English: We know of teachers juggling themselves trying to teach their children from home, and having to isolate, and all the challenges there as well. Yet their efforts were not without their consequences. The report clearly states that staff have experienced raised levels of anxiety, with leaders and staff alike feeling isolated and exhausted. Education providers proved to be resilient and proactive in their response to the disruption caused by the pandemic, and they should be commended for prioritising the well-being of their learners during such a challenging time. The report clearly states that providers set up comprehensive systems to keep in contact with their learners so that they could identify issues quickly and address them when they arose. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, though the effects are still there, with numbers still proving to be challenging for teachers and pupils alike, we see education providers still facing the sizeable challenges of implementing additional learning needs reforms and the new curriculum, against the backdrop of the longer term effects of the pandemic on education and well-being, as well as having an impact on staff recruitment and retention issues. The Welsh Government must do everything it can to ensure the well-being needs of the sector are supported, and that meaningful education recovery takes place, with priority given to those most affected by the pandemic. Our amendment notes our regret that Estyn found that the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic. The report clearly states that the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds was more pronounced, with the former group less likely to have access to Wi-Fi, digital devices and support with their schoolwork at home, and their families more likely be impacted financially by the pandemic, with larger families needing to self-isolate more frequently. And whilst I welcome the Minister's emphasis in terms of digital innovation, which has certainly brought about different ways of working, different ways of engaging pupils, we cannot underestimate the impact we are seeing in terms of that digital divide, and the impact that this has been having to have that disparity even more pronouncedly felt. Let's be clear: prior to the pandemic, we knew that around 195,000 children were living in households below the poverty line, and this figure, we know, will have grown due to the current crisis, as well as the pandemic. And we know, as was outlined by the Minister, that poverty has a significant effect on a child's education. As one Member of the Welsh Youth Parliament put it: 'Education is supposed to be free, but a lot of things at school are not.' So, families are routinely asked to contribute towards the cost of school uniforms, trips, charity fundraising, school meals and snacks, and to provide equipment and resources for different subjects. And many families in poverty simply have no disposable income once they have paid for housing and essential bills, which exposes children to the risk of stigma and shame when they are unable to afford even small charges for participation. I know from speaking to families in my own region of South Wales Central of their distress when schools are collecting for foodbanks, and their children having to explain that they themselves are reliant on foodbank contributions. I know some schools do this very sensitively, but people don't always know what the impact is on a family, a family that perhaps has never been in crisis before, which is now in crisis and having to go to a foodbank for the first time. I think we need to be sensitive to all of this, and it is outlined in the report in terms of that disparity that we're seeing. We believe that the disparities outlined in the report will be further exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, and, therefore, we are calling on the Welsh Government to work with Estyn to increase efforts to ensure measures to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in schools are implemented urgently. There are a number of examples of potential solutions where we can take more action on affordability and provide further support for families, for instance, who are struggling to pay for uniforms, or for extra-curricular trips and activities, to ensure consistent practice across Wales. Funding, guidance and accountability mechanisms should be put in place. The Welsh Government should continue to invest in poverty-awareness training for schools. It's important that school staff are equipped with a clear understanding of the causes and consequences of child poverty in their area, so they can implement policies and practices that are inclusive for all. Therefore, we hope that you will support our amendment today. Diolch.
Welsh: Rydym yn gwybod am athrawon yn ceisio cadw cydbwysedd wrth geisio addysgu eu plant o'u cartrefi, ac yn gorfod ynysu, a'r holl heriau yna hefyd. Ac eto, nid oedd eu hymdrechion heb eu canlyniadau. Mae'r adroddiad yn nodi'n glir bod staff wedi teimlo lefelau uwch o bryder, gydag arweinwyr a staff fel ei gilydd yn teimlo'n ynysig ac wedi blino. Roedd darparwyr addysg yn gydnerth ac yn rhagweithiol yn eu hymateb i'r aflonyddwch a achoswyd gan y pandemig, a dylid eu canmol am flaenoriaethu lles eu dysgwyr yn ystod cyfnod mor heriol. Mae'r adroddiad yn nodi'n glir bod darparwyr wedi sefydlu systemau cynhwysfawr i gadw mewn cysylltiad â'u dysgwyr er mwyn iddyn nhw allu nodi materion yn gyflym a mynd i'r afael â nhw pan oedden nhw'n codi. Wrth i ni ddechrau dod allan o'r pandemig, er bod yr effeithiau'n dal i fod yno, gyda niferoedd yn dal i fod yn her i athrawon a disgyblion fel ei gilydd, gwelwn ddarparwyr addysg yn dal i wynebu'r heriau sylweddol o weithredu diwygiadau anghenion dysgu ychwanegol a'r cwricwlwm newydd, yng nghyd-destun effeithiau tymor hwy y pandemig ar addysg a lles, yn ogystal â chael effaith ar faterion recriwtio a chadw staff. Mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud popeth o fewn ei gallu i sicrhau bod anghenion lles y sector yn cael eu cefnogi, a bod adferiad addysg ystyrlon yn digwydd, gyda blaenoriaeth yn cael ei rhoi i'r rhai y mae'r pandemig wedi effeithio arnyn nhw fwyaf. Mae ein gwelliant yn nodi ein gofid bod Estyn wedi canfod bod y rhaniad rhwng disgyblion o gefndiroedd difreintiedig a mwy breintiedig wedi dod yn fwy amlwg yn ystod y pandemig. Mae'r adroddiad yn nodi'n glir bod y rhaniad rhwng disgyblion o gefndiroedd difreintiedig a mwy breintiedig yn fwy amlwg, gyda'r grŵp cyntaf yn llai tebygol o gael mynediad at Wi-Fi, dyfeisiau digidol a chymorth gyda'u gwaith ysgol gartref, a'r pandemig yn debygol o effeithio'n ariannol ar eu teuluoedd, wrth i deuluoedd mwy orfod hunanynysu'n amlach. Ac er fy mod i'n croesawu pwyslais y Gweinidog o ran arloesi digidol, sydd yn sicr wedi arwain at wahanol ffyrdd o weithio, gwahanol ffyrdd o ymgysylltu â disgyblion, ni allwn danbrisio'r effaith yr ydym yn ei gweld o ran y rhaniad digidol hwnnw, a'r effaith y mae hyn wedi bod yn ei chael o ran gwneud y gwahaniaeth hwnnw hyd yn oed yn fwy amlwg. Gadewch i ni fod yn glir: cyn y pandemig, roeddem yn gwybod bod tua 195,000 o blant yn byw mewn cartrefi islaw'r llinell dlodi, a bydd y ffigur hwn, rydym yn gwybod, wedi tyfu oherwydd yr argyfwng presennol, yn ogystal â'r pandemig. Ac rydym yn gwybod, fel yr amlinellwyd gan y Gweinidog, fod tlodi'n cael effaith sylweddol ar addysg plentyn. Fel y dywedodd un Aelod o Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru: 'Mae addysg i fod am ddim, ond mae llawer o bethau yn yr ysgol nad ydyn nhw am ddim.' Felly, gofynnir i deuluoedd gyfrannu'n rheolaidd at gost gwisg ysgol, teithiau, codi arian elusennol, prydau ysgol a byrbrydau, a darparu offer ac adnoddau ar gyfer gwahanol bynciau. Ac nid oes gan lawer o deuluoedd tlawd arian i'w wario ar ôl iddyn nhw dalu am dai a biliau hanfodol, sy'n gwneud plant yn agored i'r risg o stigma a chywilydd pan nad ydyn nhw'n gallu fforddio taliadau bach hyd yn oed i gael cymryd rhan. Rwy'n gwybod o siarad â theuluoedd yn fy rhanbarth i, sef Canol De Cymru, am eu gofid pan fydd ysgolion yn casglu ar gyfer banciau bwyd, a'u plant yn gorfod egluro eu bod nhw eu hunain yn dibynnu ar gyfraniadau'r banciau bwyd. Rwy'n gwybod bod rhai ysgolion yn gwneud hyn yn sensitif iawn, ond nid yw pobl bob amser yn gwybod beth yw'r effaith ar deulu, teulu nad yw erioed wedi bod mewn argyfwng o'r blaen, sydd bellach mewn argyfwng ac yn gorfod mynd i fanc bwyd am y tro cyntaf. Rwy'n credu bod angen i ni fod yn sensitif i hyn i gyd, ac mae wedi'i amlinellu yn yr adroddiad o ran y gwahaniaeth hwnnw yr ydym yn ei weld. Rydym yn credu y bydd y gwahaniaethau a amlinellir yn yr adroddiad yn gwaethygu ymhellach yn sgil yr argyfwng costau byw, felly rydym yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i weithio gydag Estyn i gynyddu ymdrechion i sicrhau bod mesurau i gefnogi plant o gefndiroedd difreintiedig mewn ysgolion yn cael eu gweithredu ar frys. Mae nifer o enghreifftiau o atebion posibl lle gallwn gymryd mwy o gamau ar fforddiadwyedd a darparu rhagor o gymorth i deuluoedd, er enghraifft, sy'n ei chael yn anodd talu am wisg, neu ar gyfer teithiau a gweithgareddau allgyrsiol, i sicrhau arfer cyson ledled Cymru. Dylid rhoi dulliau ariannu, arweiniad ac atebolrwydd ar waith. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i fuddsoddi mewn hyfforddiant ymwybyddiaeth o dlodi ar gyfer ysgolion. Mae'n bwysig bod gan staff ysgolion ddealltwriaeth glir o achosion a chanlyniadau tlodi plant yn eu hardal, er mwyn iddyn nhw allu gweithredu polisïau ac arferion sy'n gynhwysol i bawb. Felly, gobeithiwn y byddwch yn cefnogi ein gwelliant heddiw. Diolch.