English: I, too, would like to extend my thanks to all involved: the Minister, the Chair, all our committee members, the clerks and all who have contributed so thoughtfully and passionately in providing evidence to our committee. The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill marks the first construction of a distinct Welsh curriculum. The curriculum that I was, admittedly, at first, very dubious about and very sceptical of. However, sitting on the education committee and listening to evidence, I now feel reassured in my concerns, although a couple still remain. But on the general principles of the curriculum and assessment Bill, I am genuinely excited for our children and young people in Wales to have the opportunity to engage in a curriculum that, I now believe, will, in the most part, far better prepare them for the real world. There will be relatively less prescription of what schools must teach, with no programmes of study, and I welcome this flexibility, but there, at the same time, needs to be a level of consistency across schools, which I outlined and debated on in committee, ensuring that there are levels that must be attained and taught across schools, so, as Lynne Neagle said earlier, there is fairness and equality in education across our schools. The last thing that we want to do is highlight the already apparent inequalities that do exist right now. And, as Lynne Neagle said, it is absolutely necessary that we monitor those standards and the content of what is being taught, particularly during the bedding-in period, when we get to that point, and that is an essential part of it. In addition to the four purposes and six areas of learning and experience, the Bill establishes three cross-curricular skills, namely literacy, numeracy and digital competence. I welcome that children will now be undertaking projects like starting their own business, which will teach them maths, English and other subjects in the round and constructively, with people seeing how to use the basic principles of these subjects in the real world. It also makes relationships and sexuality education, and religion, values and ethics, mandatory elements in addition to Welsh and English. Concerns have been raised on both of these issues. My son attends a Church in Wales school, which was through choice, as I strongly believe that the values that come out of that school, which happens to be a school that I attended, are so, so good and he learns - . He's such a rounded little boy and he's come back with such an understanding and respect for all religions, and I'm so proud of him for that and I'm proud of the school for delivering that sort of education to him. Therefore, I believe that the current curriculum, in terms of religious education, is delivering right now in my opinion and my experience. I do see all the arguments today, and I'm not going to go over them because they'll be talked about a lot today by people who are much more in the know than me actually. But I am concerned that the Bill notes that there is no right to withdraw from RVE. It's something that I'm still uncomfortable with, in my constant battle in my head between the rights of the parent and the rights of the child, and which one should come out on top, really. It's not black and white, but it is so important that we get that right and get everyone on board with it. Relationships and sexuality education is intended to be taught across the curriculum to support physical, mental and emotional health and well-being. This was my biggest issue with it, when faced with this curriculum at first. I was at first very sceptical and uncomfortable with the idea of my 10-year-old son being taught RSE at that sort of level. But having taken the evidence and listened to people throughout the committee process of scrutinising this, I am now comfortable with what my son would potentially be taught. It is directed on what age you are. And it is so important that our children also learn about what's right and what's wrong in terms of relationships and things like that, and the massive impact that that will have on child abuse and things, going forward. I really do think it is absolutely the best part of the Bill actually - I think it's really, really important. So, I've completely turned around on that and I do think that if other people took the time to listen to people who contributed to our committee, they too would change their mind and realise that it is age appropriate and appropriate to be taught those things. I listened to the Member over here about being taught about the menstrual cycle. I was never taught about it. So, I had to find out, and that sort of thing should be taught in schools and not be a surprise like I had. It's a very scary and worrying time, and that sort of thing should be incorporated. I know that parents have a responsibility, but not all parents do that - not because they're irresponsible; my parents aren't irresponsible, but it wasn't the done thing to talk about it. It's those sort of barriers that we need to break down and this is a way of doing that. On the preparation, I did want to talk about some other things. Firstly on the preparation of the new Bill in light of the disruption caused by this pandemic, there needs to be some consideration of the practical call from Suzy that it needs to either be delayed or staggered to give our teachers and schools more time to prepare, recognising the disruption that COVID-19 has caused. A recent survey we conducted found that 76 per cent of schools responded that the pandemic was having a negative effect on their preparation for the new curriculum, with planned work for the summer cancelled. Moreover, the recent OECD education review found that a large number of stakeholders interviewed, including experts in curriculum teaching practices, suggested that there was a need for more time and more targeted professional learning in order for teachers in Wales to be ready for implementation -
Welsh: Hoffwn innau hefyd ddiolch i bawb dan sylw: y Gweinidog, y Cadeirydd, holl aelodau ein pwyllgor, y clercod a phawb sydd wedi cyfrannu mor feddylgar ac angerddol wrth ddarparu tystiolaeth i'n pwyllgor. Mae Bil Cwricwlwm ac Asesu (Cymru) yn nodi'r gwaith cyntaf o ddatblygu cwricwlwm penodol ar gyfer Cymru. Mae'n rhaid cyfaddef fy mod i, ar y dechrau, yn amheus iawn o'r cwricwlwm hwn ac yn negyddol iawn yn ei gylch. Fodd bynnag, wrth eistedd ar y pwyllgor addysg a gwrando ar dystiolaeth, rwy'n teimlo erbyn hyn fy mod i'n dawel fy meddwl ynghylch fy mhryderon, er bod un neu ddau yn dal ar ôl. Ond o ran egwyddorion cyffredinol y Bil cwricwlwm ac asesu, rwy'n teimlo'n wirioneddol gyffrous dros ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yng Nghymru eu bod yn cael y cyfle i ymwneud â chwricwlwm a fydd, yn fy marn i erbyn hyn, yn eu paratoi'n well o lawer ar gyfer y byd go iawn. Bydd llai o ragnodi i raddau o'r hyn y mae'n rhaid i ysgolion ei addysgu, heb unrhyw raglenni astudio, ac rwy'n croesawu'r hyblygrwydd hwn, ond ar yr un pryd, mae angen lefel o gysondeb ar draws ysgolion, ac fe amlinellais hyn a'i drafod yn y pwyllgor, i sicrhau bod lefelau y mae'n rhaid eu cyrraedd a'u haddysgu ar draws ysgolion, fel bod, fel y dywedodd Lynne Neagle yn gynharach, tegwch a chydraddoldeb mewn addysg ar draws ein hysgolion. Y peth olaf yr ydym ni eisiau ei wneud yw tynnu sylw at yr anghydraddoldebau ymddangosiadol sydd eisoes yn bodoli ar hyn o bryd. Ac, fel y dywedodd Lynne Neagle, mae'n gwbl angenrheidiol ein bod ni'n monitro'r safonau hynny a chynnwys yr hyn sy'n cael ei addysgu, yn enwedig yn ystod y cyfnod ymsefydlu, pan gyrhaeddwn ni'r pwynt hwnnw, ac mae hynny'n rhan hanfodol ohono. Yn ogystal â'r pedwar diben a chwe maes dysgu a phrofiad, mae'r Bil yn sefydlu tri sgil trawsgwricwlaidd, sef llythrennedd, rhifedd a chymhwysedd digidol. Rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith y bydd plant bellach yn ymgymryd â phrosiectau fel dechrau eu busnes eu hunain, a fydd yn addysgu mathemateg, Saesneg a phynciau eraill iddyn nhw yn gyffredinol ac yn adeiladol, gyda phobl yn gweld sut i ddefnyddio egwyddorion sylfaenol y pynciau hyn yn y byd go iawn. Mae hefyd yn gwneud addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb, a chrefydd, gwerthoedd a moeseg, yn elfennau gorfodol yn ogystal â'r Gymraeg a'r Saesneg. Mynegwyd pryderon ynglŷn â'r ddau fater hyn. Mae fy mab yn mynychu ysgol yr Eglwys yng Nghymru, a oedd drwy ddewis, gan fy mod i'n credu'n gryf fod y gwerthoedd sy'n dod allan o'r ysgol honno, sy'n digwydd bod yn ysgol yr es innau iddi, mor, mor dda ac mae'n dysgu - . Mae'n fachgen bach mor ddeallus ac mae wedi dod yn ôl gyda dealltwriaeth a pharch at bob crefydd, ac rwyf mor falch ohono am hynny ac rwy'n falch o'r ysgol am ddarparu'r math hwnnw o addysg iddo. Felly, rwy'n credu bod y cwricwlwm presennol, o ran addysg grefyddol, yn cyflawni ar hyn o bryd yn fy marn i ac yn fy mhrofiad i. Rwyf yn gweld yr holl ddadleuon heddiw, ac nid wyf yn mynd i fynd drostyn nhw oherwydd byddan nhw'n cael eu trafod yn helaeth heddiw gan bobl sy'n gwybod llawer mwy na mi mewn gwirionedd. Ond rwy'n pryderu bod y Bil yn nodi nad oes hawl i neilltuo o addysg crefydd, gwerthodd a moeseg. Mae'n rhywbeth rwy'n dal i fod yn anghyfforddus yn ei gylch, yn fy mrwydr gyson yn fy mhen rhwng hawliau'r rhiant a hawliau'r plentyn, a pha un ddylai fod flaenaf, mewn gwirionedd. Nid yw'n ddu a gwyn, ond mae mor bwysig ein bod yn cael hynny'n iawn a bod pawb yn ei gefnogi. Bwriedir i addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb gael ei haddysgu ar draws y cwricwlwm i gefnogi iechyd a lles corfforol, meddyliol ac emosiynol. Dyma oedd fy mhryder mwyaf i yn ei gylch, pan oeddwn i'n wynebu'r cwricwlwm hwn i ddechrau. Roeddwn i'n amheus iawn ar y dechrau ac yn anghyfforddus â'r syniad bod fy mab 10 oed yn cael ei addysgu am gydberthynas a rhywioldeb ar y math hwnnw o lefel. Ond ar ôl clywed y dystiolaeth a gwrando ar bobl drwy gydol proses y pwyllgor o graffu ar hyn, rwyf bellach yn gyfforddus â'r hyn y byddai fy mab o bosibl yn cael ei addysgu yn ei gylch. Mae'n cael ei gyfeirio at ba oedran yr ydych chi. Ac mae mor bwysig bod ein plant hefyd yn dysgu am yr hyn sy'n iawn a'r hyn sy'n amhriodol mewn cydberthynas a phethau felly, a'r effaith enfawr y bydd hynny'n ei chael ar gam-drin plant a phethau o'r fath, wrth symud ymlaen. Rwy'n credu mai dyma'r rhan orau o'r Bil mewn gwirionedd - rwy'n credu ei fod yn wirioneddol bwysig. Felly, rwyf wedi newid fy marn yn llwyr ar hynny ac rwy'n credu pe byddai pobl eraill yn rhoi o'u hamser i wrando ar bobl a gyfrannodd at ein pwyllgor, y byddent hwythau hefyd yn newid eu meddyliau ac yn sylweddoli ei bod yn briodol i oedran, a'i bod yn briodol i gael eich addysgu am y pethau hynny. Gwrandewais ar yr Aelod draw fan hyn am gael eich addysgu am y cylch mislif. Ni chefais i fy nysgu amdano erioed. Felly, bu'n rhaid i mi ddarganfod, a dylid addysgu'r math hwnnw o beth mewn ysgolion ac ni ddylai fod yn syndod fel yr oedd i mi. Mae'n gyfnod brawychus a phryderus iawn, a dylid ymgorffori'r math hwnnw o beth. Rwy'n gwybod bod gan rieni gyfrifoldeb, ond nid yw pob rhiant yn gwneud hynny - nid am eu bod yn anghyfrifol; nid yw fy rhieni i'n anghyfrifol, ond nid oedd siarad amdano yn rhywbeth y dylid ei wneud. Dyma'r math o rwystrau y mae angen i ni eu chwalu ac mae hyn yn ffordd o wneud hynny. O ran y paratoi, roeddwn i eisiau sôn am rai pethau eraill. Yn gyntaf, o ran paratoi'r Bil newydd yng ngoleuni'r tarfu a achoswyd gan y pandemig hwn, mae angen ystyried yr alwad ymarferol gan Suzy bod angen ei ohirio neu ei gyflwyno bob yn dipyn i roi mwy o amser i'n hathrawon a'n hysgolion baratoi, gan gydnabod y tarfu y mae COVID-19 wedi ei achosi. Canfu arolwg diweddar a gynhaliwyd gennym fod 76 y cant o ysgolion wedi ymateb yn nodi bod y pandemig yn cael effaith negyddol ar eu paratoadau ar gyfer y cwricwlwm newydd, a bod gwaith a oedd wedi'i gynllunio ar gyfer yr haf wedi'i ganslo. Hefyd, canfu adolygiad addysg diweddar yr OECD fod nifer fawr o randdeiliaid a gyfwelwyd, gan gynnwys arbenigwyr mewn arferion addysgu cwricwlwm, yn awgrymu bod angen mwy o amser a dysgu proffesiynol wedi'i dargedu'n well er mwyn i athrawon yng Nghymru fod yn barod ar gyfer y gweithredu -