English: I think that education has moved forward over the past 30 years and that there is a need for a curriculum that reflects the new understanding that we have of how education works. I would like to take a little bit of time initially here this morning to explain what I think are the major characteristics and benefits of the new curriculum that we have. To begin with, it's more dynamic, it includes flexibility on two levels. The fundamental principle behind the curriculum for Wales is that schools plan their own curriculum, and that enables them to meet the needs of specific learners, based, of course, upon a national framework. So, the new curriculum is more likely to encourage learners because it considers their needs and local context. It's also more likely to encourage and inspire teachers, because it gives them ownership over what they teach. There's also flexibility on a statutory level, on a national level, which allows future governments to adapt and update the curriculum. The curriculum, as you know, is based on purposes and it's based on a wider vision of education than the previous curriculum. Schools do more than just transferring information; they assist pupils to develop skills and attitudes, to turn them into independent lifelong learners, they support health and well-being, they help to grow them to be members of society, and so on. That's what is meant by the four purposes, and the best schools do this. So, the new curriculum reflects, truth to be told, what schools are already doing. Also, the new curriculum does focus on what matters. The way that the content has been structured is more sophisticated and is based on latest understanding with regard to how pupils learn. It's structured around what matters for the areas of learning, and builds a map of concepts of the major ideas and how they link up, and then, understanding why they're important and valuable in terms of study. They then contribute to the wider culture. The other thing that's important about the curriculum that we now have is how it was developed. It was developed with teachers, with specialists, including us and you. This process builds on common ground and common understanding. It takes time, but this co-production is very important because it's more likely to lead to a high-quality curriculum. Every step that we take along the way makes the system better. And the final point that I would like to make is that the curriculum for Wales is part of a system of education reform that is more wide-ranging than just changing the curriculum. It's important, of course, that it's not just the curriculum that's changing, but that we have a system of educational reform that takes into consideration teaching, learning, assessment, leadership, professional learning, evaluation, school improvement, and so on. So, apologies for taking so much time to explain that, but the point is that the understanding of education has moved forward in the past 30 years, and the new curriculum reflects those changes.
Welsh: Dwi'n meddwl bod addysg wedi symud ymlaen dros y 30 mlynedd diwethaf ac mae angen cwricwlwm sy'n adlewyrchu'r ddealltwriaeth newydd sydd gyda ni o sut mae addysg yn gweithio. Buaswn i'n hoffi cymryd rhyw ychydig o amser peth cyntaf i esbonio beth dwi'n meddwl ydy prif nodweddion a manteision y cwricwlwm newydd sydd gyda ni. I gychwyn, mae e'n fwy deinamig, mae e'n cynnwys hyblygrwydd ar ddwy lefel. Egwyddor sylfaenol y cwricwlwm i Gymru ydy bod ysgolion yn cynllunio eu cwricwlwm eu hunain, ac mae hynny'n eu galluogi nhw i ddiwallu anghenion dysgwyr penodol, yn seiliedig, wrth gwrs, ar fframwaith cenedlaethol. Felly, mae'r cwricwlwm newydd yn fwy tebygol o ysgogi dysgwyr, oherwydd ei fod e'n ystyried eu hanghenion a'u cyd-destun lleol, penodol nhw. Mae hefyd yn fwy tebygol o ysgogi athrawon, achos mae e'n rhoi perchnogaeth iddyn nhw o'r hyn maen nhw'n addysgu. Mae yna hefyd hyblygrwydd statudol ar lefel genedlaethol, sy'n galluogi llywodraethau'r dyfodol i addasu a diweddaru'r cwricwlwm. Hefyd, mae'r cwricwlwm, fel rŷch chi'n gwybod, yn seiliedig ar ddibenion. Mae e'n seiliedig ar weledigaeth fwy eang o addysg na'r cwricwlwm blaenorol. Mae ysgolion yn gwneud mwy na jest trosglwyddo gwybodaeth; maen nhw'n helpu disgyblion i ennill sgiliau ac agweddau, yn dod â nhw'n ddysgwyr gydol oes annibynnol, maen nhw'n cefnogi iechyd a lles, maen nhw'n helpu i'w tyfu nhw i fod yn aelodau o gymdeithas, ac yn y blaen. Dyna beth a olygir gan y pedwar diben, ac mae'r ysgolion gorau yn gwneud hyn. Felly, mae'r cwricwlwm newydd yn adlewyrchu, mewn gwirionedd, beth mae ysgolion yn ei wneud yn barod. Hefyd, mae'r cwricwlwm newydd yn canolbwyntio ar yr hyn sy'n bwysig. Mae'r ffordd mae'r cynnwys wedi ei strwythuro yn fwy soffistigedig ac yn seiliedig ar y ddealltwriaeth ddiweddaraf o sut mae disgyblion yn dysgu. Mae e'n cael ei strwythuro o gwmpas beth sy'n bwysig ar gyfer y meysydd dysgu, gan adeiladu map o gysyniadau, y prif syniadau, sut mae'r rheini'n cysylltu gyda'i gilydd a deall pam maen nhw'n bwysig ac yn werth astudio. Ac maen nhw felly, yn y pen draw, yn cyfrannu at y diwylliant ehangach. Y peth arall sy'n bwysig am y cwricwlwm sydd gyda ni nawr ydy sut cafodd ei ddatblygu. Fe gafodd ei ddatblygu gydag athrawon, gydag arbenigwyr, gan gynnwys ni'n hunain a chithau. Mae'r broses yma yn adeiladu tir cyffredin a dealltwriaeth gyffredin, ac mae'n cymryd amser ond mae'r cydadeiladu yma yn bwysig iawn, achos mae e'n fwy tebygol o arwain at gwricwlwm o ansawdd uchel. Mae bob cam dyn ni'n ei gymryd yn gwneud y system yn well. A'r pwynt olaf byddwn ni'n hoffi ei wneud ydy bod cwricwlwm i Gymru yn rhan o system o ddiwygio addysg sy'n fwy eang na jest newid y cwricwlwm. Mae e'n bwysig, wrth gwrs, bod nid yn unig y cwricwlwm yn newid ond bod gyda ni system o ddiwygio addysg sydd yn cymryd i ystyriaeth addysgu, dysgu, asesu, arweinyddiaeth, dysgu proffesiynol, gwerthuso, gwella ysgolion, ac yn y blaen. Ymddiheuriadau am gymryd cymaint o amser i esbonio hynny, ond y pwynt ydy bod dealltwriaeth o addysg wedi symud ymlaen yn 30 mlynedd diwethaf, ac mae'r cwricwlwm newydd yn adlewyrchu'r newidiadau hynny.