel. Bydd deddfwriaeth ADY arfaethedig yn ein galluogi i wella'r broses o gynllunio a chyflwyno darpariaeth dysgu ychwanegol, gan roi llawer mwy o bwyslais ar anghenion unigol a sicrhau bod anghenion dysgwyr yn cael eu nodi yn gynnar, a bod ymyraethau effeithiol yn cael eu rhoi ar waith, yn cael eu monitro ac yn cael eu haddasu er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn cyflawni'r deilliannau a ddymunir. Ond dim ond un rhan o'r diwygiad sydd ei angen yw deddfwriaeth; mae ymarferwyr wedi nodi eu bod angen datblygiad sgiliau sylweddol a mynediad haws at gefnogaeth arbenigol os ydynt am roi cymorth effeithiol i ddysgwyr ag ADY yn y dosbarth. Rwy'n cynnig ymateb ar dair lefel. Dylai pob ymarferydd gael y datblygiad sgiliau craidd i gefnogi ystod eang o gymhlethdod isel, ond nifer uchel o ADY o fewn lleoliadau, a mynediad at ddatblygiad proffesiynol parhaus. Dylai pob lleoliad ysgol gael mynediad ar unwaith at un unigolyn â sgiliau uwch. Rwyf eisiau datblygu'r swydd cydlynwyr anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, a fydd yn disodli'r SENCOs cyfredol. A dylai pob lleoliad addysg gael mynediad at unigolion â sgiliau arbenigol, er enghraifft, seicolegwyr addysgol, athrawon sy'n arbenigo ar y rhai â nam ar eu golwg neu eu clyw, a therapi lleferydd. Byddaf yn dweud rhagor am bob un o'r datblygiadau hyn yn y misoedd nesaf ac rwy'n ymrwymo i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Siambr. Diolch.