English: Time and time again, parents and teachers tell me that they are concerned about class sizes. We have listened to these concerns, looked at the international evidence, and are today announcing the details of a new £36 million fund to address infant class sizes. This investment, linked to our other reforms, will improve early years attainment, have a significant impact for poorer and disadvantaged pupils, and support teachers to be innovative and to increase pupil engagement. Now, too often, discussion concerning class sizes contracts to a false choice between smaller classes and other education improvement policies. I don't accept this narrow view of class sizes as an irrelevant factor in the performance and the well-being of our young people. But, Deputy Presiding Officer, nor do I offer it as a magic bullet for our education system. It is not a policy that will be delivered in isolation. Having reviewed international research and evidence, it shows that the effects of a reduction in class sizes are greatest in the youngest age group. We also know that the impact is stronger for pupils from poorer and/or minority-language backgrounds. And, a reduction has the largest effect when accompanied by changes and reforms to teaching and pedagogy. Therefore, based on the evidence, our investment of both revenue and capital funding will target schools with the largest class sizes, where teaching and learning needs to improve, where there are high levels of deprivation and where English or Welsh is not the first language. The most significant UK-based research into class sizes was conducted by the world-leading Institute of Education at the University College London. Tracking over 20,000 pupils in over 500 classes across 300 schools, the research concluded that there was a very clear effect of class sizes on academic achievement during early years and that pupils from lower-attainment groups benefitted in particular from smaller classes. These results are comparable to similar projects and policy interventions conducted in North America. In 2003, Estyn reported that, for certain groups of children - in particular, youngest children, those with special needs, those being taught in a language other than their first, and those who live in areas of high social and cultural disadvantage - there were benefits to be gained from being taught as part of a small group. Estyn recommended then that if it was decided to pursue a policy of further reduction in class sizes, these groups of children should be targeted. We are taking a strategic view of what can be achieved through this investment. In bidding for funding, to ensure that it reaches the front line and where it is most needed, the criteria will include: schools with class sizes of 29 or more; high levels of free school meals; below-average outcomes, and where a school is judged to be red or amber in our national categorisation; high levels of additional learning needs; high levels of where English or Welsh is not the first language; and possible co-location and integrated delivery of the foundation phase with our Government's childcare offer. Local authorities, via consortia, will bid for funding to support schools against this criteria. In doing so, they would need to submit a business case for each proposal, which would also include details of what additional help is going into those schools and the current focus of PDG and education improvement grant. Each business case would also have to include specific outcomes in relation to improvements in performance, attendance, teacher-pupil ratios and sustainability. Bids will need to take into account a wide range of data, including school capacity, teacher-to-pupil ratios, attendance, performance - including the performance of children on free school meals - categorisation, school action and the number of SEN-statemented pupils. Additional teachers secured through the reduction in class sizes would support compliance with foundation ratios and, importantly, it would also provide additional qualified teacher time, which is crucial for the effective implementation of the foundation phase pedagogy. There is a clear link between my announcement and the development of our childcare offer. I will expect bids to consider joint working and efficiencies on capital projects where there is a need for additional childcare facilities, as well as additional infant classrooms to deliver foundation phase. Deputy Presiding Officer, to conclude, our education reforms seek to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and national confidence. Today, we are responding to the concerns of parents and teachers, delivering a 'made in Wales' policy shaped by international evidence and guaranteeing £36 million of investment that will reduce infant class sizes so that we raise standards for all.
Welsh: Dro ar ôl tro, mae rhieni ac athrawon yn dweud wrthyf eu bod yn pryderu am faint dosbarthiadau. Rydym wedi gwrando ar y pryderon hyn, wedi ystyried y dystiolaeth ryngwladol, a heddiw rydym yn cyhoeddi manylion am y gronfa newydd gwerth £36 miliwn i fynd i'r afael â maint dosbarthiadau babanod. Bydd y buddsoddiad hwn, yn gysylltiedig â'n diwygiadau eraill, yn gwella cyrhaeddiad y blynyddoedd cynnar, yn cael effaith sylweddol ar gyfer disgyblion tlotach a difreintiedig, yn cefnogi athrawon i fod yn arloesol ac yn cynyddu ymgysylltiad â disgyblion. Nawr, yn rhy aml, mae trafodaeth sy'n ymwneud â maint dosbarthiadau yn arwain at ddewis ffug rhwng dosbarthiadau llai a pholisïau eraill ar gyfer gwella addysg. Nid wyf yn derbyn bod y farn gul hon ynglŷn â maint dosbarthiadau yn ffactor amherthnasol o ran perfformiad a lles ein pobl ifanc. Ond, Ddirprwy Lywydd, nid wyf ychwaith yn ei chynnig fel ateb sicr i'n system addysg. Nid yw'n bolisi a gaiff ei gyflwyno ar ei ben ei hun. Ar ôl adolygu gwaith ymchwil a thystiolaeth ryngwladol, mae'n dangos bod lleihau maint dosbarthiadau yn cael yr effaith fwyaf ar y grŵp oedran ieuengaf. Rydym hefyd yn gwybod bod yr effaith yn gryfach ar gyfer disgyblion o gefndiroedd tlotach a/neu sy'n siarad ieithoedd lleiafrifol. Ac mae lleihau yn cael yr effaith fwyaf pan gyfunir hynny â newidiadau a diwygiadau i addysgu ac addysgeg. Felly, yn seiliedig ar y dystiolaeth, bydd ein buddsoddiad mewn refeniw a chyllid cyfalaf yn targedu'r ysgolion sydd â'r dosbarthiadau mwyaf o ran maint, lle mae angen gwella addysgu a dysgu, lle mae lefelau uchel o amddifadedd a lle nad yw'r Gymraeg na'r Saesneg yn ieithoedd cyntaf. Cynhaliwyd y gwaith ymchwil mwyaf arwyddocaol yn y DU i faint dosbarthiadau, gan y Sefydliad Addysg mwyaf blaenllaw y byd yng Ngholeg y Brifysgol Llundain. Gan olrhain dros 20,000 o ddisgyblion mewn dros 500 o ddosbarthiadau ar draws 300 o ysgolion, daeth y gwaith ymchwil i'r casgliad bod maint dosbarthiadau yn cael effaith glir iawn ar gyflawniad academaidd yn ystod y blynyddoedd cynnar, a bod disgyblion o grwpiau cyrhaeddiad isel mewn addysg yn benodol wedi elwa ar ddosbarthiadau llai. Mae'r canlyniadau hyn yn debyg i brosiectau ac ymyriadau polisi cyffelyb a gynhaliwyd yng Ngogledd America. Yn 2003, adroddodd Estyn fod buddion i'w cael o addysgu grwpiau penodol o blant yn rhan o grŵp bach - yn benodol, y plant ieuengaf, y plant hynny ag anghenion arbennig, y rhai sy'n cael eu haddysgu mewn iaith heblaw eu hiaith gyntaf, a'r rhai hynny sy'n byw mewn ardaloedd lle mae pobl dan anfantais gymdeithasol a diwylliannol. Yna, argymhellodd Estyn y dylid targedu'r grwpiau hyn o blant os penderfynwyd dilyn polisi o leihau mwy ar faint dosbarthiadau. Rydym yn ystyried yn strategol yr hyn y gellir ei gyflawni drwy'r buddsoddiad hwn. Wrth wneud cais am arian, er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn cyrraedd y rheng flaen a lle y mae ei angen fwyaf, bydd y meini prawf yn cynnwys: ysgolion â dosbarthiadau o 29 neu fwy; lefelau uchel o brydau ysgol am ddim; canlyniadau sy'n is na'r cyfartaledd, a lle y bernir bod ysgol yn goch neu'n oren yn ôl ein system gategoreiddio genedlaethol; lefelau uchel o anghenion dysgu ychwanegol; lefelau uchel o ddisgyblion nad yw'r Gymraeg na'r Saesneg yn iaith gyntaf iddynt; ac o bosibl, gydleoli a darpariaeth integredig y cyfnod sylfaen gyda chynnig gofal plant ein Llywodraeth. Bydd awdurdodau lleol, drwy gonsortia, yn gwneud cais am gyllid i gefnogi ysgolion yn erbyn y meini prawf hyn. Wrth wneud hynny, byddai angen iddynt gyflwyno achos busnes ar gyfer pob cynnig, a fyddai hefyd yn cynnwys manylion am ba gymorth ychwanegol a ddarperir i'r ysgolion hynny a phwyslais presennol y grant amddifadedd disgyblion a'r grant gwella addysg. Byddai'n rhaid i bob achos busnes hefyd gynnwys canlyniadau penodol yn ymwneud â gwelliannau o ran perfformiad, presenoldeb, cymarebau disgybl athro a chynaliadwyedd. Bydd angen i geisiadau ystyried amrywiaeth eang o ddata, gan gynnwys capasiti ysgolion, cymarebau disgybl athro, presenoldeb, perfformiad - gan gynnwys perfformiad y plant sy'n cael prydau ysgol am ddim - categoreiddio, gweithredu gan yr ysgol a nifer y disgyblion sydd wedi cael datganiad o AAA. Byddai athrawon ychwanegol a sicrheir drwy leihau maint dosbarthiadau yn cefnogi cydymffurfiad â chymarebau sylfaen ac, yn bwysig iawn, byddai hefyd yn darparu mwy o amser yng nghwmni athro cymwysedig, sy'n hanfodol ar gyfer gweithredu'n effeithiol addysgeg y cyfnod sylfaen. Ceir cysylltiad clir rhwng fy nghyhoeddiad i a datblygu ein cynnig gofal plant. Byddaf yn disgwyl i geisiadau ystyried gweithio ar y cyd ac arbedion effeithlonrwydd ar brosiectau cyfalaf lle mae angen cyfleusterau gofal plant ychwanegol, yn ogystal â dosbarthiadau babanod ychwanegol i gyflwyno cyfnod sylfaen. Ddirprwy Lywydd, i grynhoi, mae ein diwygiadau addysg yn ceisio codi safonau, lleihau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad a darparu system addysg sy'n destun balchder cenedlaethol a hyder cenedlaethol. Heddiw, rydym yn ymateb i bryderon rhieni ac athrawon, gan gyflwyno polisi 'gwnaed yng Nghymru' wedi'i siapio gan dystiolaeth ryngwladol ac yn gwarantu £36 miliwn o fuddsoddiad a fydd yn lleihau maint dosbarthiadau babanod fel ein bod yn codi safonau i bawb.