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Cenhadaeth ein cenedl: safonau a dyheadau uchel i bawb [HTML] | LLYW.CYMRU

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Map trywydd sy’n nodi sut mae ein polisïau a’n hymrwymiadau addysg presennol yn ymwneud â’i gilydd.

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School improvement guidance: framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability - Hwb

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This guidance sets out our framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability.

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Canllawiau gwella ysgolion: fframwaith ar gyfer gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd - Hwb

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Mae’r canllawiau hyn yn nodi ein fframwaith ar gyfer gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd.

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How schools and settings can improve support for learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

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How schools and settings can improve support for learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

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Our vision

The Welsh Government's ambitions for education in Wales are set out in ' Our national mission: high standards and aspirations for all '. They include a commitment to equity of outcome in education for every child and young person in Wales. This ensures the success, high standards and wellbeing of all learners.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) we all have a responsibility to ensure the rights of all children. For the purposes of this guidance, particular attention has been given to the following articles:

Purpose of this guidance

The purpose of this guidance is to help teachers, education practitioners and senior leaders to support learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to:

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are diverse, and attitudes to school and learning vary greatly. The difference in attitudes to education can be seen:

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities each have their own distinct histories, cultures, and lifestyles. These include nomadic traditions though there are an increasing number of settled communities. Fewer families travel frequently and an increased number live in bricks and mortar homes.

Individuals within all communities have the right:

to their own identity

for their identity to be recognised and respected by the society in which they live

It is important to recognise and celebrate all the achievements of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners in education.

Despite some progress, the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (PLASC) data for September 2021 to August 2022 on attainment in examinations shows more needs to be done to ensure equitable outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners

This guidance aims to increase cultural awareness among education practitioners and provides examples of effective practice in supporting children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Anti-racist Wales Action Plan

The Welsh Government's Anti-racist Wales Action Plan (2022) includes a commitment to 'publish Gypsies, Roma and Travellers' guidance to support educational outcomes, ensuring that championing anti‑racist practice is at the centre'.

Our vision is to champion inclusive practice so that every child and young person is included, their identities celebrated, and their educational outcomes improved.

We are developing a holistic education system that meets the needs of all children and young people and reduces the attainment gap. This will, in turn, become a source of national pride as Wales leads the way in demonstrating anti-racism in practice.

Delivering our anti-racism objectives

Delivering the objectives of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan relies on the training and development of education practitioners in promoting awareness and anti-racist cultures in schools. The under-representation of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller teachers is part of the wider lack of diversity in the education and schools' workforce. It is also a contributing factor to the barriers, discrimination and racism which Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners may experience.

This guidance is an integral part of the actions being driven forward by the Welsh Government and statutory bodies, as well as schools, to create and embed an anti-racist education system, and a truly anti-racist Wales by 2030.

Reasons for change

In the most recent School Health Research Network Survey report of learners aged 11 to 16 for 2021 to 2022, Gypsy and Traveller learners were the ethnic group least likely to 'feel their teachers accept them', and also the least likely to 'agree that their teachers care about them as a person'.

In the Office for National Statistics' research, ' Gypsies' and Travellers' lived experiences, education and employment, England and Wales (2022)' Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities reported:

experiences of discrimination, racism, bullying and harassment

the inflexibility of the education system and aspects of the curriculum that are seen as contradictory to their values as reasons for withdrawing their children from mainstream education, and choosing to educate some at home instead

These experiences and views show the importance of embedding anti-racism within educational settings. Schools should consider the training and development of the workforce needed to do this.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller identities

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are made up of several ethnic and cultural groups such as:

The term 'Gypsy Traveller' includes:

The term 'Occupational Traveller' includes:

people who belong to the traditional show, fairground and circus communities

Bargees and other waterway family businesses and homes

'New Travellers' are described as a UK group which emerged in the 1960s. Previously known as 'New Age Travellers', many have dropped the use of 'Age' whilst others prefer to be known simply as Travellers. The term 'Traveller' can sometimes be used to refer to different groups.

The Welsh Government recognises the different cultures and lifestyles of various groups. Therefore, we use the term 'migrant Roma' to refer to Romani groups who had previously been settled for a period in central and eastern Europe and have now migrated to Wales (largely since the expansion of the European Union in 2004). This may include:

The term 'Roma' is used to minimise confusion as it aligns with the term used by the European Union and reflects the most populous Romani group in Europe.

The Welsh Government uses the phrase 'indigenous Gypsies and Travellers' to refer to:

We have used the umbrella term 'Gypsy, Roma and Traveller' to include all the different cultural groups set out earlier. This guidance does not go into detail about the histories of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. However, it is good practice for educational practitioners to learn about the cultures and identities of the children and young people they teach.

The Office of National Statistics published 'Gypsies' and Travellers' lived experiences, overview, England and Wales: 2022'. This qualitative research offers valuable insights on areas including 'culture and identities' and 'education and employment'.

Using this guidance: effective practice examples

Effective practice examples within this guidance are drawn from current service provision in Wales. In some of the examples the setting has used the term 'Gypsy', 'Traveller' or 'G/T'. We have used direct quotes to reflect the language used by the setting.Some of the guidance will be focused on 1 or 2 of the communities and some will apply to all Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners come from a diversity of rich culture and heritage. Including and celebrating their heritage and cultures offers important opportunities for education professionals to champion the cultural diversity of Wales.

Settings which celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller experiences and culture will be more inclusive for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners. This will also help support all staff and the wider school or education setting's community to expand its cultural understanding and prevent discrimination.

Status of this guidance

This guidance replaces the guidance 'Moving Forward - Gypsy Traveller Education' (2008), Guidance Circular 003/2008.

This is non-statutory guidance based on the challenges identified by stakeholders, children and young people. It raises awareness of those challenges and shares effective practice. There is no one-size-fits all answer. What works in different settings and circumstances across Wales will differ.

This guidance takes into account:

Local authorities are obliged by statute to:

These obligations apply to all children, whether or not they are permanent residents in an area. This guidance complies with the legislation.

Acknowledgements

We, the Welsh Government, would like to acknowledge and thank the Gypsy Traveller Stakeholder Group for their engagement in the development of this guidance. We also thank members of the Minority Ethnic, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Local Authority Group for their invaluable advice and support. Most importantly we thank the children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who engaged with us in the development of this guidance, for sharing their lived experiences and views.

Consultation process

We have a strong commitment to children's rights and listening to the voices of children and young people.

We used a child-centred consultation approach to get the views of children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities on their experiences and challenges in education.

Using a set of open questions, we consulted with around 40 children and young people of different ages across 7 local authority areas, geographically spread across Wales. Working with their teachers or trusted local authority practitioners, we asked about the things most important to them. Almost every child and young person included their family and culture as 2 of the most important things for them. The children and young people told us:

Attitudes to education among children and young people were very varied. Every effort must be made to understand the cultural influences which may affect these attitudes. This will require working with children, young people, and their families, to encourage them to see the value of education.

The children and young people told us:

Some experiences of children and young people highlighted that there can be a clash between cultural or family expectations and education.

We asked children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities how the Welsh Government and local services could best support them. One of the most common responses was to give more time for the learner to understand, and a request to be listened to. Children and young people also said:

Primary age children

Secondary age young people

"Talk to me in a way I understand. Give me time to understand what you want me to do. If I don't understand, then think of another way that will help me."

"Listen to me and what I have to say, give me time to be patient."

"I learn best when people show me, and then I have a go."

"I went to school full-time. Sometimes I was poorly. School always checked if I needed help. I had extra help.

We also asked the children and young people about their own aspirations, and responses were varied. They told us:

"My dream is to have a good husband, having a family of my own."

"I am studying GCSEs in school which will help me go to college. I would have liked to have done cookery but it's not the manly thing to do. I'm the eldest of three and I would like my brother and sister to finish school."

"I will be applying for college to do either construction or music."

"I love music and would like to learn how to produce my own - I would like to see this taught in school. In 5 years I see myself 'rapping' on the stage at Glastonbury. Also, to have my own business."

"I want to finish my A levels and go to university.

General strategies for supporting learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

Most local authorities in Wales have a Traveller Education Service (TES). This service:

provides a link between school and communities

offers support and advice in understanding the culture of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

The TES will also often work with an Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) which provides advice and support on language acquisition for children and young people from Roma communities.

Services can:

To find out what helps children, young people, and their families, to overcome any challenges to accessing education we asked:

Responses included

The role of Community Focused Schools in supporting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners

The Programme for Government 2021 to 2026 commits us to 'Invest in the learning environment of community schools, co-locating key services and securing stronger engagement with parents and carers outside traditional hours.'

Community Focused Schools aim to take a broad approach to addressing children's needs through working in partnership with families and the wider community. They will also help to join up services available from other providers, such as healthcare and the third sector. Further information on these roles and the ways that schools can develop family engagement can be found in the ' Family engagement guidance'.

The 2020 Estyn report ' Community Schools: families and communities at the heart of school life' describes a community school as:

'...one that has the best interests of learners, families, and the community at its heart. These schools reach out to engage families and work with the wider community, knowing the difference this can make to the success of all pupils in the school, particularly those who are disadvantaged by poverty. These schools work in highly effective strategic partnerships with a range of organisations, where possible co-locating services to enable families and the community to access them easily.

Community schools utilise their facilities and resources effectively to benefit the communities they serve. This includes ensuring that they have the staffing and expertise to address the needs of families and the community.'

Information on Community Focused Schools is available in the ' Community Focused Schools guidance '.

This section identifies some of the concerns that have been identified by:

It also illustrates possible challenges these children and young people experience about:

Overarching concerns and specific challenges

In 2019 Estyn published a thematic review ' Provision for secondary school-aged Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils ' that:

evaluated the provision for learners and set out some of the challenges

provided some effective practice examples

It also made recommendations for local authorities, schools, and the Welsh Government. Recommendation 7 stated the Welsh Government should update the 2008 guidance 'Moving Forward - Gypsy Traveller Education'.

In developing this guidance we wanted to find out what challenges, real and perceived, exist for children and young people and prevent them from getting the most out of their education. We consulted with:

The following areas were identified as challenges:

Additional learning needs (ALN)

Admission to school

Attendance at school

Bullying on the grounds of race

Communication between schools, families and communities

Cultural awareness and celebrating culture

Curriculum for Wales, including Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE)

Dedicated person or trusted adult at school

Digital inclusion

Elective home education

Exclusions from school

Financial support and school uniform

Transition from primary to secondary school

Vocational courses: apprenticeships, further education and higher education

Welsh Government actions and examples of good practice to overcome challenges

In this section we:

Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

Challenge

It is essential to provide the right support to learners, particularly where they have English or Welsh as an additional language. Having Welsh or English as an additional language may make it more difficult to identify an additional learning need (ALN).

Parents have told us that it is not always easy to know if the challenges experienced by their child within education are due to an additional learning need. This may lead to issues in getting support for their child. This is not a unique issue for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families but can be more challenging where there is a lack of good communication and/or trust between the family and school.

Welsh Government action

The Welsh Government has changed the way in which children and young people with ALN are supported in school and college. The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (ALNET) and accompanying The Additional Learning Needs Code for Wales (ALN Code) came into force in September 2021. This is being implemented across Wales over a four-year period.

ALNET and the ALN Code create a unified legislative framework to support learners from 0 to 25 years who have ALN. The Act focuses on ensuring all children and young people who require additional support to meet their needs have that support properly planned for and protected.

The Act replaces the special educational needs (SEN) statementing system and creates a single statutory plan, called the individual development plan (IDP). The IDP replaces the existing range of statutory and non-statutory plans for learners, ensuring equity of rights regardless of the learner's level of need or the education setting they attend. The Act puts the learner at the heart of the process and encourages better collaboration between agencies, so that needs are identified early, and the right support is put in place.

If a school, college, or local authority is aware of the possibility that a learner might have ALN then, unless certain exceptions apply, it must decide whether that learner has ALN or not. If it decides that a learner does have ALN then, unless certain exceptions apply, they must prepare an IDP. Information on this and other responsibilities can be found in the ' ALN Code'.

Chapter 2 of the ALN Code explains that identifying ALN for those whose first language is not Welsh or English requires particular care. It explains that the school, college, or local authority should look carefully at all aspects of a child or young person's performance across the curriculum. This is to establish whether any difficulties the child or young person has are due to limitations in their command of the language that is used, or if it arises from ALN.

It is important to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners and their families through the ALN assessment processes so that they understand the child or young person's ALN support needs. This is particularly important for Roma learners and their parents or carers, who may have the additional barrier of English or Welsh as an additional language.

Admissions to school

Challenge

Our consultation indicated that, generally, families from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities prefer their children to attend a school where there are also other children from their own Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller community attending.

A particular challenge can occur where parents or carers have low literacy levels and may need support in completing applications for school places. Families may not have access to digital devices or may experience poor connectivity if they live on-site or are travelling. Roma families may have the additional challenge of having little or no English or Welsh language.

Children and young people told us:

Welsh Government action

The purpose of the Welsh Government's ' School admissions code ' is to ensure that all school places for maintained schools are allocated and offered in a fair way.

The Code imposes requirements and offers guidance to local authorities, the governing bodies of maintained schools, school admissions forums and school admission appeals panels on the discharge of their school admission functions. These bodies must act in accordance with the Code.

The Code recognises that the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are very strongly family-orientated. It also recognises that parents and carers will normally want all of the children in their family to attend the same school. Parents and carers have a right to apply for a place in any school that they would like their child to attend and, where there are places available, they must usually be offered a place. Where a school has more applications than places available the admissions authority must use its published oversubscription criteria.

Arrangements must be in place for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children to be registered quickly at a school, whether they reside permanently or temporarily in the area.

Effective practice: help with the school admissions process

One Traveller Education Service (TES) supports learners and their families to be able to access education from nursery age to post-16. Over the years the team has fostered and developed good relationships with the communities to ensure that Gypsy and Traveller learners may return to school or college, even when some have been out of education for many years.

An increase in online services because of the COVID-19 pandemic, means the Traveller Education Service has the ability to directly contact:

The service can now ensure primary and secondary applications are submitted by the local authority deadline, so children and young people are given a school offer in the first round. The team complete and submit applications with the parent or carer, and then follow up education place offers by contacting parents or carers to gain permission to accept a school place on their behalf.

The service works closely with Careers Wales to support young people to access further education post-16. Meetings are arranged for learners educated within a school, as well as for those who are educated at home. A home visit is carried out to find out what the young person would like to do or study. Careers Wales then follow all Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people through this process into further education.

Effective practice: Traveller families engaged through adult education

A school in west Wales is taking a whole-family approach to its education provision. It has provided opportunities for Gypsy and Traveller parents and carers to boost their learning. Successes include:

Attendance at school

Challenge

National data shows that attendance among Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners is generally lower than their peers. A statistical ' summary of absenteeism at school before and during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic' identified that absence was highest among Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners.

Reasons for this include:

Factors such as these can lead to low literacy levels and a distrust of schools and the education system.

For many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families there is a cultural expectation that a young person will take on the responsibilities of caring for family or engaging in the family business.

Further concerns that can impact on attendance include:

Children and young people told us:

"Mum stayed in school until she was 11 and my dad stayed until he was 13 or 14 although he tells me he 'mitched' most of the time." (Mitched is a term for truancy.)

"I have missed a bit of school, so I want help explaining things in school. I am shy when I first meet people, so I don't speak. I don't really have many friends because of this, and it helps when I have a louder friend or cousin to be with because they can figure things out for me like ordering dinners in school. I don't like to come to school if I am going to be on my own because of this."

"I go part time. I would like more stuff like sewing, cooking, also doing hair and beauty."

"I attend school full time. I do my chores when I go home. If my mum or grandparents are ill, I might have to stay at home to help.

Welsh Government action

A number of key resources have been produced to help education professionals, schools and others:

Further information can be found in ' Guidance on school attendance codes'.

Legal considerations

The unique position of Traveller families in relation to school attendance is recognised by Section 444(6) of the Education Act 1996. It provides a defence to conviction if a parent can demonstrate that:

The purpose of this section is not to protect Traveller parents from legal action, nor does it relieve parents of their duties under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 which states:

To cause their child to receive a full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and any additional learning needs they may have.

It is to ensure that children are receiving suitable education through regular attendance at school or otherwise.

The aim should always be to ensure that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people, in common with all other children and young people, attend school as regularly and as frequently as possible. Attendance is at least 380 sessions, which equates to 190 days during any school year. The 200 attendances stated above should not be regarded as the norm.

In cases where school attendance is an issue a balance should be found between:

Schools may authorise absence of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners where they are satisfied that a family migrates but gives reasonable indications that it has every intention of returning. Consultation with the local TES may be helpful at this point. This includes Gypsies and Travellers, including circus and fairground families, leaving sites and winter quarters with every expectation that they will return.

Some schools in these circumstances may be able to maintain contact with the children and young people via outreach work or the provision of distance learning packs. However, such activities should not be viewed as a preferable alternative to attendance at school. Some reasonable latitude on absence might also be offered to families while the family finds another site. However, in the latter circumstances all efforts should be made to encourage and maintain attendance at school.

The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 introduced the power for schools to dually register a Traveller child when they are known to be attending another school. In such situations their attendance can now be recorded as attending an 'approved educational activity'.

The school of main attendance should take responsibility for setting up the appropriate communication systems with the other educational provider to ensure the child or young person is in attendance when they are supposed to be. For safeguarding and educational reasons, the responsibility for following up on unexplained and unexpected absences in a timely manner falls to each school, during the time in which the learner is present.

Where Traveller children are specifically registered learners at a school and are known to be present either at a site, official or otherwise, or in a house and are not attending school, the absence should be investigated in the same way as for any child or young person.

Effective practice: improving attendance levels

This example sets out the action one local authority took to improve the attendance levels of Gypsy and Traveller learners. These included:

identifying a Gypsy Traveller Officer at the school

training staff about Gypsy Traveller culture

establishing monthly Education Welfare Officer meetings to look at data

holding termly meetings to monitor data with the identified officer at the school

providing regular home visits to build up the relationships with the school and TES

educating parents and carers on the importance of school and completing (at least) the required 200 sessions before travelling

encouraging and arranging dual registration at other schools

working with the Education Welfare Officer to build up relationships within the Gypsy Traveller community through the TES

supporting families through the identified Gypsy Traveller Officer at the school who maintained regular contact with families and the TES

engaging with Families First

providing education travelling packs to families

These actions resulted in:

The local authority identified that the actions which had the greatest impact were identifying a Gypsy Traveller Officer within the education setting and holding regular meetings and visits with parents.

Bullying on the grounds of race

Gypsies, Roma and Travellers are protected under the Equality Act 2010 because they are minority ethnic groups. They are therefore protected against race discrimination.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people can experience direct discrimination or other forms of discrimination on the grounds of their race and/or ethnicity. Their family background and culture may lead to them being discriminated against, and the lived experiences of children and young people illustrate that this often happens within education settings. This discrimination can include:

It can also take the form of:

While any type of bullying or harassment is unacceptable, racial bullying and harassment can have a hugely detrimental impact on a child or young person's:

The Welsh Government condemns bullying and harassment in any form. We expect all allegations of bullying and racism to be fully investigated by education settings. We also expect appropriate action to be taken to address the matter and prevent further instances from happening.

Despite work by schools and other services, as well as local, Welsh and UK government initiatives, bullying in offline and online environments remains a worrying problem. It impacts on children, young people, their families and communities.

The United Kingdom has been found to be one of the worst countries for children and young people's life satisfaction. The Children's Society's The Good Childhood Report' shows that bullying behaviour can signal that there are other disadvantages in a child or young person's life, reflecting low overall life satisfaction.

Children and young people who engage in bullying can have a range of motivations, including holding prejudices against certain groups in wider society. According to the Welsh Government's anti-bullying guidance ' Rights, respect, equality: Statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools ' these prejudicial opinions may be informed and influenced by a wide range of factors. These include:

Some Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners told us that they had not experienced bullying because of their ethnicity and culture.

However, many others told us that they had experienced it, particularly name-calling.

"I have been called names in school such as 'Gypo' and 'Pikey', which I hate."

"Not that I can remember. To tackle bullying school should follow their policies for every incident reported."

"People sometimes bully us with words like 'Czechy' and stuff like that. It is often about our culture and our country. I don't care about the bullying as I am proud of where I'm from and when I show I don't care, it stops. It is mainly pupils in my year group."

"No bullying. I wouldn't stand for anyone bullying me. Also, people don't bully us. They are scared of Irish Travellers."

"I have never been bullied. I think schools should do more and give stricter punishments for bullying and being racist.

The impact of bullying and harassment can lead to retaliation in the form of physical fights which can lead to exclusions from school.

Welsh Government action

Eradicating racism and promoting race equality have always been priorities for the Welsh Government. The Covid-19 pandemic brought into focus the stark reality of the disproportionate adverse impact of the pandemic on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups.

In March 2020 the First Minister requested urgent work be taken forward. This led to the development of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan, published in June 2022. Built on the values of anti-racism, it calls for a truly anti-racist Wales by 2030.

Co-constructed with ethnic minority communities including Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, the Anti-racist Wales Action contains goals, actions, timelines, and tangible outcomes that will help us to move from the rhetoric on racial equality and ensure we deliver meaningful action.

The definition of racism and racist incidents usedin Wales and across the UK are those that were proposed in the report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry in 1999.

Definition of racism: "Conduct or words or practices which disadvantage or advantage people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin."

Definition of a racist incident: "Any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person."

The Macpherson inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence contained recommendations for public services, including schools, on how racism should be addressed. The full report, with recommendations in Chapter 47, can be found on the UK Government's website. Further details are on the UK Parliament website within ' The Macpherson report twenty two years on ' review.

We have a responsibility to support and help communities who have been the victims of racism and other forms of discrimination. For that reason, the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan sets out the steps the Welsh Government is taking to ensure all children and young people have access to the support they need.

It is also important for schools to recognise the wider inequalities facing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities around:

The health needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people are part of these inequalities. The 'Framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental well-being' reflects the need for all schools to consider relevant data to inform practice. Relevant data includes the School Health Research Network reports. Schools should include the specific needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people when developing action plans to combat discrimination and provide support for these learners.

Recording racist incidents within education settings

As set out in our ' Rights, respect, equality: Statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools ' guidance, education settings are expected to record and monitor all instances of bullying within their setting. The Welsh Government expects data and information collected by schools to be used to identify improvements and assess their progress as part of self-evaluation.

It is for individual schools to determine what data and information they collect in the context of the specific issues within their school and in compliance with data protection law. It may also be useful for local authorities to consider how data might be used on a local level to identify improvements and opportunities for collaborative approaches across their area.

The most effective recording of this data includes detail regarding the nature or type of the bullying and/or harassment. The Welsh Government expects schools to consider, when recording incidents of racist bullying, that there should be distinct and separate categories for noting the basis of the racist bullying, for example on the basis of religious heritage, ethnicity such as Gypsy, Roma or Traveller, or on the basis of refugee status.

Prejudice-related bullying is very often motivated by hostility based on a person's actual or perceived race, religion, or culture. At the root of such bullying is a view that some people are different or 'other'. By 'othering' them through remarks and insults it becomes easier to see any group as set apart and to dehumanise them.

The Welsh Government is currently strengthening its statutory 'Rights, respect, equality' anti-bullying guidance for schools. The updated guidance will provide specific guidance to education settings on prejudice-related bullying and provide advice for practitioners on how to engage effectively with parents and carers around this.

The role of schools in helping every learner feel they belong is of immense value in building a cohesive society. This is reflected in 'human rights' and 'diversity' being cross-cutting themes within the Curriculum for Wales. Very young children do not see difference until they learn or adopt attitudes and prejudices which may be present around them.

The Welsh Government expects schools to work with learners, families and communities to ensure the right support, at the right time, is provided to learners. This will ensure the best outcomes for the child or young person. Under the Public Sector Equality Duty schools are under an obligation to ensure appropriate and effective action is taken to remove or minimise disadvantages encountered by learners who have protected characteristics.

Communication with families and communities

Challenge

There are several challenges that can affect communication between schools and families and communities. These are not exclusive to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities but can seriously affect how easy it is to communicate with them.

Key to good communication is building a strong relationship between school and community, and building an understanding of the challenges and barriers a community may face. These may include institutional and/or systematic challenges or obstacles. By developing this understanding, education practitioners can paint a full picture of the support a child or young person may need to ensure equity in education.

There is a huge amount of expertise and effective practice around Wales, but it is worthwhile outlining some of the challenges.

For Gypsy and Traveller families living on a site, whether local authority or private, there may be challenges ensuring internet connectivity which can make contact via e-mail difficult. When communicating with families, low levels of literacy may need to be considered.

For children from EU Roma communities there can be the added challenge of language acquisition. Children may be new to the English or Welsh languages and may not have had access to formal education in their country of origin. They will therefore need support to acquire English or Welsh to enable them to access the curriculum. Currently, local authority Ethnic Minority Achievement Services (EMAS) provide help and support to individual learners and schools, to support language acquisition.

Children and young people told us:

Effective practice: parent and carer involvement

To encourage the engagement of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families with the education process and the wider community, schools, local authority TES and EMAS in Wales have identified a range of successful approaches. These help build strong relationships while recognising their specific cultural needs.

Successful practices that have encouraged parents' and carers' involvement in the education process

Speedy enrolment for children and young people from Traveller families.

Dual school registration for children and young people of relatives visiting local Traveller families, to maximise attendance.

Translation support for EU Roma families, when needed, to ensure they are kept fully informed of school developments and their children's progress and can fill out forms needed to access additional support such as admissions, uniforms, and school dinners.

Informal parent coffee mornings held at school which provide opportunities to notify parents of upcoming events.

Twice-yearly meetings between TES teams, educational welfare officers, link workers and parents or carers to discuss learners' progress and reiterate the attendance requirements and importance of national tests.

Offering parents educational packs for children and young people to use while they are travelling during the summer.

Home visits that help build positive relationships and trust with families.

Introducing families to wider support services including TES language and play support for pre-school children.

Ensuring TES staff are available to support learner or parent and carer meetings in school; advocate and help to resolve any issues; and support positive ways forward.

Organising TES open days at their offices where interested stakeholders can:

learn more about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures and lifestyles

network

share effective practice

Initiatives that have encouraged the involvement of children and young people in the wider community

Enabling learners to have a say on issues that are important to them and develop their aspirations by encouraging them to participate in youth forums, nationally, locally and at school.

Arranging skills-based courses including hair and beauty and boxing, which boost learners' self-esteem and can inspire further education choices.

Tailoring lessons and discussions related to personal relationships and sexual health to ensure they are culturally sensitive for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners and supported by their families.

Encouraging learners' participation in young enterprise projects and fundraising events.

Linking with sport-focused programmes run by local authorities or charitable organisations such as boxing clubs, to create safer, healthier and more inclusive communities.

Organising broader learning experiences outside of the school timetable, sometimes referred to as 'home clubs', which can be in partnership with TES, and involve organisations in the local community.

Effective practice: home clubs encourage community engagement

For learners in one area of south Wales, the school day doesn't end when the final bell rings. To encourage Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners' engagement, with education and the local community, the local TES organises extra skills-based activities. These can be with a range of community organisations and public sector services, for example the local Fire and Rescue Service or the Romani Cultural and Arts Company. These sessions:

encourage the children and young people to widen their community involvement

provide an opportunity to engage with TES staff outside of a school setting, fostering valuable relationships in the process

Cultural awareness and celebrating culture

Challenge

Children and young people's attitudes to recognising and celebrating the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures may vary, but mainly favour celebrating their cultures. Children and young people told us:

"I would like to see more lessons on all the cultures and the way people live."

"To help celebrate their culture, you have to be careful in school that Gypsy children aren't singled out. Celebrate our history or life in a positive way."

"Teachers within the school should have a better understanding of my culture - the rights and wrongs and do's and don'ts."

"I feel the school does not celebrate my culture. Schools could make it easier for those who travel and have G/T history within lessons."

"My school does recognise my culture and staff are interested. I feel school could do more to understand us.

Welsh Government action

The Curriculum for Wales is being taught in all schools from September 2023. One of the curriculum's four purposes is that children and young people develop as ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world. Building understanding within schools about different cultures is a key part of this. Improving all learners' awareness of cultures will increase their acceptance and inclusion of others. In turn, this can reduce incidents of bullying, which can be a barrier to learning.

Wales has led the way by becoming the first part of the UK to make it mandatory to teach Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic histories and experiences in the curriculum. This teaching is intended to ensure our children and young people:

develop an understanding of their own and others' identities.

make connections with people, places, and histories in their communities as well as elsewhere in Wales, the UK and across the world

It reinforces the importance of teaching about the experiences and contributions of ethnic minority peoples, as part of the story of Wales across the curriculum.

Effective practice: celebrating different cultures

Examples of the ways schools and TES in Wales are improving awareness of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller lifestyles and cultures include:

participating in the annual Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month every June, which includes displaying cultural information and materials created by learners in primary and secondary schools

raising awareness of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures and dispelling myths during classes

ensuring history lessons include the persecution of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers during the Second World War. Some schools have organised Holocaust memorial projects, linked to local churches. These projects remember the hundreds of thousands of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers killed because of Nazi ideology and racial policies which led to persecution and genocide.

exploring Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures and relevant artists as part of learning in the Expressive Arts Area of Learning and Experience, for example, art and music classes

discussing the different kinds of homes people can live in during primary school lessons, using TES resources to help

inviting grandparents and community elders to discuss their heritage and culture with the class as part of a wider ancestry project

enabling parents and carers from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to share their culture through cooking sessions with learners

Effective practice: art exhibition used to express culture

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners at one secondary school produced artwork celebrating their culture and heritage as part of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Month.

Staff from the school organised an exhibition and invited the local community to view the work and discuss the children and young people's culture with them during a special coffee morning.

The event encouraged better understanding of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures and also enabled the learners to raise money for a local homeless shelter.

Effective practice: sharing heritage through ancestry

Year 7 learners at one secondary school researched their heritage as part of an ancestry project. As part of this work, their grandparents and elders from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities were invited into the school to share their experiences and celebrate their culture.

They spoke to the class about their history and heritage. This helped to break down social barriers and increase levels of understanding among children and young people who were not from Gypsy, Roma or Traveller backgrounds.

Effective practice: Roma recipes used to promote cultural exchange

One primary school in south Wales has taken a whole-school approach to engaging with the local Roma community, by using food as a means of recognising and celebrating Roma culture.

The school established an after-school homework and nurture group. It was staffed by an emotional literacy support assistant and 2 bilingual teaching assistants who speak Czech and Roma.

Staff provided learners with additional literacy and numeracy support while parents and relatives were encouraged to prepare healthy meals in the school kitchen using traditional Roma recipes. This promoted a cultural exchange and reinforced the school's healthy eating messages.

The club enabled parents and carers to communicate and develop relationships with teaching staff and observe how they can help their children with homework. At the end of each session families received a stationery gift (sponsored by an office retailer) that forms part of a study skills pack that the learners can use at home.

Towards the end of the project the school organised a day-long, whole-school event that saw learners of all backgrounds participate in a range of Czech-inspired activities. This included basic Czech language lessons, listening to traditional Czech tales, and cooking traditional dishes.

A praise and celebration assembly was held in the school to mark the end of the project. The families who took part cooked traditional snacks and served them to the rest of the school. This boosted families' confidence in approaching and communicating with learners, parents, carers, and school staff.

Effective practice: curriculum provision

One south Wales primary school has the motto statement 'Living and Learning in Harmony' and the core value of 'Peace, central to the work in the school'. Children from a wide range of different countries are part of the school, with over 40 different home languages. Twenty-one percent of the school community is of Roma heritage.

The primary school is an accredited Peace Mala school and its ethos is based on the golden rule 'Treat others as you would wish them to treat you'. Learning is based around a Peace Plan and a calendar of events, festivals, celebrations, and fundraising days are co-created with learners, parents, carers, and community partners. The aims are to:

Roma families are invited into school using a digital school communication tool. Young Interpreters create videos in a variety of languages including Slovak Romanes, Romanian Romanes and Romanian. A teaching assistant speaks Slovak Romanes and shares messages in the mornings to parents and carers as they bring their children to school.

Parents and carers are invited into a coffee morning and identify dates that they think are important to add to the Peace Plan. They include:

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller celebrations in June culminate in a whole-school festival which is planned and led by Roma parents, carers, and learners. Parents and carers teach traditional dances, cook traditional food, sing and play traditional music. Traditional costumes are made by Roma families using inspiration from Roma artists. Roma learners teach their classmates language patterns and help to lead dancing and singing.

Classrooms represent the diversity of the learners through the use of:

Stories have been selected that are written or illustrated by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller authors or illustrators. Many of the stories have oral recordings in Romanes and Romanian, and recently the school have acquired a story book written in Romanes and Romanian.

Artwork is inspired by Roma artists such as Damian La Bas, Robert Czibi and Gabi Jimenez. Once the skills are taught, pupils apply these techniques to other topics. Recently they created artwork to show solidarity for Ukrainian refugees and used the style of Robert Czibi to support the Ukrainian Roma refugees.

Using role models to raise aspirations is also an important part of the curriculum. This helps children and young people become ambitious, capable learners. The school have engaged with Toby G, Dr Rosa Maria Sisneros, Isaac Blake, and Petr Torak who are all inspirational in their own fields and represent different communities.

Curriculum for Wales

The Curriculum for Wales is a clear statement of what is important in a broad and balanced education for every child and young person, aged 3 to 16 years. The perceived inflexibility of the previous national curriculum often proved to be a barrier to accessing education for some Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The Curriculum for Wales provides more flexibility for schools and education settings to respond to the local community.

Under the Curriculum for Wales a school or setting's curriculum is everything a learner experiences in pursuit of the four purposes. Ultimately, it should support all children and young people to become:

This focuses teachers, children and young people on what a child or young person's skills should be across the different areas of learning. This includes fulfilling a range of different career and employment opportunities in the future, supported by mandatory Careers and Work-Related Experiences. Children and young people should be supported to progress along their individual learning pathway to achieve their own aspirations and ambitions.

The Curriculum for Wales national framework has been developed to be inclusive of all learners. It is also intended to support schools to design inclusive school curricula. A school's curriculum should raise the aspirations for all learners. It should consider how all learners will be supported to realise the four purposes and to progress.

This is essential for children and young people to:

play an active part in their community and wider society

thrive in an increasingly complex world

Schools and education settings should be aware of the needs and circumstances of all their learners when designing their own curriculum. They should consider equity of opportunity when putting into place support and interventions or making reasonable adjustments.

The Curriculum for Wales Enabling learning guidance supports schools to plan, design and implement a curriculum appropriate for all children and young people.

Curriculum: valuing diversity

We recognise it is vitally important that our education system equips young people to understand and respect their own and each other's histories, cultures and traditions. That is why the Curriculum for Wales has been designed to reflect the true diversity of our population and to support children and young people to understand how this diversity has shaped modern Wales.

Diversity is a cross-cutting theme within the Curriculum for Wales and guidance includes information for developing a curriculum which promotes the understanding and valuing of diversity.

Curriculum: enabling learning

All children and young people in Wales have a right to be valued and well supported to make progress throughout their learning journey through experiences that are important and meaningful to them.

The Welsh Government's Curriculum for Wales framework is clear that practitioners should take a learner-centred approach. This involves working with families and other partners involved in the learner's progress, which can support holistic development. They should also make strong connections between the learner's home and wider community. This strengthens the learner's sense of belonging through embracing past and present experiences.

The curriculum should value and respect inclusivity and learners' identity within their community and the wider, multi-cultural Wales. This will promote the unique identity of the Welsh language, culture and heritage of Wales.

Further information can be found in the ' Enabling learning' guidance.

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

Challenge

Some aspects of the curriculum have been considered contradictory to the values of some communities and cultures, although this is very varied due to the diverse nature of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. These challenges have been stated as reasons for withdrawing children and young people from mainstream education.

A TES support provider explained that conversations relating to sex, sexuality or relationships needed to be carefully approached:

"Discussing sex is not a culturally appropriate conversation to have as a female with boys of the Traveller community. This would cause upset to the parents of the children I was supporting.

Parents also expressed concerns to us:

" We teach our own girls their sexual relationship curriculum, I asked school not to teach her.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people told us:

"I am worried about being in RSE lessons. My family do not want me to be part of these lessons and I have to leave these lessons. It makes me feel uncomfortable when talking about these things especially to teachers who don't know me. I don't think it should be taught in school. I just need to know these things before I get married. The information will come from my mum and my aunties."

"I'm not allowed to attend these lessons. I think RSE lessons are disgusting. At home these subjects are not mentioned."

"We will talk about it but with family members and not in front of a whole class or boys, as that isn't appropriate."

"I don't think G/T should talk about these things at such a young age. What worries me, it can impact your life. I think you need to be 18-years-old before you are told. I think it's disgusting. The information should come from parents when young people are told, boys with their dad and girls with their mum."

"I think I will be allowed, but I'm not sure. I want to learn about relationships because I will have one day and need to know what to do."

"I think I am allowed to learn some things, but only in a class with just other girls. I would not be allowed to listen if there were any boys there. My mam and sisters talk to me about changes at home.

Positive responses to RSE were also shared:

"I actually like going to RSE as most of my friends are in the lesson and I feel that it is more chilled and not a formal lesson. No one talks to me about that topic outside of school."

"We should talk about it in school so that people know how to be safe and to stop people sexually assaulting others.

Welsh Government action

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is a mandatory cross-cutting theme within the Curriculum for Wales. It is designed to safeguard all children and young people, supporting them to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours that will assist in protecting them throughout their lives.

This is critical to building a society that treats others with understanding and empathy, whatever their ethnicity, social economic background, disability, sex, gender, or sexuality.

Young people should have the right to access information that keeps them safe from harm. This includes learning about:

The RSE section of the Curriculum for Wales framework contains:

RSE Code: what will be taught and at what phase

statutory guidance: this supports schools in developing their RSE curriculum

Developmentally-appropriate Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

There are legal requirements for RSE to be developmentally appropriate, including the resources schools and education settings use in implementing RSE. This requirement is outlined within RSE statutory guidance.

RSE is also legally required to be objective, critical, and pluralistic. This means that schools and settings must provide factual information and on questions of values, a range of views on a given subject, commonly held within society.

Involving parents and carers: Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

The statutory RSE guidance is clear that we expect schools and settings to work closely with parents and carers to make sure they understand what their children are learning. Schools and settings should:

have clear lines of communication in relation to RSE

engage with learners, parents, carers and the wider community about learning and teaching in RSE, with opportunity for questions and clarification

The RSE Code has been published to give parents and carers clarity and transparency about what their children will learn and when.

This is an area where early and continuing communication, particularly with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller parents and carers, is essential to make sure families' concerns can be addressed wherever possible.

The Welsh Government will work with schools, local authorities and stakeholders to ensure that schools are supported to implement this sensitive area of the curriculum.

A resource to support schools with the implementation of RSE will be developed in 2024. It will provide practical support which schools and settings can draw upon when designing an inclusive RSE curriculum for children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds.

Dedicated person or trusted adult in school

Challenge

Alongside good communication between schools and communities, many learners told us how important it is for them to have someone in the school that understands their culture. They want someone they can turn to if they have a problem.

Where there are TES or a dedicated person in school to support children and young people, strong links have been made with the communities. Here are some of the learners' views about who they trust and talk with in their school or setting if they need support:

Effective practice: Point of contact boosts families' confidence

At one north Wales school, a dedicated point of contact has meant that Gypsy and Traveller families feel more confident that their children's needs are fully understood. The school is sensitive to their culture following the appointment of a senior staff member as their main point of contact.

The staff member has spent time developing positive relationships with the families, keeping communication open. They also regularly liaise with the local TES. This ensures all approaches are joined up and in line with effective practices.

Effective practice: primary school focused on learners' futures

One primary school in south-east Wales has a staff member designated as a point of contact for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners and parents or carers.

This staff member regularly attends conferences with local TES staff to ensure they are up-to-date with developments and policies relating to the communities.

Key school staff also meet each term to discuss learners' progress, both socially and academically. The aim is to establish the best pathways to learners' future success.

Digital inclusion

Challenge

During the COVID-19 pandemic many children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities did not have access to suitable digital devices or connectivity at home to support learning. In addition, many did not have a dedicated space in which to work.

This highlighted the importance of schools and settings providing, where possible, a space for children to work at lunchtime, break time or during an after-school club.

Some children and young people may have issues with internet connectivity or cannot afford the data, even if they have a device. Many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people prefer not to work on laptops. When asked about technology, children and young people said:

"I have a laptop at home, the laptop is the school laptop I was given during lockdown."

"I need help with technology, I don't have internet at home or a laptop."

"I don't like using technology. It takes me too long."

"I prefer using technology when learning, even though our school doesn't always give us the time to use the ICT facilities. I like to do my work on a computer as it makes tasks easier and more fun than using papers."

"I prefer handwriting rather than using the laptop.

Welsh Government action

To ensure all maintained schools across Wales have equitable access to online tools and resources to deliver the Curriculum for Wales, the Welsh Government has provided a range of centrally funded bilingual digital learning services and resources via Hwb. Hwb is the strategic digital channel that supports the delivery of the curriculum in Wales and is a key component of the Welsh Government's wider Hwb EdTech programme.

All practitioners and learners in Wales have access to a number of services, including:

These services provide education settings and learners with access to a range of powerful, effective, simple-to-use tools. These tools provide a safe and secure environment for schools and settings. Practitioners and learners can use these tools to confidently share ideas and take a collaborative approach to learning and teaching. Hwb can also be accessed anywhere, anytime from an internet-connected device.

The Welsh Government recognises the critical importance of keeping children and young people safe online. Through Hwb's ' Keeping safe online' area we improve the digital resilience of children and young people, families, education practitioners, professionals and governors. We are providing the latest resources, information, training and guidance to enhance their digital resilience.

The Welsh Government continues to work closely with local authorities to:

further support schools in adopting and embedding digital learning in the classroom

continue to streamline and standardise the way digital services and ICT are delivered in a school context, including support for remote learning

The Welsh Government recognises that use of digital devices is an important part of our daily lives. This was key to including digital competence as a cross-curricular skill at the heart of Curriculum for Wales.

Effective practice

In a north Wales local authority, the TES team is located within one of the feeder high schools which the majority of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners attend. There is an offer of one-to-one and small group support with online homework, and they have requested paper-based work packs for children and young people who do not feel comfortable accessing schoolwork online. However, where possible, they try to work with their local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners to support them to become IT literate. Most Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families in the local area have Wi-Fi in their trailers and homes. Children needing IT equipment have been provided with items such as laptops.

The team is supporting parents and carers to navigate the support platforms that their children access. This issue was identified during the pandemic when the children, young people, parents and carers struggled to understand and/or access online learning platforms. A future aim is to support parents and carers to become digitally aware so they can continue to support their children's learning.

A Level 4 teaching assistant trained to deliver a specialist literacy and numeracy platform has been appointed to support the learning and progress of learners. It is planned that learners will be able to work with the teaching assistant in small group sessions for short interventions. Learners will also be able to access the platform independently at home with their own log in. This will facilitate tracking where extra support and guidance is needed. The children will be familiar with the programme from initial guided support.

Elective home education

Challenge

Gypsy and Traveller families are more likely to choose to educate their children and young people at home for a variety of reasons. These reasons include the challenges identified in this guidance.

Welsh Government action

The Welsh Government published statutory Elective home education guidance in May 2023.

The Welsh Government published a handbook for home educators in June 2023.

Effective practice

When a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller family is considering home educating their child it is advisable for schools to liaise with the family, a local authority's TES, EMAS, or Elective Home Education officer. This will help to:

address any challenges to the child or young person remaining in school

clarify relevant roles and responsibilities should the family wish to home educate

Exclusions from school

Challenge

Research undertaken in developing the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan identified that, for the year September 2019 to August 2020, learners with a Traveller ethnic background had the highest rate of fixed-term exclusions (of 5 days or less). Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners all had higher rates of fixed-term exclusions of 5 or fewer days in the 2019 to 2020 academic year than other ethnic groups. However, please note that we do not have data for the ethnic background of all learners. Some learners prefer not to provide the information, and for some the information was not obtained (Welsh Government, 2021b).

Welsh Government action

In response to this data and the subsequent year's data covering 2020 to 2021, the Welsh Government has committed to strengthening guidance on Exclusion from Schools and Pupil Referral Units in relation to learners who are disproportionately subject to permanent or temporary exclusions.

Data will continue to be taken from the Welsh Government's published official statistics on permanent and fixed-term exclusions from schools. These statistics include data on exclusions by ethnic background.

Further information and guidance can be found in ' Permanent and fixed-term exclusions from schools'.

Financial support and school uniform

Challenge

It can be a challenge for many parents and carers, not just those from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, to meet the cost of sending their child to school. However, families from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities may not know how to access the support that is available to them, particularly if systems differ across local authorities.

Community stakeholders told us that they believe there isa need for schools and settings to raise awareness of grants available, for example to help with the cost of school uniform, and to communicate this information with parents and carers. Stakeholders also told us that schools need to offer more flexibility and leniency around school uniforms.

For Gypsy and Traveller families, there can be challenges in having to buy a uniform where a child has transferred from another school or has been travelling and outgrown their uniform. Families may not be able or want to purchase a new uniform if the child is not going to be in a particular school for long.

Many schools that support families well have said that they raise awareness of the help and support available to families and provide support with completing forms. Consideration should be given to assisting with any application processes.

The following information will help identify the grants available to help with the cost of school uniform, PE kit and other costs associated with sending a child to school.

Welsh Government action: School Essentials Grant (formerly PDG Access Grant)

Families may be eligible for support to purchase school uniform, PE kit, school bags, stationery materials and other equipment, enabling children to attend school and take part in activities at the same level as their peers.

Children whose families are on lower incomes and qualify for certain benefits (linked to existing eligibility criteria for free school meals) and those with no recourse to public funds (including asylum seekers) can apply for the School Essentials Grant.

Eligible families can submit a claim if they have a child in:

primary school from reception to Year 6

secondary school from Year 7 to Year 11

All looked after children qualify for the grant, whether they receive free school meals or not. Learners who receive free school meals due to transitional protection arrangements do not qualify for this funding. Families are only entitled to claim once per child, per school year.

Families may need help and support to access this grant. Therefore, consideration should be given to assisting them with the application process.

Welsh Government action: cost of the school day

The Welsh Government's Programme for Government includes the cost of the school day as a key priority. It is an important issue for many families across Wales. The Welsh Government commissioned the third sector organisation Children in Wales to produce a set of Price of Pupil Poverty guides for schools. They cover key aspects of the cost of the school day, including practical methods to raise awareness of poverty and how this affects learners while attending school. We encourage schools and settings to use them.

Alongside its direct work with schools, Children in Wales has developed short fact sheets, outlining simple, practical ways schools can help their learners by alleviating the stigma that surrounds poverty. Children in Wales has also published 'The Price of Pupil Poverty: A Guide for Governors'. This guide helps all school governors to support their schools in reducing poverty stigma. These guides are available on Hwb.

As part of the process and best practice, the Welsh Government also advises that schools consider the voices of their learners and encourage them to use the Children's Commissioner's Charter for Change resources. These were developed to help education settings to reduce costs for families. These resources include the "Check with Ceri resource", which enables children, young people, and adults to participate in reducing costs for families in their school community.

Welsh Government action: school uniforms

The Welsh Government published statutory school uniform guidance in May 2023, to better support governing bodies in making decisions on school uniform policies. It covers:

The cost and affordability of school uniform is covered in section 3 of the guidance and lists those areas governing bodies should consider for keeping costs down, including stipulating basic items and colours, but not styles. This means items can be bought from multiple retail chains at reasonable prices and not just from one authorised supplier. It also includes considerations around the cost and availability of non-standard sizes and limiting the frequency of uniform changes.

Second-hand school uniforms can benefit all parents and carers, particularly families on low incomes or large families. In addition, by extending the life of garments, schools can encourage sustainability and its wider environmental benefits. The guidance states that schools should have recycling and exchange schemes in place. More information is given on the different types of school uniform exchange and recycling schemes available.

The uniform guidance also promotes the TES, and other good practice to reduce costs. The Children's Commissioner's ' Revolve resources ' support children and young people to set up uniform re-use shops.

The statutory uniform guidance references the Equality Act 2010. The provisions of the Act may impact on school uniform and appearance policies. Governing bodies and head teachers must have regard so as not to discriminate unlawfully on the grounds of:

sex

gender reassignment

sexual orientation

pregnancy

maternity

religion or belief

disability

Effective practice

Many schools already recognise:

the challenges for families from all backgrounds in providing schools uniforms

the cost associated with purchasing school-branded items that may be more expensive than generic brands

Many schools now offer uniform exchange facilities and help in accessing grants.

Schools and TES can also work together to provide help and support to families, for example, we were told:

"To further ensure school admissions/transitions are smooth and successful we will support parents with school data collection, uniform grants, and free school meals. This approach has proven to work, which we will continue to use and improve."

"We provide practical support to parents, including with form filling (online and paper), such as for uniforms, sports kits, school dinners and admissions.

Transition from primary to secondary school

Challenge

Ensuring successful transition from primary to secondary school for learners can be challenging. Many families from Gypsy and Traveller communities want their children and young people to learn the traditional roles of their culture. They may see transitioning to secondary school as a barrier to doing this.

Local authorities, along with published research, identify that families can have concerns about the curriculum and culture of secondary schools. This can lead to some children not being registered to continue their schooling in secondary education. This is evidenced by Pupil Level Annual School Census PLASC) data which shows significantly fewer Gypsy and Traveller learners in Year 7 than Year 6.

Attitudes to school and attending secondary school vary widely. Children and young people told us:

"I am not going to high school because my older sister doesn't go and my mum never did."

"I am not going to high school. My mum will get me a tutor at home like for my older brother and sister."

"I will only go to high school if I cannot read and write well enough by the time I leave primary school."

"None of my older brothers have gone to high school or college so I probably won't either.

Effective practice

Some methods used by schools and TES in Wales to support and encourage learners to make the transition to secondary school and to stay engaged in education include:

starting to prepare children for transition early in Year 5 as this may help to reduce any anxiety around what to expect at secondary school

initiating early dialogue with parents and carers to discuss secondary school transition and the options available

helping parents and carers with relevant paperwork and application forms, for example forms for transport and free school meals

reassuring parents and carers about safety and promoting the benefits of secondary school education

providing additional support where needed, during the early stages of secondary school attendance

promoting the move into secondary education as a special occasion worthy of celebration

developing individualised 'transition plans' that take into consideration the needs of each child

arranging visits to the secondary school with learners and parents or carers, and a Q&A session with the staff member who is likely to be their main point of contact

providing opportunities for learners and parents or carers to meet and/or speak with secondary school staff and other learners (for example through community engagement activities such as family learning sessions, celebration events, open evenings, or coffee mornings)

providing a starter pack with information children will need

organising transition days for groups of learners to get a feel of their new school and experience taking part in lessons

if appropriate, considering a reduced timetable during the first week of secondary school to minimise the intensity of the experience

establishing ways for secondary settings to contact parents and carers with positive news

inviting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller role models (existing or former learners) to talk about their academic successes and/or offer advice on how to cope with situations learners are likely to face in school

sharing videos and leaflets on the transition with parents, carers, and learners. These often feature Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners and have been created by schools

providing learners with bags containing the equipment they will need for secondary school

organising after-school transition clubs to encourage learners to engage with secondary education - these are sometimes held at secondary schools

inviting current Year 7 and Year 8 learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to talk to Year 6 learners about secondary school

facilitating collaborative projects between Year 6 learners and Year 7 and 8 secondary school learners, at the secondary school, in the 2 terms preceding transition

establishing a mentor or 'buddy' system for primary school learners with appropriate secondary school learners, ensuring they have a friendly face to turn to when they start

ensuring schools maintain links with the local TES during the transitional period, when support with referrals and attendance may be needed

maintaining close links with the local authority's school admissions team

keeping lines of communication open between the TES, school and families, particularly during the initial transition period, to ensure effective communication and that everyone feels fully informed

Effective practice: preparation is key to a positive transition

The transition from primary school to secondary school can be daunting, particularly for learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. To ensure children feel well prepared for the move, one secondary school in south-east Wales organises at least 2 terms of activities aimed at helping the children settle in.

During the spring term, to help them prepare, Year 6 learners work with Year 7 and Year 8 learners on projects, for example go-kart building. Weekly 'explore' classes at the secondary school, run during summer term, allow Year 6 learners to collect stationery, compete in a quiz, meet their teacher, and become familiar with their timetables and weekly planners. Uniforms and sports kits are also provided if needed.

Effective practice: After-school transition clubs put learners at ease

With the support of the local TES, one south Wales primary school established an after-school transition club to encourage its Year 5 and Year 6 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners to engage with secondary education. The club was held at the high school.

Among the activities organised were:

Vocational courses, apprenticeships, further education and higher education

Challenge

Studying in further and higher education can strengthen individuals' life chances by:

widening their experiences

providing them with vital skills and knowledge that can support their future career development

However, the experiences and inequality in outcomes for learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities can have an impact on their aspirations to continue in education after the end of compulsory schooling.

Experiences within education should be positive for all learners and staff. However, we know that as well as barriers and challenges experienced by children and young people, teachers, lecturers and other educators from ethnic minority communities can experience inequity and racism. This has an impact, not just on those in post, but also those aspiring to join the profession.

Many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people value education and the opportunities to access and progress into further and higher education. When asked, children and young people expressed particular interest in hair and beauty, music and construction skills. However, many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people also told us that they feel school and the education system do not offer them the life skills they feel are necessary to succeed post-16.

When asked about their future aspirations, young people told us:

"I am studying GCSEs in school which will help me go to college. I would have liked to have done cookery but it's not the manly thing to do. I'm the eldest of three and I would like my brother and sister to finish school."

"I will be applying for college to do either construction or music."

"I love music and would like to learn how to produce my own. I would like to see this taught in school."

"I want to finish my A level and go to university. I am thinking I want to do criminology."

"I would like more skills to be able to go into the workplace. I have signed up for college. My ambition is to be in full-time employment."

"My brothers went to 6th form college. I think I will stay until Year 12 because I can get a good job and education. I would like to be a pianist or mechanic and have a family and buy a house."

Welsh Government action

Post 16 education: apprenticeships and junior apprenticeships, further education and higher education

All young people should be given comprehensive information, advice and guidance to help them choose the most appropriate post-16 options. These options could include:

Working Wales has comprehensive information on the range of options available to young people.

For Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people it is particularly important to ensure that advice and guidance:

It is often possible to study on a part-time, flexible, or remote basis which may be more suitable for some learners. All further education colleges have student services teams. These teams should be the first point of contact for information on flexible opportunities, as well as any additional learning support or financial support that learners may be eligible to access.

Learners may be reluctant to self-identity as Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller when they enter post-16 learning. This is because of concerns that this information may be misused to discriminate against them. This can make it difficult to measure participation and outcomes for this group of learners and means that it is particularly important for learning providers to build trust and confidence. Further information on concerns amongst Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities regarding the misuse of data can be found on the UK Parliament website.

Colleges and other post-16 providers will not always know that a learner is from a Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller background. Therefore, they should make information on support, guidance and options easily accessible, so learners can find it without having to disclose information they are uncomfortable with sharing. This could include information on:

In April 2019 Estyn published a thematic report ' Provision for secondary school-aged Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils '. This report states that around half of local authorities and schools work in partnership with a local college or work-based learning provider to enhance learning opportunities for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners at Key Stage 4, years 10 to 11 (ages 14 to 16). In some areas there are junior apprenticeship programmes, primarily funded by the local authority in collaboration with further education colleges.

Junior apprenticeships offer Year 10 and Year 11 learners the opportunity to study full-time for a future career in a college setting from the age of 14. The programme offers a two-year programme of work-related education with work experience built-in, alongside a Level 2 course. This leads to a qualification that is equivalent to 4 or 5 GCSEs, in a range of different vocational pathways. Each apprentice also studies GCSEs in Maths and English alongside their chosen area. There are a number of different junior apprenticeship pathways.

Each junior apprentice should have access to:

The aim of the junior apprenticeship is to make the learner ready for employment, or ready to progress onto a higher-level vocational course or apprenticeship at the age of 16.

Effective practice: transition into post 16 education

Education settings and the local TES can put in place support for young people to help them to transition successfully into:

post-16 education

further education (FE)

Higher education (HE)

training

work-based learning

employment

Methods include:

facilitating transition visits to colleges, sixth forms in schools, or training providers for Year 11 learners

working with organisations such as Careers Wales to support young people into pre-employment and training courses - this can increase their employment and entrepreneurial opportunities once they leave school

supporting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners who are registered as home-educated and aged 14 to 16 years into vocational and basic skills training, or to reintegrate into mainstream education

For example, one north Wales local authority has secured benefits for learners by:

introducing the option of different studies and courses during the 14 to 19 learning pathway to generate interest among the children and young people about applying to an FE college, or as something to aim for

supporting careers appointments as early as possible, recognising the importance of understanding the needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners. This helps the learner understand what is required for FE or HE studies, vocational learning, apprenticeships, or other forms of post-16 learning

creating a pathway which is achievable and realistic for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners. Clearly explaining how this could work, alongside respecting cultural norms, can help persuade families to agree this next step

establishing effective links with the local college diversity officer who could contact course leaders prior to applications by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners

supporting the learner through the process of applying for college, HE, or an apprenticeship, ensuring the learner, and their families are fully aware of the processes, commitment and expectations

using summer trial sessions, including help with transport to the new location

supporting a tour of the provision with the learner and family so they are familiar with the study location and facilities, offering a trial run-through of the first day

linking with the college and the learner before the learner starts at their new provision, highlighting any possible barriers and supporting the learner (if needed) to attend the first day

keeping in contact with the college link officer and supporting any reviews or issues being experienced by the learner - for some learners support is not a short-term measure but something that needs to continue while they are in college

This information relates to: Celebrate and Participate - education guidance to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people.

This annex clarifies the key legislation and rights as they apply to children and individuals with protected characteristics.

Legal framework

A child's right to a quality education and a child's right to equal opportunities are fundamental rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

In Wales, these fundamental rights have been incorporated into domestic law through the Rights of Children and Young Persons Measure (Wales) 2011. This Measure places a duty on the Welsh Ministers to have 'due regard' to the UNCRC when carrying out their functions.

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 (the 2010 Act) is an important piece of legislation in the context of this guidance.

The 2010 Act states it is unlawful to discriminate against a pupil, or a prospective pupil, by treating them less favourably because of their protected characteristic(s): sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity and gender reassignment. It is unlawful to discriminate against a pupil because of a protected characteristic a person they are associated with has; or because of a protected characteristic you perceive them to have, even when you are mistaken.

How Gypsies, Roma and Travellers are protected

Gypsies, Roma and Travellers are protected under the 'Race' protected characteristic as defined in the 2010 Act. This includes the following aspects of a person's identity:

Romani Gypsies have been recognised in law as a racial group since 1988. Irish Travellers have had similar legal recognition as an ethnic group since 2000. Both groups are covered by the Equality Act 2010 on the basis that 'race' (which can also include ethnic groups) is a protected characteristic in accordance with section 9 of the 2010 Act.

Roma people are an 'ethnic group' in terms of the law, and therefore protected by equality legislation. Many Roma people may face racism or discrimination because they are, or are perceived to be, from another country and are therefore protected under the Act because of their nationality or national origins.

Public Sector Equality Duty

The 2010 Act introduced a single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in 2011. This duty applies to a wide range of public bodies including local authorities and schools. It means that public bodies must consider all individuals:

It requires that public bodies, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) ensures compliance and delivery of actions which support the PSED.

More information on the PSED can be found in EHRC's guidance document ' Public Sector Equality Duty: Guidance for schools in Wales'. This guidance gives information on:

the PSED

what schools need to do with regard to the duty

PLASC is an electronic collection of pupil and school level data provided by all maintained sector primary, middle, secondary, nursery and special schools in January each year.

As part of PLASC schools are required to submit ethnic background and first language information for all pupils.

It is difficult to be precise about the numbers of children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds in Wales. This is because they may be reluctant to state their ethnicity because of fear of:

Families should be encouraged to feel comfortable in stating their ethnicity.

To improve data collection and ascription among these groups, since 2018 PLASC Ethnicity Codes have been extended to offer more ethnicity choices for families. The changes include:

separating out Gypsies and Roma

an additional code under Traveller for Showperson

The codes are as follows:

Main code

WIRT Traveller

Extended codes

WITH Traveller of Irish Heritage

WNAG 'New' Traveller

WOCC Occupational Traveller

WOTT Other Traveller

WSHP Showperson

Main code

WRGG Gypsy

Extended codes

WOBG British Gypsy

WOOG Gypsy from Other Countries

WOTG Other Gypsy

Main code

WRRR Roma

Extended codes

WOER EU Roma

WOOR Roma from Other Countries

WOTR Other Roma

In addition to the effective practice provided for the specific challenges raised in this guidance there are also some useful examples of successful practices in other areas.

Supporting Traveller learners to improve literacy levels

A primary school has a very high percentage of Traveller learners - 13%. Many were not progressing as well as their peers in literacy. This affected their ability to access aspects of the curriculum. The school also thought this may have contributed to:

Disrupted attendance due to traveling, and low levels of literacy among parents, added to these challenges.

A Traveller Education Service (TES) education officer was appointed by the local authority to oversee literacy and carry out a baseline assessment of learners' spelling and reading. This has enabled the school to identify which pupils would benefit from support.

One-to-one sessions and small group sessions are carried out on a weekly basis. Training has been provided to TES staff to enable them to deliver sessions. Parents and carers have also been invited into school to be given support and resources to help their children.

Termly updates from the TES are given to parents, and meetings held at school with the staff and the identified school link worker to keep them informed of progress and provide advice where needed.

The school has been provided with a bank of resources to be used in school. A log has also been set up to allow children to take these resources home. The resources include:

The TES officer meets with the link worker on a weekly basis to feedback on progress. They also work closely with teaching staff to ensure literacy targets are included on the learners' development plans. More formal meetings are held with the head teacher on a termly basis to:

The initiative has now been in place for 5 years and data shows that, in nearly all cases:

learners are making progress

the initiative is having a positive impact on achievement in the classroom

All learners that transferred to a secondary school are now within the expected range for their age. In addition, parents and carers are supporting their children's literacy in the home environment

Supporting Roma learners in secondary school

One south Wales secondary school carries out the following activities to support Roma families within their school community:

mentoring learners

liaising with outside agencies

running a C-Card scheme to support learners' sexual health

helping parents, carers and learners to access funds

providing donations, including food, clothes and furniture

celebrations of heritage and culture

delivering training for staff

volunteering in the community to support learners

providing school uniform

ensuring excellent communication between school and parents and carers

supporting parents and carers with form filling

offering parents and carers advice

working with other agencies and artists on a range of projects

offering an alternative pathway suitable for learners, including qualifications offered by SWEET Education in aspects such as Personal Well-being; employability and work skills and entry-level qualifications allowing learners to follow courses that are accessible and give them options when they leave school or college.

For transition points the local authority team runs a project which includes 'New to English' and Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller learners. This is a 3 to 4 week project that enables learners from feeder primaries to work together and collaborate. The secondary school liaises with the lead primary to develop plans and then other primary schools are invited to take part.

Bilingual teaching assistants from the secondary school visit the primary school to liaise with Roma parents. Language teachers have also visited feeder primaries to meet the new cohort.

Supporting pride in culture and ethnicity

In one secondary school there have been learners who were reluctant to disclose their heritage when joining the school. The school shared an example of a learner who did not wish to share information about their Roma heritage with the school. Despite exhibiting many transferable skills and being extremely able and progressing well, this learner started to disengage in school lessons, experienced exclusions, and their attendance was significantly below the school's expected target.

While discussing these issues during one-to-one conversations, it became clear that the young person had several support needs. The learner needed help and support with their own identity, in the context of the new school environment.

As a response the school established sessions where Roma heritage was celebrated and Roma history was explained. The school also:

The school also encouraged and celebrated the use of Romanes language.

The young person then gained knowledge about Roma history and started to acknowledge the importance of celebrating their background and ethnicity. The young person became increasingly involved with other Roma learners:

The learner has since progressed to higher education and continues to actively raise awareness of Roma heritage.

Improving attendance

One south Wales secondary school has a strategy to improve attendance for Roma learners. It has a dedicated team to support learners and families both academically and pastorally. Having a team member from their community whom learners and families trust and respect, has been important to ensure effective communication. The team leads the following actions:

As a school there has been a focus on demonstrating to parents and carers that teachers have high expectations of their children and want them to succeed. Improving relationships with families has had a positive impact on attendance.

As well as action by the school, at parents' evenings the local authority team and GEMS staff also support teachers, learners and parents.

Building community relationships to support Roma learners

In one south Wales primary school, Roma learners in Year 6 are part of a mentoring programme run by a Roma-led charity. This programme to raise aspirations continues into Year 7.

The school has developed relationships with its Roma community over the past 10 years. This relationship is built on mutual respect, understanding and care. Staff from the school have been invited to and have attended Roma Church events, community events and weddings.

Attendance and engagement within school and community events have improved significantly.

The school noted that when parents and carers first completed registration forms, some were not confident to share their heritage and would often say they are Slovakian, Czech, or Romanian. Now a majority of families identify proudly as Roma.

Thanks to the support of the school's staff, families also engage with outside agencies, including:

A sense of well-being is high among Roma learners at the school because they are proud of who they are, showing other learners their culture and Roma identity. They know that:

Roma learners have high aspirations with many wanting to become doctors, MPs, police officers and business owners. They have passion and ambition to influence change for the community.

Leadership and taking a 'whole-school' approach

A variety of 'whole-school' approaches are being used across Wales to ensure children and young people:

These approaches include:

designating a senior staff member as the main point of contact for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners, their families, and the local TES

improving punctuality and attendance in primary and secondary schools by ensuring ongoing liaison between the school, parents, carers, TES staff and education welfare officers

appointing a teaching assistant, a bilingual practitioner from among the communities, to support Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller learners in the classroom - in some parts of Wales, TES staff are fulfilling this role, and are also supporting learners with literacy, numeracy and GCSE coursework

designating a TES staff member to the school's senior leadership team

raising awareness of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller lifestyle and culture among teaching staff through training offered by the TES and by attending conferences

equipping teachers and teaching assistants with tools and technology that assist learners with reading difficulties, such as multi-sensory reading manual and a small portable device that reads text aloud

improve lesson engagement, attendance and results by organising homework clubs, TES-supported drop-in mentoring sessions, and additional learning support at break and lunch times

recording racist incidents and taking appropriate action swiftly, giving families confidence that their children's well-being is a school priority, as learners from these groups can be subjected to bullying

developing an inclusive, flexible curriculum that is available in its entirety to all, in line with the Curriculum for Wales guidance, meaning Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners can access the same opportunities as their peers

incorporating appropriate and relevant learning experiences into the school curriculum, in line with the breadth of learning given in the Curriculum for Wales guidance

introducing learners to programmes and qualifications by ASDAN, a UK-based education charity and awarding organisation, whose curriculum programmes and qualifications help young people develop knowledge and skills for learning work and life

encouraging learners of all backgrounds to participate in a range of learning and experiences that reinforce inclusivity, including school projects

assigning designated roles and responsibilities within the school to learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, alongside non-Traveller learners (see Break-time responsibilities encourage teamwork and involvement)

establishing TES offices at secondary schools, helping to reinforce relationships between the TES and school; boost relationships with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families who reportedly feel more comfortable engaging with the school; and improve learners' attendance

Promoting inclusion: Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition

In a first for their school, 4 Year 10 learners from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community in west Wales completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award with a final expedition. The young people involved described the programme as transformational, with one young person explaining that he was planning to leave formal education before getting involved in the programme. Their achievement made national news in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards magazine and was celebrated with a special presentation event at school. All 4 learners remained in mainstream education, going on to study at a local college.

Break-time responsibilities encourage teamwork and involvement

One school in south-east Wales promotes integration and engagement by assigning learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities designated roles and responsibilities within the school, alongside non-Traveller learners. The roles include:

Taking up these roles enables Traveller learners:

to get more involved in the school community

work alongside their peers to achieve shared goals

Hair and beauty project inspires self-confidence and careers

A hair and beauty course organised by a south Wales school, in partnership with a social enterprise organisation and a local salon, has:

The CQFW is an inclusive meta-framework which illustrates the qualifications system in Wales. It aims to provide a 'common currency' for learning achievement and supports the recognition of credit, qualifications and learning across all sectors and levels.

The CQFW offers flexibility to learners, especially those disengaged from learning. It aims to:

raise skills levels

allow them to learn in their own time, at their own pace and place

It offers parity of esteem for qualifications and helps learners to see progression routes particularly where they are following non-traditional pathways.

The CQFW is underpinned by a set of high-level principles on which all learning must be based to be recognised. These include the requirement for learning to be based on recognised standards, UK-wide National Occupational Standards (NOS), where they exist.

The NOS provide a robust description of how a job should be performed, and are recognised across the UK, because they provide a common foundation to qualifications, learning and training. NOS are used as the basis for adult vocational qualifications and apprenticeship frameworks in Wales. They facilitate the transferability and portability of skills across sectors and borders.

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Celebrate and participate: Education guidance to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people

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How schools and settings can improve support for learners from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

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Rights, respect, equality: guidance for schools

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Adran 1: pa gamau gweithredu y mae llywodraeth cymru yn eu hystyried a pham?

Y mater dan sylw

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydweithio â rhanddeiliaid mewn ysgolion ac yn haen ganol y system addysg er mwyn datblygu trefniadau atebolrwydd, gwerthuso a gwella ar gyfer ysgolion, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn. Mae'r trefniadau newydd yn nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer sut y dylid gwella ysgolion yng nghyd-destun y Cwricwlwm i Gymru. Mae'r trefniadau wedi'u cynllunio i sicrhau bod perfformiad ysgol yn cael ei werthuso gan ddefnyddio ystod eang o dystiolaeth a gwybodaeth gyd-destunol, sy'n cwmpasu ehangder gweithgarwch yr ysgol, gan ganolbwyntio ar gynnydd a lles dysgwyr. Hunanarfarnu effeithiol yw'r man cychwyn ar gyfer yr holl waith gwerthuso a gwella, a dylai arwain at gynllunio gwelliant sy'n cefnogi'r profiadau a'r deilliannau dysgu gorau posibl i bob dysgwr, beth bynnag fo'u cefndir neu eu hamgylchiadau.

Mae'r canllawiau'n pwysleisio pa mor ganolog yw cynnydd i wireddu'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru, ac oherwydd hynny i wella ysgolion. Dylai hunanarfarnu o dan y trefniadau newydd gael ei lywio gan egwyddorion cynnydd, sy'n cynnwys egwyddorion trosfwaol ac egwyddorion cyffredinol sy'n benodol i bob Maes Dysgu a Phrofiad. Maent felly'n darparu fframwaith i arweinwyr ysgolion ei ddefnyddio i gynllunio eu prosesau ar gyfer casglu a dadansoddi tystiolaeth am gynnydd dysgwyr, dros amser ac ar lefel grŵp. Dylai hyn sicrhau bod ysgolion yn helpu dysgwyr i symud ymlaen mewn ffordd a fydd yn eu cefnogi i ddatblygu tuag at y pedwar diben. Y pedwar diben yw'r man cychwyn ar gyfer yr holl addysgu a dysgu, ac maent yn darparu disgwyliadau i ddysgwyr ddatblygu sgiliau, gwybodaeth a dulliau dysgu a fydd yn sail i'r hyn sydd ei angen arnynt drwy gydol eu bywydau.

Y camau arfaethedig

Mae'r canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn nodi sut y dylai'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd weithredu yn eu cyfanrwydd, gan gynnwys disgwyliadau sydd ar ysgolion, awdurdodau lleol, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru.

Rôl ganolog hunanarfarnu cadarn gan ysgolion

Un o egwyddorion allweddol y trefniadau newydd yw y dylai hunanarfarnu a blaenoriaethau gwella ysgolion fod yn fan cychwyn ar gyfer gwaith gydag awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol.

Bydd perfformiad ysgol yn cael ei ystyried yn ei ystyr ehangaf, gydag ysgolion yn cael eu gwerthuso yn eu cyd-destun eu hunain, wedi'u hategu gan ystod eang o dystiolaeth, cynllunio a chymorth gwella pwrpasol. Dylai cynnydd, cyrhaeddiad a lles pob dysgwr fod yn allweddol ym mhob gwerthusiad ysgol a chynllunio gwelliant. Dylai llinellau ymholi ar gyfer hunanarfarnu gael eu llywio gan ystod eang o dystiolaeth ar gynnydd dysgwyr, gan gynnwys cydweithio ag ysgolion eraill ar gyd-ddealltwriaeth o gynnydd.

Bydd y prosesau hunanarfarnu yn nodi meysydd o gryfderau a blaenoriaethau ar gyfer gwella, a fydd yn cael eu dwyn ynghyd mewn un cynllun datblygu ysgol strategol. Bydd ysgolion yn cyhoeddi crynodeb o'u cynllun sy'n cynnwys blaenoriaethau, camau gweithredu, cerrig milltir a chymorth wedi'i gynllunio ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd gyfredol, yn ogystal ag adroddiad ar gynnydd yn erbyn blaenoriaethau'r flwyddyn flaenorol.

Gan adeiladu ar eu hunanarfarnu a'u cynlluniau datblygu eu hunain, bydd ysgolion yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol i gytuno ar y cymorth ychwanegol sydd ei angen arnynt i wella.

Dod â'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol i ben

Bydd y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd yn golygu bod y system gategoreiddio genedlaethol yn dod i ben, gyda'i chategorïau cyhoeddedig. Er mai diben sylfaenol y system gategoreiddio oedd sefydlu lefel y cymorth sydd ei angen ar ysgolion i wella, roedd ganddo nifer o ganlyniadau negyddol. Yn fwyaf arwyddocaol, nid oedd y categori y lleolwyd ysgol ynddo yn adlewyrchu ansawdd yr addysg a ddarperir gan yr ysgol, ond roedd yn hytrach yn asesiad o'r cymorth yr oedd ei angen arni i wella. Fodd bynnag, i lawer o ysgolion, ystyriwyd ei fod yn fesur atebolrwydd, tra bod rhieni hefyd yn ei ddefnyddio fel dangosydd ansawdd.

Arweiniodd hyn at y risg ganlyniadol y byddai rhai ysgolion yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu cymell i anelu at liw 'gwell' yn eu hymgysylltiad â chonsortia rhanbarthol, yn hytrach na bod yn agored am eu hanghenion cymorth a thrwy hynny sicrhau eu bod yn cael y cymorth o ansawdd uchel sydd ei angen arnynt i wella.

Mewn dau adroddiad i Lywodraeth Cymru ( Developing Schools as Learning Organisations in Wales a Achieving the curriculum for Wales) nododd y Sefydliad ar gyfer Cydweithrediad a Datblygiad Economaidd (OECD) effaith negyddol rhoi cod lliw cyhoeddus i ysgolion. Er enghraifft, cyfeiriodd 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Hydref 2020, at ffyrdd y mae canfyddiadau o'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol wedi llesteirio hyder ysgolion a hyd yn oed eu gallu i gymryd rhan mewn ymholi, arbrofi ac arloesi.

Yn lle categoreiddio, mae'r canllawiau'n cynnig y dylai crynodebau Cynlluniau Datblygu Ysgolion gynnwys crynodeb byr o hunanwerthusiad yr ysgol, gan gynnwys cryfderau a meysydd i'w datblygu. Bydd hyn yn rhan o grynodeb ehangach cynllun datblygu'r ysgol, a gyhoeddir ar wefan yr ysgol ac a fydd felly'n hygyrch i'r gymuned ehangach a bydd yn parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i rieni a dysgwyr am eu hysgol.

Yn ogystal, dylai consortia rhanbarthol gefnogi gweithgarwch hunanarfarnu ysgolion a chynnal deialog broffesiynol â chyrff llywodraethu, i'w cynorthwyo i gyflawni eu swyddogaeth atebolrwydd. Bydd hyn yn tynnu sylw at unrhyw faterion a chryfderau penodol. Byddant hefyd yn rhoi adroddiad i'r corff llywodraethu yn amlinellu sut y maent yn bwriadu cefnogi a /neu gael cymorth i fynd i'r afael â'u blaenoriaethau gwella, ac yn ehangach.

Bydd y dull newydd yn cadw nodweddion gorau categoreiddio, tra'n dileu ei ganlyniadau anfwriadol, negyddol. Bydd consortia rhanbarthol ac awdurdodau lleol yn parhau i weithio'n agos gydag ysgolion, fel partner proffesiynol yn eu gwelliant.

Drwy gyhoeddi crynodeb o flaenoriaethau a chynlluniau datblygu gwella ysgolion, bydd gan rieni fynediad at wybodaeth fanylach am ysgol eu plant nag a ddarparwyd yn flaenorol gan ei chategori lliw.

Cryfhau a darparu eglurder ynghylch y gwahanu a'r gwahaniaethu rhwng gweithgareddau gwerthuso a gwella a'r systemau atebolrwydd a thryloywder

Mae'r canllawiau'n rhoi eglurder ynghylch lle mae atebolrwydd yn perthyn i bob lefel o'r system addysg. Mae'n pwysleisio y dylid ystyried atebolrwydd a thryloywder fel rhywbeth ar wahân, ond cysylltiedig â gweithgareddau gwerthuso a gwella. Mae'n ei gwneud yn glir, er bod gan awdurdodau lleol y pŵer i ymyrryd mewn 'ysgolion sy'n peri pryder', yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion dylai cyrff llywodraethu, fel y corff atebol ar gyfer eu hysgol, fod yn rhydd i oruchwylio'r broses werthuso a gwella, wedi'i cefnogi gan gyngor, adnoddau a gwasanaethau gan awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol.

Mae'r trefniadau newydd yn pwysleisio rôl allweddol barhaus Estyn o ran darparu arolygiadau cyson, cynhwysfawr a chywir o ysgolion. Bydd ysgolion yn cael eu harolygu, ar gyfartaledd, ddwywaith o fewn cylch arolygu chwe blynedd, a fydd yn rhoi gwybodaeth a sicrwydd mwy rheolaidd i rieni o'r arolygiaeth annibynnol. Bydd gan adroddiadau arolygu fwy o naratif esboniadol am berfformiad ysgolion, gan gefnogi cynllunio gwelliant ysgolion, heb gynnwys dyfarniadau crynodol.

Neilltuo rolau a chyfrifoldebau gwahanol gyrff yn y system addysg yn glir

O fewn system ysgol sy'n gwella ei hun, mae'n bwysig bod y gwahanol gyrff - yn bennaf ysgolion a chyrff llywodraethu, awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol - yn deall eu rolau a'u cyfrifoldebau eu hunain, rolau a chyfrifoldebau pobl eraill, a'r berthynas rhyngddynt. Mae'r canllawiau felly'n nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru o ran rôl a chyfrifoldebau'r gwahanol gyrff, mewn perthynas â gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd, er mwyn helpu'r system hunanwella i weithredu'n effeithlon ac yn effeithiol.

Adnodd Cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella a phrosiect Ymchwil Data

Mae gallu ysgolion i gynnal hunanarfarnu effeithiol a chynllunio gwelliant yn effeithiol yn hanfodol i lwyddiant y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a nodir yn y canllawiau gwella ysgolion. Nid yw'r canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn ceisio ymdrin â manylion ymarferol sut y dylai ysgolion hunanwerthuso neu wella cynllunio, gan mai mater i ysgolion unigol benderfynu arno yw hwn, yn seiliedig ar eu cyd-destun eu hunain ac wedi'u llywio gan eu hystyriaeth o ffactorau fel egwyddorion cynnydd a blaenoriaethau cenedlaethol statudol. Bydd ysgolion yn cael eu cefnogi yn y broses hon gan eu hymgynghorydd gwella.

Fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gydag ysgolion, Estyn, consortia rhanbarthol ac awdurdodau lleol i ddatblygu'r adnodd Cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella i gefnogi ysgolion wrth gynnal hunanwerthusiad cadarn sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Mae'r adnodd, sydd wedi'i gyhoeddi ar Hwb, yn darparu amrywiaeth o ddulliau ac awgrymiadau, yn ogystal ag astudiaethau achos ymarferol a gynhyrchir gan ysgolion, ac yn cysylltu ag adnoddau pellach i gefnogi hunanarfarnu effeithiol.

Er nad yw'r defnydd o'r adnodd cenedlaethol yn orfodol, anogir ysgolion i ddefnyddio'r cymorth y mae'n ei ddarparu i ddatblygu eu dulliau hunanarfarnu.

Yn ogystal, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi comisiynu ymchwil i sefydlu sylfaen dystiolaeth ar y data a'r wybodaeth a ddefnyddir ac sydd eu hangen i gefnogi gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd effeithiol ym mhob rhan o'r system ysgolion. Bydd yr ymchwil, a fydd yn adrodd ym mis Medi 2022, yn ystyried sut y gall pob rhan o'r system gael gafael ar y data mwyaf priodol a defnyddiol at y dibenion sydd ei angen arnynt, gan edrych ar yr hyn sydd eisoes ar gael, beth arall sydd ei angen neu a fyddai'n fuddiol ar gyfer pob swyddogaeth, a sut i gael gafael arno neu ddod o hyd iddo.

Pum ffordd o weithio

Rydym o'r farn bod y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd yn gyson â'r pum ffordd o weithio:

Hirdymor

Mae'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a nodir yn y canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru o ran sut y dylid gwella ysgolion yng nghyd-destun y Cwricwlwm i Gymru. Datblygwyd y cwricwlwm i baratoi dysgwyr ar gyfer byd sy'n newid yn gyflym, ac i adlewyrchu anghenion posibl busnes a'r economi yn y dyfodol. Yn allweddol i hyn mae gwireddu'r pedwar diben, y pwyslais ar gynnydd dysgwyr (fel y nodir yn egwyddorion cynnydd ar gyfer pob maes dysgu a phrofiad).

Atal

Mae'r trefniadau newydd yn parhau i symud oddi wrth yr arfer o werthuso ysgolion gyda phwyslais anghymesur ar nifer fach o fesurau perfformiad, yn seiliedig ar ganlyniadau cymwysterau allanol, a allai arwain at ymddygiad a dewisiadau gan ysgolion nad ydynt o reidrwydd er lles gorau pob dysgwr.

Er enghraifft, arweiniodd y defnydd o ddata cymwysterau allanol heb gyd-destun at ddibenion atebolrwydd at ffocws gormodol gan ysgolion ar gyrhaeddiad dysgwyr blwyddyn 11 ar y ffin TGAU C/D. Gallai hyn arwain at beidio â blaenoriaethu cynnydd dysgwyr naill ai'n is neu'n uwch na'r trothwy hwnnw, ac nad yw eu cyflawniadau'n cael eu cydnabod. Yn ogystal, gallai ffocws mor gul guddio materion arwyddocaol yng nghanlyniadau, dysgu ac addysgu dysgwyr heblaw ym mlwyddyn 11.

Yn ogystal, gallai'r dehongliad anghywir ond eang o'r system gategoreiddio, lle rhoddwyd categori i ysgolion yn seiliedig ar eu hanghenion datblygu a gwella, fel mesur atebolrwydd hefyd ysgogi canlyniadau anfwriadol a gwrthnysig. Yn fwyaf nodedig, amharodrwydd rhai ysgolion i fod yn agored am eu hanghenion gwella a cheisio cymorth gan gonsortia rhanbarthol, rhag ofn y byddai hyn yn effeithio ar y categori a neilltuwyd iddynt.

Cydnabuwyd y canlyniadau hyn yn gyffredinol; Nododd 'Addysg yng Nghymru: Cenhadaeth Ein Cenedl' (2017) ei bod yn angenrheidiol datblygu "modelau atebolrwydd hyblyg ac ymatebol sy'n dwyn ysgolion i gyfrif ac yn cefnogi addysg plant heb amharu ar arloesedd na rhannu arfer da yn effeithiol". Cyfeiriodd adroddiad yr OECD i Lywodraeth Cymru, 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Hydref 2020, at ffyrdd y mae'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd presennol, yn enwedig canfyddiadau o'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol, wedi llesteirio hyder ysgolion a hyd yn oed eu gallu i gymryd rhan mewn ymholi, arbrofi ac arloesi.

Er y bydd canlyniadau cymwysterau yn parhau i gael eu cyhoeddi at ddibenion tryloywder (gyda'r union ffurf yn ddibynnol ar ymchwil o'r ecosystem gwybodaeth), mae canlyniad hunanwerthusiad ysgol yn darparu tryloywder mwy ystyrlon am gryfderau a blaenoriaethau ar gyfer gwella na chategori lliw.

Yn fwy cyffredinol o ran atal, un o nodweddion pwysig y system gymorth a ddiffinnir yn y canllawiau yw y dylai ymgysylltiad consortia rhanbarthol ac awdurdodau lleol ag ysgolion hwyluso'r broses o nodi ysgolion sy'n dirywio ac y mae angen cymorth arnynt i'w hatal rhag dod yn 'ysgol sy'n peri pryder'. Yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, dylai'r ysgolion eu hunain nodi materion a mynd i'r afael â hwy drwy eu prosesau gwerthuso a gwella eu hunain, wedi'u mireinio drwy gydweithio ag ysgolion eraill.

Integreiddio

Mae'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a nodir yn y canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn cyd-fynd â phennod Uchelgeisiol a Dysgu Rhaglen Lywodraethu Llywodraeth Cymru, Symud Cymru Ymlaen, sy'n cefnogi pobl ifanc i gyrraedd eu potensial.

Mae'r trefniadau hefyd yn cyd-fynd â nodau llesiant a nodir yn Neddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol, gan gynnwys:

Cymru ffyniannus sy'n meithrin poblogaeth fedrus wedi'i haddysgu'n dda. Mae'r trefniadau wedi'u cynllunio i ysgogi ymddygiad a diwylliant sy'n cyd-fynd â'r cwricwlwm i Gymru ac yn ei gefnogi. Nod y cwricwlwm yw sicrhau bod dysgwyr yn datblygu sgiliau, gwybodaeth a dulliau dysgu a fydd yn sail i'r hyn sydd ei angen arnynt drwy gydol eu bywydau ac a fydd yn diwallu anghenion posibl busnes a'r economi yn y dyfodol

Cymru decach sy'n galluogi pobl i wireddu eu potensial, waeth beth fo'u cefndir na'u hamgylchiadau. O dan y trefniadau, defnyddir ystod eang o dystiolaeth i ysgolion i werthuso cynnydd a lles pob dysgwr a grŵp o ddysgwyr. Bydd hunanarfarnu llwyddiannus yn arwain at nodi blaenoriaethau a chamau gweithredu gwella mwy penodol a chyd-destunol, wedi'u llywio gan ddilyniant a lles ei holl ddysgwyr, waeth beth fo'u cefndir neu eu hamgylchiadau. Dylai hyn gyfrannu at gyflawni dyheadau a safonau uchel i bawb

Cydweithio

Mae partneriaid allweddol sydd â diddordeb yn y fframwaith gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd yn cynnwys ysgolion a darparwyr addysg eraill, consortia rhanbarthol, CLlLC, awdurdodau lleol, Cymwysterau Cymru ac Estyn, dysgwyr, rhieni a gofalwyr.

Mae cyd-gynhyrchu wedi bod yn allweddol i ddatblygu'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a'r 'adnodd cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella' cysylltiedig. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid drwy gydol y broses o ddatblygu'r trefniadau. Yn hydref 2020, cynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad anffurfiol ar y canllawiau gwella ysgolion a oedd yn cynnwys rhanddeiliaid haen ganol, gan gynnwys consortia rhanbarthol, awdurdodau lleol, Cymwysterau Cymru ac Estyn. Rydym wedi parhau i ymgysylltu â'r rhanddeiliaid hyn a cheisio cyngor y rhanddeiliaid hyn ar ein cynigion, yn dilyn y cyfnod ymgynghori ffurfiol yn 2021.

Cyd-adeiladodd Llywodraeth Cymru yr adnodd cenedlaethol gydag Estyn, consortia rhanbarthol ac ymarferwyr addysgu, a chynrychiolir cydweithwyr o Estyn a chonsortia rhanbarthol ar y grŵp llywio adnoddau cenedlaethol. Mae ymarferwyr addysgu hefyd wedi chwarae rhan allweddol, er enghraifft wrth gynhyrchu rhestr chwarae o astudiaethau achos sy'n dangos arfer gorau mewn hunanarfarnu.

Ymwneud

Cynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad ffurfiol ar y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd rhwng mis Ionawr a mis Mawrth 2021. Diben yr ymgynghoriad oedd casglu barn ar eglurder a defnyddioldeb y canllawiau gwella ysgolion a'r fframwaith ar gyfer gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd.

Er bod y rhan fwyaf o'r wyth deg dau o ymatebwyr yn cytuno'n gyffredinol â'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd arfaethedig, codwyd pryderon penodol ynghylch y cynnig i ddisodli'r categoreiddio ar y pryd. Ystyriwyd y pryderon hyn ac mae'r trefniadau wedi'u diwygio i fynd i'r afael â'r pryderon hyn.

Roedd yr adnodd cenedlaethol yn destun cynllun peilot cenedlaethol tri mis a gafodd gyhoeddusrwydd ar ddechrau 2022, a bydd adborth yn parhau i gael ei wahodd drwy Hwb; tra bydd yr adnodd ei hun yn parhau i esblygu, gyda mwy o ddeunyddiau'n cael eu hychwanegu yn amodol ar adborth gan ddefnyddwyr.

Mae'r canllawiau sy'n ddarostyngedig i'r asesiad effaith hwn yn anstatudol, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwriadu disodli'r canllawiau hyn â chanllawiau statudol ym mis Medi 2024. Cyn hyn, byddwn yn cynnal ymgynghoriad pellach, gan gynnwys gyda phobl ifanc.

8.1 Sut mae'r bobl sy'n fwyaf tebygol o gael eu heffeithio gan y cynnig wedi cael eu cynnwys wrth ei ddatblygu?

Bydd y newidiadau arfaethedig i'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a gyflwynir yn y canllawiau anstatudol ar wella ysgolion yn effeithio'n fwyaf sylweddol ar y rhai sy'n ymwneud yn uniongyrchol â phrosesau cynllunio ac atebolrwydd gwella ysgolion: arweinwyr ac ymarferwyr ysgolion, cyrff llywodraethu, consortia rhanbarthol, awdurdodau lleol ac Estyn. Bydd y newidiadau arfaethedig hefyd yn effeithio ar ddysgwyr a rhieni a gofalwyr.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda rhanddeiliaid mewn ysgolion ac haen ganol y system addysg i ddatblygu trefniadau newydd (ymgynghoriad cychwynnol). Roedd y canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn destun ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus, a gafodd 82 o ymatebion gan ymarferwyr ac arweinwyr ysgolion, llywodraethwyr ysgolion, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn ymhlith eraill. Mae adborth ar yr ymgynghoriad wedi'i ystyried yn ofalus wrth gwblhau'r canllawiau anstatudol, tra rydym wedi parhau i ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid ar ei gynnwys a cheisio cyngor ganddynt.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi gweithio gydag arweinwyr ysgolion, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn i ddatblygu'r adnodd cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella, sy'n darparu cymorth, megis awgrymiadau ac astudiaethau achos, i ysgolion wrth gynnal hunanarfarnu a chynllunio gwelliant. Ym mis Tachwedd 2021, cyhoeddwyd yr adnodd ar Hwb ac roedd yn destun cynllun peilot cenedlaethol a gafodd gyhoeddusrwydd eang gyda'r adborth yn cael ei dderbyn gan ymarferwyr. Ynghyd â'r peilot cenedlaethol cafwyd sioeau teithiol rhithwir a digwyddiadau gydag arweinwyr ac ymarferwyr ysgolion.

8.2 Beth yw'r effeithiau cadarnhaol a negyddol mwyaf arwyddocaol?

Ystyrir y bydd yr effeithiau mwyaf arwyddocaol a nodwyd yn gadarnhaol. Bydd y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a nodir yn y canllawiau anstatudol ar wella ysgolion yn:

nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru o ran sut y dylid gwella ysgolion yng nghyd-destun y Cwricwlwm i Gymru. Mae'n cefnogi gweithredu'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru yn llwyddiannus, drwy gysoni'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd ag egwyddorion a nodau'r cwricwlwm, gan gynnwys cefnogi dysgwyr wireddu'r pedwar diben ac egwyddorion cynnydd

parhau i symud oddi wrth yr arfer o werthuso ysgolion gyda phwyslais anghymesur ar nifer fach o fesurau perfformiad, a all arwain at ymddygiad a dewisiadau gan ysgolion nad ydynt o reidrwydd er lles gorau pob dysgwr

gwneud hunanarfarniad pob ysgol ei hun yn fan cychwyn ar gyfer yr holl waith gwerthuso a gwella. Ategir hyn gan ddatblygiad yr adnodd cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella

gweithredu system lle caiff perfformiad ysgolion ei werthuso gan ddefnyddio ystod ehangach o dystiolaeth a gwybodaeth, gan ymdrin ag ehangder gweithgarwch ysgol a chanolbwyntio ar gynnydd a lles dysgwyr

galluogi nodi anghenion cymorth ysgol wedi'u teilwra yn seiliedig ar hunanwerthuso cadarn a blaenoriaethau gwella ysgolion a rhoi cymorth pwrpasol i ysgolion lle bynnag y maent ar eu taith wella

cynnal pwysigrwydd atebolrwydd cadarn o fewn y system ysgolion, a ddarperir drwy lywodraethu effeithiol ac arolygu ysgolion yn fwy rheolaidd gan Estyn

Yn gyffredinol, credwn y bydd effaith y cynigion yn gadarnhaol. Mae'r trefniadau'n gwneud hunanwerthusiad pob ysgol ei hun yn fan cychwyn ar gyfer yr holl waith gwerthuso a gwella; arweinwyr ysgolion sy'n adnabod eu hysgolion orau a dylent allu penderfynu pa agweddau ar eu gweithrediadau i'w gwerthuso'n fanwl, wedi'u llywio gan eu barn am gynnydd dysgwyr.

Mae tystiolaeth ymchwil ar hunanarfarnu effeithiol yn pwysleisio pwysigrwydd canolbwyntio ar werthuso ar gyfer gwella, yn hytrach na bodloni atebolrwydd allanol. Pan fo gwella ysgolion yn cael ei ysgogi'n fwy gan ffactorau allanol, megis cystadleuaeth sefydliadol (er enghraifft tablau cynghrair), gall ysgolion a staff weld y broses fel archwiliad defodol yn hytrach nag ymarfer ystyrlon ar gyfer gwella ysgolion mewn ffordd organig.

Bydd dod â'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol i ben hefyd yn gadarnhaol, gan fod hynny'n dileu'r cymhelliant i ysgolion beidio â bod yn agored am eu hanghenion cymorth wrth weithio gyda rhanbarthau ac awdurdodau lleol. Nododd adborth gan gonsortia rhanbarthol fod categoreiddio yn llesteirio'r cydweithio rhwng ysgolion, gan ysgogi diwylliant o gystadleuaeth mewn rhai achosion yn lle hynny. Bydd consortia rhanbarthol ac awdurdodau lleol yn parhau i weithio'n agos gydag ysgolion, fel partner proffesiynol yn eu gwelliant. Bydd canlyniad hunanarfarnu ysgol hefyd yn darparu tryloywder mwy ystyrlon am ei chryfderau a'i blaenoriaethau ar gyfer gwella na chategori lliw.

Efallai y bydd rhai effeithiau negyddol tymor byr i'r trefniadau arfaethedig. Er enghraifft, bydd y trefniadau newydd yn gofyn am newid diwylliant o ran gwella ac atebolrwydd, ac efallai y bydd angen cymorth pellach a dysgu proffesiynol ar unigolion i ddechrau er mwyn gwneud y defnydd gorau o'r trefniadau a'r adnoddau cenedlaethol. Rydym yn rhagweld y bydd hyn yn effeithio ar gyrff ac unigolion fel ymarferwyr, cyrff llywodraethu a chynghorwyr gwella.

Efallai y bydd angen gwybodaeth a chymorth ar gymunedau lleol, gan gynnwys rhieni a gofalwyr, i ddeall y newidiadau i drefniadau atebolrwydd, yn enwedig rhoi terfyn ar gategoreiddio cenedlaethol a ddefnyddiwyd gan lawer, er yn anghywir, fel dangosydd o ansawdd ysgolion. Er y bydd cyhoeddi crynodeb o flaenoriaethau gwella a chynlluniau datblygu ysgolion yn rhoi mynediad i rieni a gofalwyr at wybodaeth fanylach am ysgol eu plant nag a ddarparwyd yn flaenorol gan ei chategori lliw, gellir ystyried bod y newid hwn yn effaith negyddol i ddechrau.

8.3 Yn sgil yr effeithiau a nodwyd, sut bydd y cynnig:

Yn sicrhau'r cyfraniad mwyaf posibl at ein hamcanion llesiant a'r saith nod llesiant:

Wrth gefnogi dysgwyr i wireddu'r pedwar diben, mae'r canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn cyfrannu ar draws pob un o'r saith nod llesiant. Er enghraifft, mae'r canllawiau'n cyfrannu at Gymru ffyniannus, gan ei bod yn gyrru ymddygiad sy'n cefnogi'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru. Mae'r cwricwlwm wedi'i gynllunio i sicrhau bod dysgwyr yn datblygu'r sgiliau, yr wybodaeth a'r dull dysgu y bydd eu hangen arnynt drwy gydol eu bywydau ac a fydd yn diwallu anghenion posibl busnes a'r economi yn y dyfodol.

Diben cyffredinol gwella ysgolion yw helpu ysgolion i roi'r profiadau a'r canlyniadau dysgu gorau posibl i ddysgwyr, beth bynnag fo'u cefndir neu eu hamgylchiadau, er mwyn cyflawni dyheadau a safonau uchel i bawb. Dylai ysgolion ddefnyddio ystod eang o dystiolaeth wrth gynnal hunanarfarnu, ac ystyried cynnydd a lles pob dysgwr wrth bennu eu blaenoriaethau gwella. Bydd hyn yn cyfrannu at y nod llesiant o Gymru fwy cyfartal. Felly, bydd y canllawiau hefyd yn cyfrannu at amcan llesiant Llywodraeth Cymru i 'barhau â'n rhaglen hirdymor o ddiwygio addysg, a sicrhau bod anghydraddoldebau addysg yn lleihau a bod safonau'n codi'.

Yn osgoi, lleihau neu liniaru unrhyw effeithiau negyddol?

Gellir lleihau a lliniaru'r effeithiau negyddol a nodwyd uchod drwy:

hyfforddiant priodol a ddarperir, er enghraifft, i ymarferwyr, cyrff llywodraethu a chynghorwyr gwella. Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda chonsortia rhanbarthol ac awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod hyfforddiant effeithiol a chymesur yn cael ei ddarparu mewn modd cyson ledled Cymru

Mae'r adnodd cenedlaethol: gwerthuso a gwella yn cynnwys canllawiau a chymorth i alluogi ysgolion i gynnal hunanarfarnu effeithiol o dan y trefniadau newydd

negeseuon effeithiol i gyfleu nodau a manteision y trefniadau newydd i bob carfan

8.4 Sut bydd effaith y cynnig yn cael ei monitro a'i gwerthuso wrth iddo ddatblygu a phan ddaw i ben?

Mae'r trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd sy'n ddarostyngedig i'r asesiad effaith integredig hwn yn anstatudol. Byddwn yn adeiladu ar y profiadau a'r dysgu a ddatblygwyd yn ystod y blynyddoedd academaidd sydd i ddod a byddwn yn adlewyrchu hyn mewn canllawiau statudol diwygiedig a ddaw i rym ym mis Medi 2024.

Bydd y canllawiau statudol yn destun ymgynghoriad ffurfiol pellach cyn eu cyhoeddi; rydym yn rhagweld y bydd y canllawiau statudol arfaethedig yn destun ymgynghoriad â phobl ifanc. Rydym hefyd yn anelu at weithio gydag ymarferwyr drwy'r rhwydwaith cenedlaethol ar gyfer gweithredu'r cwricwlwm.

Bydd y canllawiau statudol ar wella ysgolion yn destun asesiad effaith integredig newydd cyn eu cyhoeddi.

A. Asesiad o'r effaith ar hawliau plant

Cefndir

Diben cyffredinol gwella ysgolion yw cefnogi ysgolion i roi'r profiadau a'r canlyniadau dysgu gorau posibl i blant a phobl ifanc, beth bynnag fo'u cefndir, gan gyflawni dyheadau a safonau uchel i bawb. O dan y Cwricwlwm i Gymru, rhan sylfaenol o hyn fydd sicrhau bod ysgolion yn cefnogi pob dysgwr i symud ymlaen tuag at y pedwar diben.

Mae'r canllawiau'n cefnogi'r amcan hwnnw drwy osod fframwaith ar gyfer gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a fydd yn sicrhau gwelliant cynaliadwy mewn ysgolion ac yn llywio'r ymddygiadau a'r arferion sy'n ofynnol gan y cwricwlwm newydd a'r trefniadau asesu. Er mwyn bod yn llwyddiannus, mae'n hanfodol bod pob agwedd ar y system ysgolion yn cyd-fynd â'r cwricwlwm newydd a'i egwyddorion sylfaenol ac yn eu cefnogi.

Cynhaliwyd Asesiad o'r Effaith ar Hawliau Plant mewn perthynas â chanllawiau Cwricwlwm i Gymru, a ddaeth i'r casgliad bod disgwyl i effaith y cwricwlwm fod yn gadarnhaol. Cynhaliwyd rhaglen o weithgareddau ymgysylltu yn ystod y broses o ddatblygu'r canllawiau, a oedd yn cynnwys digwyddiadau rhanbarthol a grwpiau ffocws i blant a phobl ifanc.

Roedd y canllawiau anstatudol drafft ar wella ysgolion yn destun ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus yn 2021 nad oedd yn cynnwys ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol â dysgwyr a phobl ifanc. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn bwriadu cyhoeddi canllawiau gwella ysgolion wedi'u diweddaru ar sail statudol ym mis Medi 2024 a, chyn gwneud hynny byddwn yn dysgu o effaith y canllawiau anstatudol ac yn cynnal ymgynghoriad pellach, gan gynnwys ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol â dysgwyr.

Fframwaith gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd

Mae'r trefniadau a nodir yn y canllawiau wedi'u llunio i ddarparu system i ysgolion ac eraill, sy'n sicrhau bod pob dysgwr yn cael cymorth i symud ymlaen ac yn annog ysgolion i werthuso a chefnogi cynnydd pob dysgwr o wahanol oedran, doniau a galluedd.

Pa newidiadau sy'n cael eu cynnig gan y canllawiau?

Mae'r canllawiau'n cynnig:

Cryfhau pwysigrwydd ac effeithiolrwydd hunanwerthuso a chynllunio gwelliant gan ysgolion, gan fanteisio ar amrywiaeth eang o dystiolaeth

Un o brif egwyddorion y trefniadau newydd yw y dylai blaenoriaethau ysgolion o ran hunanwerthuso a gwella fod yn fan cychwyn ar gyfer cydweithio ag awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol.

Bydd perfformiad ysgolion yn cael ei ystyried yn ei ystyr ehangaf, gydag ysgolion yn cael eu gwerthuso yn eu cyd-destun eu hunain, wedi'u cefnogi gan ystod eang o dystiolaeth, cynlluniau gwella pwrpasol a chymorth. Bydd cynnydd, cyrhaeddiad a lles pob dysgwr yn nodweddion pwysig o werthusiad ysgolion.

Bydd y prosesau hunanwerthuso yn nodi meysydd cryfder a blaenoriaethau ar gyfer gwella a fydd ar gael gyda'i gilydd mewn un cynllun datblygu ysgol strategol. Bydd ysgolion yn cyhoeddi crynodeb o'u cynlluniau, yn cynnwys blaenoriaethau, camau gweithredu, cerrig milltir a chefnogaeth sydd wedi'i gynllunio ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd bresennol, yn ogystal ag adroddiad ar gynnydd yn erbyn blaenoriaethau'r flwyddyn flaenorol.

Gan adeiladu ar eu hunanwerthuso a'u cynlluniau datblygu eu hunain, bydd ysgolion yn cydweithio ag awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol i gytuno ar y cymorth ychwanegol sydd ei angen arnynt i wella.

Disodli'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol

Bydd y trefniadau newydd yn rhoi diwedd ar y broses gategoreiddio genedlaethol gyda chanlyniadau cyhoeddedig, er y bydd diben craidd categoreiddio, sef penderfynu pa gymorth y mae ei angen ar ysgolion i wella, yn parhau. Bydd categoreiddio ei hun yn cael ei ddisodli gan broses gymorth, o dan arweiniad consortia rhanbarthol, lle mae consortia'n cytuno ag ysgolion ar y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i wella.

Mae'r canllawiau'n cynnig y dylai crynodebau Cynlluniau Datblygu Ysgolion a gyhoeddir gynnwys crynodeb byr o hunanwerthusiad a chasgliadau'r ysgol, gan grynhoi prif gryfderau'r ysgol a meysydd i'w datblygu a darparu'r cyd-destun ar gyfer blaenoriaethau gwella'r ysgol a'r camau gweithredu arfaethedig. Bydd hyn yn rhan o grynodeb ehangach cynllun datblygu'r ysgol, a gyhoeddir ar wefan yr ysgol ac sydd felly'n hygyrch i'r gymuned ehangach, gan barhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i rieni a dysgwyr am eu hysgol.

Cryfhau a chynnig eglurder am y gwahaniad a'r gwahaniaeth rhwng gweithgareddau gwerthuso a gwella a'r system atebolrwydd

Mae'r canllawiau'n rhoi eglurder ynghylch pwy sy'n atebol ym mhob lefel o'r system addysg. Mae'n pwysleisio y dylid ystyried atebolrwydd ar wahân i weithgareddau gwerthuso a gwella, ond yn gysylltiedig â hwy. Er bod gan awdurdodau lleol y pŵer i ymyrryd mewn 'ysgolion sy'n peri pryder', mae'n ei gwneud yn glir y dylai cyrff llywodraethu, fel corff atebol eu hysgol, fod yn rhydd i oruchwylio'r broses werthuso a gwella, gyda chefnogaeth cyngor, adnoddau a gwasanaethau gan awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol.

Er mwyn sicrhau bod atebolrwydd yn parhau'n gadarn, bydd ysgolion yn cael eu harolygu'n fwy rheolaidd gan Estyn. Bydd gan adroddiadau arolygu hefyd fwy o naratif esboniadol am berfformiad ysgolion, gan gefnogi'r gwaith o gynllunio gwelliant ysgolion, heb gynnwys dyfarniadau crynodol. Fodd bynnag, bydd ysgolion y bernir eu bod yn y categorïau statudol o fesurau arbennig neu welliant sylweddol yn parhau i gael eu nodi'n glir.

Neilltuo yn eglur swyddogaethau a chyfrifoldebau gwahanol gyrff mewn system hunanwella

O fewn system ysgolion sy'n hunanwella, mae'n bwysig bod y cyrff gwahanol - yn bennaf ysgolion a chyrff llywodraethu, awdurdodau lleol, a chonsortia rhanbarthol - yn deall eu rolau a'u cyfrifoldebau eu hunain, rolau a chyfrifoldebau cyrff eraill, a'r gydberthynas rhyngddynt. Felly, mae'r canllawiau yn nodi disgwyliadau Llywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â rôl a chyfrifoldebau'r gwahanol gyrff, mewn perthynas â gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd, er mwyn helpu'r system hunanwella i weithredu'n effeithlon ac yn effeithiol.

Yr effaith ar bobl ifanc

Credwn y bydd y newidiadau sy'n cael eu cynnig yn y canllawiau gwella ysgolion yn cael effaith gadarnhaol ar blant yng Nghymru.

Diben cyffredinol gwella ysgolion yw helpu ysgolion i roi'r profiadau a'r canlyniadau dysgu gorau posibl i bobl ifanc, beth bynnag fo'u cefndir, gan gyflawni safonau a dyheadau uchel i bawb a lleihau'r bwlch rhwng dysgwyr difreintiedig a'u cyfoedion.

O dan y Cwricwlwm i Gymru, rhan sylfaenol o hyn fydd sicrhau bod ysgolion yn cefnogi pob dysgwr i symud ymlaen tuag at y pedwar diben. Er mwyn sicrhau bod ysgolion yn helpu dysgwyr i symud ymlaen mewn ffordd a fydd yn eu cefnogi i ddatblygu tuag at y pedwar diben, mae'r Egwyddorion Cynnydd yn darparu fframwaith i arweinwyr ysgolion ei ddefnyddio i gynllunio eu prosesau ar gyfer casglu a dadansoddi tystiolaeth am gynnydd dysgwyr, dros amser ac ar lefel grŵp.

Wrth ddileu lefelau yn y Cwricwlwm i Gymru, mae angen i ysgolion a phartneriaid ddatblygu dealltwriaeth fwy soffistigedig ac eang o gynnydd dysgwyr. Mae angen i ysgolion gasglu tystiolaeth i werthuso cynnydd dysgwyr, ar lefel unigol, grŵp ac ysgol. Dylent ddefnyddio'r dystiolaeth hon i ateb y ddau gwestiwn canlynol:

a yw dysgwyr yn symud ymlaen yn y ffyrdd a ddisgrifir yn Egwyddorion Cynnydd, gan eu cefnogi i symud ymlaen tuag at y pedwar diben?

a yw cyflymder cynnydd dysgwyr yn unol â disgwyliadau athrawon a'r cwricwlwm?

Bydd atebion ysgolion i'r cwestiynau hyn yn helpu i bennu'r llinellau ymholi ar gyfer hunanarfarnu a gwella dilynol. Er mwyn helpu ysgolion i ddod i atebion i'r cwestiynau hyn, mae'r Egwyddorion Dilyniant yn cynnwys egwyddorion ac egwyddorion cyffredinol sy'n benodol i bob Maes Dysgu a Phrofiad.

Er mwyn cefnogi ysgolion ymhellach, mae'r canllawiau'n nodi wyth ffactor cyfrannol sy'n disgrifio'r nodweddion allweddol y bydd ysgolion sy'n llwyddo i wireddu'r cwricwlwm yn eu meddu; dylid ystyried y ffactorau hyn pan fydd ysgolion yn cynnal proses hunanarfarnu. Mae'r Cwricwlwm i Gymru yn cydnabod bod dysgwyr yn symud ymlaen ar wahanol gyfraddau, ac adlewyrchir hyn yn y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd.

Mae'r trefniadau newydd yn cefnogi cyflwyno diwylliant newydd ar gyfer gwerthuso a gwella ysgolion, lle bydd pob lefel o'r system addysg yn canolbwyntio'n bennaf ar gyflwyno prosesau gwella ysgolion sy'n cefnogi cwricwlwm eang a chytbwys ym mhob ysgol, ac yn sicrhau bod cynnydd a lles pob dysgwr, gan gynnwys y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed, yn cyfrannu at broses hunanarfarnu a blaenoriaethau a chamau gwella dilynol. Anogir ysgolion i fod yn agored am eu cryfderau a'u meysydd i'w gwella, o fewn amgylchedd cydweithredol a chefnogol, a ddylai sicrhau eu bod yn cael y cymorth a'r cyngor sydd eu hangen arnynt i wella er budd eu dysgwyr.

O dan y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd:

Mae cyrff llywodraethu yn atebol am effeithiolrwydd a gwelliant eu hysgol ac yn goruchwylio eu gweithgareddau gwerthuso a gwella. Fel rhan o'r rôl atebolrwydd hon, bydd cyrff llywodraethu yn cyhoeddi crynodebau o gynllun datblygu ysgol blynyddol eu hysgol, gan nodi blaenoriaethau gwella eu hysgol a'r camau y bydd yn eu cymryd i'w cyflawni. Bydd hefyd yn adrodd yn erbyn blaenoriaethau'r flwyddyn flaenorol.

Dylid pennu blaenoriaethau gwella'r ysgol drwy ystyried canlyniadau a chasgliadau ei hunanwerthusiad, a blaenoriaethau cenedlaethol statudol, sy'n cynnwys lleihau effaith tlodi ar ddilyniant a chyrhaeddiad dysgwyr. Dylai'r broses hunanarfarnu fod yn seiliedig ar yr ystod ehangaf a chyfoethocaf posibl o wybodaeth, gan gwmpasu ehangder profiad addysgol y dysgwr. Dylai'r prosesau hunanarfarnu ystyried sut mae'r ysgol yn galluogi pob dysgwr, a grwpiau o ddysgwyr, yn enwedig y rhai o gefndiroedd difreintiedig, i symud ymlaen ar hyd eu llwybr dysgu eu hunain. Dylai'r nod o godi safonau a dyheadau ar gyfer pob dysgwr fod yn sbardun allweddol. Dylai ystyried lles dysgwyr hefyd fod wrth wraidd y broses hunanarfarnu o dan y trefniadau newydd.

Agwedd allweddol ar y trefniadau, sy'n cael ei phwysleisio gan yr wyth ffactor cyfrannol, yw pwysigrwydd llais disgyblion ac ymgysylltu â'r gymuned wrth hunanwerthuso ysgolion. Dylid ceisio barn dysgwyr, eu teuluoedd a'r gymuned ehangach a'u hystyried yn y broses hunanarfarnu. Bydd hyn yn cyfrannu at gyd-destun y dystiolaeth ehangach sydd gerbron ysgolion, a dylai sicrhau bod anghenion pob dysgwr yn cael eu hystyried yn y broses a'u hadlewyrchu yn y blaenoriaethau gwella dilynol.

Er mwyn cefnogi proses hunanarfarnu effeithiol mewn ysgolion, rydym wedi gweithio gydag ysgolion, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn i ddatblygu'r Adnodd Cenedlaethol: Gwerthuso a Gwella, sy'n rhoi awgrymiadau ac astudiaethau achos i ysgolion i'w helpu i gynnal proses hunanarfarnu. Mae'r adnodd yn cwmpasu amrywiaeth o feysydd, gyda'i bedair prif thema ar gyfer gwerthuso gan gynnwys Addysgu a Dysgu a Thegwch a Lles.

Er y bydd ysgolion yn parhau i ddefnyddio data cymwysterau yn eu hunanwerthusiad, er enghraifft fel man cychwyn ar gyfer proses hunanarfarnu mewn rhai meysydd, ni ddylid ei ddefnyddio ar ei ben ei hun nac allan o'i gyd-destun, na'i gyflwyno fel tystiolaeth o ba mor effeithiol yw ysgol. Mae defnyddio data cymwysterau allanol y tu allan i'w gyd-destun, at ddibenion atebolrwydd, wedi arwain yn y gorffennol at ymddygiad a dewisiadau gwrthnysig gan ysgolion nad ydynt o reidrwydd er lles gorau dysgwyr - er enghraifft, dewis cul o'r cwricwlwm yn y sector cynradd ac uwchradd a ffocws gormodol ar ffin TGAU C/D, a all arwain at ysgolion yn peidio â chydnabod cyflawniadau neu ofynion dysgwyr naill ai'n is neu'n uwch na'r trothwy hwnnw, neu ddysgwyr mewn gwahanol grwpiau oedran. Bydd dileu unrhyw gymhellion canfyddedig i ymddygiadau o'r fath yn gwella cyfleoedd bywyd pob dysgwr, gan y bydd ysgolion yn cael eu hannog i gynnig cwricwlwm eang a chytbwys ac i sicrhau mai'r cynnydd a wneir gan bob dysgwr yw eu blaenoriaeth.

Bydd y trefniadau gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd newydd hefyd yn golygu bod y system gategoreiddio genedlaethol yn dod i ben, gyda'i chategorïau cyhoeddedig. Er mai diben craidd y system gategoreiddio oedd sefydlu lefel y cymorth sydd ei angen ar ysgolion i wella, roedd ganddo nifer o ganlyniadau negyddol. Yn fwyaf arwyddocaol, er nad oedd y categori y lleolwyd ysgol ynddo yn adlewyrchu ar ansawdd yr addysg a ddarperir gan yr ysgol, ond yn hytrach yn asesiad o'r cymorth yr oedd ei angen arno i wella, fe'i hystyriwyd yn ymarfer atebolrwydd - asesiad o ansawdd yr addysg a ddarperir gan yr ysgol. Arweiniodd hyn at y risg ganlyniadol na fyddai ysgolion yn ymgysylltu'n llawn nac yn agored â'r hyn a ddylai fod wedi bod yn broses werthuso a gwella fuddiol i bennu lefel y cymorth yr oedd angen arnynt i wella ar gyfer eu dysgwyr. Yn ogystal, cyfeiriodd adroddiad yr OECD i Lywodraeth Cymru, 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Hydref 2020, at ffyrdd y mae canfyddiadau o'r system gategoreiddio genedlaethol wedi llesteirio hyder ysgolion, a hyd yn oed eu gallu i gymryd rhan mewn ymholi, arbrofi ac arloesi. Roedd yr ymatebion a gafwyd i'r ymgynghoriad ar y canllawiau drafft ar wella ysgolion hefyd yn gryf o blaid dileu categoreiddio am y rheswm hwn.

Mae disodli categoreiddio â phroses fwy pwrpasol, lle mae ysgolion yn nodi'r cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt yn eu crynodebau cynllun datblygu ysgol cyhoeddedig, yn dileu'r awgrym o farn gymharol wrth barhau i ddarparu tryloywder i ddysgwyr, teuluoedd a'r gymuned ehangach. Dylai'r trefniadau newydd annog ysgolion i feddwl yn ehangach am ble y mae angen iddynt ddatblygu i gefnogi pob dysgwr i symud ymlaen tuag at y pedwar diben, a'r ffordd orau o wneud hynny. Bydd hefyd yn caniatáu iddynt weithio'n fwy cydweithredol ac effeithiol gydag eraill yn y system addysg, gan gynnwys consortia rhanbarthol, awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion eraill, i gael unrhyw gymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i wella ar gyfer eu dysgwyr.

O ganlyniad i'r pandemig, mae'r broses gategoreiddio wedi'i hatal ers haf 2020. Yr adborth clir a gawsom gan gonsortia rhanbarthol, a welodd effaith categoreiddio ar ymddygiad ysgolion bob dydd, yw bod ei waharddiad wedi gwella eu perthynas ag ysgolion, ac wedi cyflymu newid diwylliant tuag at bartneriaeth broffesiynol sy'n cefnogi ac yn cyflymu gwelliant ysgolion yn hytrach nag un sy'n seiliedig ar atebolrwydd. Mae consortia rhanbarthol wedi adrodd bod dileu'r categorïau wedi golygu bod ysgolion yn llawer mwy agored ynghylch gofyn am gymorth, yn enwedig yr ysgolion hynny a oedd wedi'u categoreiddio'n rhai gwyrdd yn y gorffennol.

Esboniwch sut y mae'r cynnig yn debygol o gael effaith ar hawliau'r plentyn

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn falch o'n record yn hybu hawliau'r plentyn ac yn gweithio i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yng Nghymru yn cael y dechrau gorau posibl mewn bywyd. Ein huchelgais yw sicrhau bod hawliau pob plentyn a pherson ifanc yng Nghymru yn cael eu hyrwyddo a'u parchu er mwyn eu galluogi i ddatblygu hyd eithaf eu gallu.

Mae'r broses o ddatblygu'r cwricwlwm newydd i Gymru wedi rhoi sylw dyledus i Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydweithio'n agos â Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Plant. Mae'r fframwaith newydd arfaethedig ar gyfer gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd mewn ysgolion, a nodir yn y canllawiau gwella ysgolion, wedi'i gynllunio i gyd-fynd â'r cwricwlwm newydd a'i egwyddorion gwaelodol a'u cefnogi.

Rydym yn ystyried bod y fframwaith gwerthuso, gwella ac atebolrwydd a'r canllawiau sy'n ei gyflwyno yn cyfrannu at yr erthyglau canlynol o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn:

erthygl 28 - Mae gan blant hawl i addysg. Dylai disgyblaeth mewn ysgolion barchu urddas plant. Dylai addysg gynradd fod am ddim. Dylai gwledydd cyfoethog helpu gwledydd tlotach i gyflawni hyn.

erthygl 29 - Dylai addysg ddatblygu personoliaeth a thalent pob plentyn yn llawn. Dylai annog plant i barchu eu rhieni, eu diwylliant eu hunain a diwylliannau eraill.

Bydd y canllawiau gwella ysgolion hefyd yn cefnogi ysgolion ac eraill yn y system addysg i werthuso a gwella'r ffordd o gyflwyno'r pedwar diben i'w dysgwyr. (Mae'r pedwar diben yn cydnabod rôl hawliau plant: bydd pob plentyn a pherson ifanc yn ddinasyddion egwyddorol, gwybodus; sy'n parchu anghenion a hawliau eraill, fel aelod o gymuned amrywiol; ac sy'n deall ac yn arfer eu cyfrifoldebau a'u hawliau fel bodau dynol a'u cyfrifoldebau a'u hawliau democrataidd.) Wrth wneud hynny, bydd yn cael cefnogaeth gan adnodd gwerthuso a gwella cenedlaethol, a fydd yn helpu ymarferwyr i gyflawni ar sail y disgwyliadau a nodir yn y canllawiau. Mae 'cwricwlwm' yn un o bedair thema'r adnodd, ac mae'n cynnwys anogaeth i helpu ysgolion i hunanwerthuso'u ffordd o gyflwyno'r pedwar diben ac egwyddorion y Cwricwlwm i Gymru a'r cynnydd tuag at wneud hynny.

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Canllawiau gwella ysgolion: asesiad o'r effaith

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Adran 1: pa gamau gweithredu y mae llywodraeth cymru yn eu hystyried a pham? Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydweithio â rhanddeiliaid mewn ysgolion ac yn haen ganol y system addysg er mwyn datblygu trefniadau atebolrwydd, gwerthuso a gwella ar gyfer ysgolion, consortia rhanbarthol ac Estyn.

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Section 1: what action is the welsh government considering and why?

The issue

The Welsh Government has worked with stakeholders in schools and the middle tier of the education system to develop new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements for schools, local authorities, regional consortia and Estyn. The new arrangements set out the Welsh Government's expectations for how school improvement should be delivered in the context of the Curriculum for Wales. The arrangements are designed to ensure that a school's performance is evaluated using a wide range of contextualised evidence and information, covering the breadth of school activity, with a focus on learner progress and well-being. Effective self-evaluation is the starting point for all evaluation and improvement work, and should result in improvement planning which supports the best possible learning experiences and outcomes for all learners, whatever their background or circumstances.

The guidance emphasises the centrality of progression to the realisation of the Curriculum for Wales, and therefore to school improvement. Self-evaluation under the new arrangements should be informed by the principles of progression, which include both overarching principles and principles specific to each Area of Learning and Experience. They therefore provide a framework for school leaders to use to design their processes for collecting and analysing evidence about learner progress, both over time and at a group level. This should ensure that schools are helping learners to progress in a way that will support them to develop towards the four purposes. The four purposes are the starting point for all teaching and learning, and provide expectations for learners to develop skills, knowledge and approaches to learning that will form the basis for what they need throughout their lives.

Actions proposed

The school improvement guidance sets out how the evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements as a whole should operate, including the Welsh Government's expectations of schools, local authorities, regional consortia and Estyn.

Central role of robust self-evaluation by schools

A key principle of the new arrangements is that schools' self-evaluations and improvement priorities should be the starting point for work with local authorities and regional consortia.

School performance will be considered in its widest sense, with schools evaluated in their own context, supported by a broad range of evidence, bespoke improvement planning and support. The progression, attainment and well-being of all learners should be key in all school evaluation and improvement planning. Lines of enquiry for self-evaluation should be informed by a wide range of evidence on learner progression, including collaborative work with other schools on shared understanding of progress.

The self-evaluation processes will identify areas of strengths and priorities for improvement, which will be drawn together in a single, strategic school development plan. Schools will publish a summary of their plan which includes priorities, actions, milestones and planned support for the current academic year, as well as a report on progress against the previous year's priorities.

Building on their own self-evaluations and development plans, schools will work with local authorities and regional consortia to agree the additional support they need to improve.

End the national categorisation system

The new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements will see the ending of the national categorisation system, with its published categories. Whilst the core purpose of the categorisation system was to establish the level of support needed by schools to improve, it had a number of negative consequences. Most significantly, the category in which a school was placed did not reflect on the quality of education delivered by the school, but was rather an assessment of the support it needed to improve. However, for many schools, it was perceived to be an accountability measure, while parents also used it as an indicator of quality.

This led to the consequential risk of some schools feeling incentivised to aim for a 'better' colour in their engagement with regional consortia, instead of being open about their support needs and thereby ensuring they access the high quality support they need to improve.

OECD reports to Welsh Government ( Developing Schools as Learning Organisations in Wales and Achieving the curriculum for Wales) both highlighted the negative impact of public colour coding of schools. For example, 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', published in October 2020, referred to ways in which perceptions of the national categorisation system 'have tempered schools'' confidence and even their capacity to engage in enquiry, experimentation and innovation.

In place of categorisation, the guidance proposes that School Development Plans summaries should include a short summary of the school's self-evaluation, including strengths and areas for development. This will form part of the wider school development plan summary, which is published on the school's website and will therefore be accessible for the wider community and will continue to provide parents and learners with up to date information about their school.

In addition, regional consortia should support schools' self-evaluation activity and engage in professional dialogue with governing bodies, to support them in fulfilling their accountability function. This will draw attention to any particular issues and strengths. They will also provide the governing body with a report outlining how they propose to support and/or broker support to address its improvement priorities, and more widely.

The new approach will retain the best features of categorisation, while removing its unintended, negative consequences. Regional consortia and local authorities will continue to work closely with schools, as a professional partner in their improvement.

Through the publication of a summary of schools' improvement priorities and development plan, parents will have access to more detailed information about their children's school than was previously provided by its colour category.

Strengthen and provide clarity about the separation and distinction between evaluation and improvement activities and the accountability and transparency systems

The guidance provides clarity about where accountability resides in each level of the education system. It emphasises that accountability and transparency should be seen as separate, if related, to evaluation and improvement activities. It makes clear that whilst local authorities have the power to intervene in 'schools causing concern', in the majority of cases governing bodies, as the accountable body for their school, should be free to oversee the evaluation and improvement process, supported by advice, resources and services from local authorities and regional consortia.

The new arrangements emphasise the continuing key role for Estyn in delivering consistent, comprehensive and accurate inspections of schools. Schools will be inspected, on average, twice within a six year inspection cycle, which will provide more regular information and assurance for parents from the independent inspectorate. Inspection reports will have greater explanatory narrative about the performance of schools, supporting schools' improvement planning, without including summative judgements.

Clearly assign the roles and responsibilities of different bodies in the education system

Within a self-improving school system, it is important that the different bodies - principally schools and governing bodies, local authorities, and regional consortia - understand their own roles and responsibilities, those of others, and the relationship between them. The guidance therefore sets out Welsh Government's expectations of the role and responsibilities of the different bodies, in relation to evaluation, improvement and accountability, in order to help the self-improving system to function efficiently and effectively.

National Resource: evaluation and improvement and Data Research project

Schools' ability to carry out effective self-evaluation and improvement planning effectively is fundamental to the success of the evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements set out in the school improvement guidance. The school improvement guidance does not attempt to cover the practical detail of how schools should self-evaluate or carry out improve planning, as this is a matter for individual schools to decide, based on their own context and informed by their consideration of factors such as the principles of progression and statutory national priorities. Schools will be supported in this process by their improvement adviser.

However, the Welsh Government has worked with schools, Estyn, regional consortia and local authorities to develop the National resource: evaluation and improvement to support schools when undertaking robust, evidence -based, self-evaluation. The resource, which is published on Hwb, provides a range of approaches and prompts, as well as practical case studies produced by schools, and links to further resources to support effective self-evaluation.

Whilst the use of the national resource is not obligatory, schools are encouraged to make use of support it provides to develop their approaches to self-evaluation.

In addition, The Welsh Government has commissioned research to establish an evidence base on the data and information that is used and needed to support effective evaluation, improvement and accountability throughout the school system. The research, which will report in September 2022, will consider how all parts of the system have access to the most appropriate and useful data for the purposes they need it, looking at what is already available, what else is required or would be beneficial for each function, and how to access or source it.

Five ways of working

We consider the new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements are consistent with the five ways of working:

Long term

The evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements set out in the school improvement guidance set out the Welsh Government's expectations of how school improvement should be delivered in the context of the Curriculum for Wales. The curriculum has been developed to prepare learners for a rapidly changing world, and to reflect the potential needs of business and the economy in the future. Key to this are the realisation of the four purposes, the emphasis on learner progression (as set out in the principles of progression for each area of learning and experience).

Prevention

The new arrangements continue the move away from schools being evaluated with a disproportionate emphasis on a small number of performance measures, based on external qualification outcomes, which can lead to behaviours and choices by schools that are not necessarily in the best interests of all learners.

For example, the use of uncontextualised external qualifications data for accountability purposes sometimes led to an excessive focus by schools on the attainment of year 11 learners on the GCSE C/D boundary. This could result in the progress of learners either below or above that threshold not being prioritised, and their achievements not being recognised. In addition, such a narrow focus could mask significant issues in the outcomes, learning and teaching of learners other than in year 11.

In addition, the incorrect but widely held interpretation of the categorisation system, in which schools were assigned a category based on their development and improvement needs, as an accountability measure could also drive unintended and perverse consequences. Most notably, the reluctance of some schools to be open about their improvement needs and to seek support from regional consortia, for fear of this affecting the category they were assigned.

These consequences were generally recognised; 'Education in Wales: Our National Mission' (2017) noted that it was necessary to develop "flexible and responsive accountability models which hold schools to account and support children's learning, without inhibiting innovation and effective sharing of good practice". The OECD's report to Welsh Government, 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', published in October 2020, referred to ways in which the existing evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements, especially perceptions of the national categorisation system, 'have tempered schools'' confidence and even their capacity to engage in enquiry, experimentation and innovation'.

Whilst qualifications outcomes will continue to be published for transparency purposes (although exactly in what form will be guided by information ecosystem research), the outcome of a school's self-evaluation provides more meaningful transparency about its areas of strength and priorities for improvement than a colour category.

More broadly in relation to prevention, an important feature of the support system defined in the guidance is that regional consortia and local authority engagement with schools should facilitate the early identification of schools that are declining and in need of support to prevent them becoming a 'school causing concern'. While in the majority of cases, issues should be identified and addressed by schools themselves through their own evaluation and improvement processes, enhanced by collaboration with other schools.

Integration

The evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements set out in the school improvement guidance align with the Ambitious and Learning chapter of Taking Wales Forward: the Welsh Government's Programme for Government, supporting young people to reach their potential.

The arrangements also align with wellbeing goals set out in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, including:

A prosperous Wales which develops a skilled and well-educated population

The arrangements are designed to drive behaviours and a culture that align to and support the curriculum for Wales. The curriculum aims to ensure learners develop skills, knowledge and approaches to learning that will form the basis for what they need throughout their lives and will meet the potential needs of business and the economy in the future.

A more equal Wales, which enables people to fulfil their potential no matter what their background or circumstances

Under the arrangements, a wide range of evidence will be used schools to evaluate the progress and well-being of all learners and groups of learners. Successful self-evaluation will lead to the identification of more focussed and contextualised improvement priorities and actions, informed by the progression and wellbeing of its all learners, no matter what their background or circumstances. This should contribute to the achievement of high standards and aspirations for all.

Collaboration

Key partners with an interest in the new evaluation, improvement and accountability framework, include schools and other education providers, regional consortia, WLGA, local authorities, Qualifications Wales and Estyn, learners, parents and carers.

Co-production has been key to the development of the evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements and the associated 'national resource: evaluation and improvement'. Welsh Government has worked with stakeholders throughout the development of the arrangements. In autumn 2020 the school improvement guidance was the subject of an informal consultation which included middle tier stakeholders, including regional consortia, local authorities, Qualifications Wales and Estyn. We have continued to engage with and seek the advice of these stakeholders on our proposals, following the formal consultation period in 2021.

The Welsh Government co-constructed the national resource with Estyn, regional consortia and teaching practitioners, and colleagues from Estyn and regional consortia are represented on the national resource steering group. Teaching practitioners have also played a key role, for example in the production of playlist case studies showing best practice in self-evaluation.

Involvement

A formal consultation on the new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements took place between January and March 2021. The purpose of the consultation was to gather views on the clarity and usefulness of the school improvement guidance and the framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability.

Whilst the majority of the eighty two responders generally agreed with the proposed evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements, particular concerns were raised about the then proposed replacement for categorisation. These concerns were considered and the arrangements have been subsequently amended to address these concerns.

The national resource was the subject of a publicised three month national pilot at the beginning of 2022, and feedback will continue to be invited via the Hwb; while the resource itself will continue to evolve, with more materials being added subject to user feedback.

The guidance subject to this impact assessment is non-statutory, The Welsh Government intends to replace this guidance with statutory guidance in September 2024. In advance of this, we will carry out further consultation, including with young people.

8.1. How have people most likely to be affected by the proposal been involved in developing it?

The proposed changes to the evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements presented in the non-statutory school improvement guidance will most significantly impact those directly involved in school improvement planning and accountability processes: school leaders and practitioners, governing bodies, regional consortia, local authorities and Estyn. The proposed changes will also affect learners and parents and carers.

The Welsh Government has worked with stakeholders in schools and the middle tier of the education system to develop new arrangements (initial consultation). The school improvement guidance was the subject of a public consultation, which received 82 responses from amongst others, practitioners and school leaders, school governors, regional consortia and Estyn. Consultation feedback has been carefully considered when finalising the non-statutory guidance, while we have continued to engage with and seek advice from stakeholders on its content.

The Welsh Government has also worked with school leaders, regional consortia and Estyn to develop the national resource: evaluation and improvement, which provides support, such as prompts and case studies, to schools when carrying out self-evaluation and improvement planning. In November 2021, the resource was published on Hwb and was subject to a widely publicised national pilot with feedback sought from practitioners. The national pilot was accompanied by virtual roadshows and events with school leaders and practitioners.

8.2 What are the most significant impacts, positive and negative?

It is considered that the most significant identified impacts will be positive. The evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements set out in the non-statutory school improvement guidance will:

set out Welsh Government's expectations on how school improvement should be delivered in the context of the Curriculum for Wales. It supports the successful implementation of the curriculum for Wales, by aligning the evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements to the principles and aims of the curriculum, including supporting learners to realise the four purposes and principles of progression

continue the move away from schools being evaluated with a disproportionate emphasis on a small number of performance measures, which can lead to behaviours and choices by schools that are not necessarily in the best interests of all learners

make each school's own self-evaluation, the starting point for all evaluation and improvement work. This is supported by the development of the national resource: evaluation and improvement

articulate a system in which schools' performance is evaluated using a wider range of evidence and information, covering the breadth of school activity with a focus on learner progress and wellbeing

enable the identification of tailored school support needs based on robust self- evaluation and school improvement priorities and the allocation of bespoke support for schools wherever they are on their improvement journey

maintain the importance of robust accountability within the school system, delivered through effective governance and more regular Estyn inspection of schools

Overall, we consider that the impact of the proposals will be positive. The arrangements make each school's own self-evaluation the starting point for all evaluation and improvement work; school leaders know their schools best and should be able to decide what aspects of their operations to evaluate in detail, informed by their judgements about learner progress.

Research evidence on effective self-evaluation emphasises the importance of effective self-evaluation being focussed on evaluation for improvement, rather than to satisfy external accountability. Where school improvement is motivated more by external factors, such as institutional competition (for example league tables), schools and staff may perceive self-evaluation less as a meaningful exercise for organic school improvement and more as a ritualised audit of their practice.

The ending of the national categorisation system will also be positive, as it removes the incentive for schools to not be open about their support needs when working with regions and local authorities. Feedback from regional consortia noted that categorisation held back the extent of collaboration between schools, driving instead a culture of competition in some cases. Regional consortia and local authorities will continue to work closely with schools, as a professional partner in their improvement. The outcome of a school's self-evaluation will also provide more meaningful transparency about its areas of strength and priorities for improvement than a colour category.

There may be some short-term negative impacts to the proposed arrangements. For example, the new arrangements will require a culture change in approach to improvement and accountability, and individuals may initially require further support and professional learning to make best use of the arrangements and national resource. We anticipate that this will affect bodies and individuals such as practitioners, governing bodies and improvement advisers.

Local communities, including parents and carers, may need information and support to understand the changes to accountability arrangements, especially the ending of national categorisation which was used by many, albeit incorrectly, as an indicator of school quality. Whilst the publication of a summary of schools' improvement priorities and development plan, will provide parents and carers with access to more detailed information about their children's school than was previously provided by its colour category, this change may be perceived as a negative impact initially.

8.3 In light of the impacts identified, how will the proposal:

Maximise contribution to our well-being objectives and the seven well-being goals

In supporting learners to realise the four purposes, the school improvement guidance contributes across all seven well-being goals. For example, the guidance contributes to a prosperous Wales, as it drives behaviours that support the Curriculum for Wales. The curriculum has been designed to ensure that learners develop the skills, knowledge and approach to learning which they will need throughout their lives and which will meet the potential needs of business and the economy in the future.

The overarching purpose of school improvement is to help schools give learners the best possible learning experiences and outcomes, whatever their background or circumstance, in order to achieve high standards and aspirations for all. Schools should use a wide range of evidence when carrying out self-evaluation, and to consider the progression and well-being of all learners when setting their improvement priorities. This will contribute to the well-being goal of a more equal Wales. The guidance will therefore also contribute to Welsh Government well-being objective to 'continue our long-term programme of education reform, and ensure education inequalities narrow and standards rise'.

Avoid, reduce or mitigate any negative impacts?

The negative impacts identified above can be reduced and mitigated through:

appropriate training provided, for example, to practitioners, governing bodies and improvement advisers. The Welsh Government will work with regional consortia and local authorities to ensure that effective, proportionate training is provided in a consistent manner across Wales

the national resource: evaluation and improvement includes guidance and support to enable schools to carry out effective self-evaluation under the new arrangements

effective messaging to communicate the aims and benefits of the new arrangements to all parties

8.4How will the impact of the proposal be monitored and evaluated as it progresses and when it concludes?

The evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements subject to this integrated impact assessment are non-statutory. We will build on the experiences and learning developed during forthcoming academic years and will reflect this in revised statutory guidance to come into force in September 2024.

The statutory guidance will be the subject of further formal consultation before publication; we anticipate that the proposed statutory guidance will be the subject of consultation with young people. We also aim to work with practitioners through the national network for curriculum implementation.

The statutory school improvement guidance will be subject to a fresh integrated impact assessment before publication.

A. Children's rights impact assessment

Background

The overarching purpose of school improvement is to support schools give children and young people the best possible learning experiences and outcomes, whatever their background, thereby achieving high standards and aspirations for all. Under the Curriculum for Wales, a fundamental part of this will be ensuring that schools support every learner to progress towards the four purposes.

The guidance supports that objective by setting out a framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability that will deliver sustainable school improvement and drive the behaviours and practices required by the new curriculum and assessment arrangements. To be successful, it is crucial that all aspects of the schools system are aligned with and support the new curriculum and its underlying principles.

A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) was conducted in relation to Curriculum for Wales guidance, which concluded that the impact of the new curriculum was expected to be positive. An extensive programme of engagement activity was carried out during the development of the guidance, including regional events and focus groups for children and young people.

The draft non-statutory school improvement guidance was the subject of a public consultation in 2021 which did not involve direct engagement with learners and young people. However we intend toissue updated school improvement guidance on a statutory basis in September 2024 and, prior to doing so, will learn from the impact of the non-statutory guidance, and carry out further consultation, including direct engagement with learners.

Evaluation, improvement and accountability framework

The arrangements set out in the guidance aim to provide schools and others with a system to ensure that every learner is supported to progress, and to encourage schools to evaluate and support the progression of all learners of differing ages, abilities and aptitudes.

What changes does the guidance propose?

The guidance proposes to:

Strengthen the importance of robust self-evaluation and improvement planning by schools, which draws on a broad range of evidence

A key principle of the new arrangements is that schools' self-evaluation and improvement priorities should be the starting point for work with local authorities and regional consortia.

School performance will be considered in its widest sense, with schools evaluated in their own context, supported by a broad range of evidence, bespoke improvement planning and support. The progression, attainment and well-being of all learners will be important features of school evaluation.

The self-evaluation processes will identify areas of strengths and priorities for improvement, which will be drawn together in a single, strategic school development plan. Schools will publish a summary of their plan which includes priorities, actions, milestones and planned support for the current academic year, as well as a report on progress against the previous year's priorities.

Building on their own self-evaluation and development plans, schools will work with local authorities and regional consortia to agree the additional support they need to improve.

Replace the national categorisation system

The new arrangements end the published national categorisation process, whilst retaining the core purpose of categorisation - determining what support schools need to improve. Categorisation itself will be replaced by a support process, led by regional consortia, in which consortia agree with schools the support they need to improve.

The guidance proposes that published School Development Plans summaries should include a short summary of the school's self-evaluation and conclusions, summing up the school's headline strengths and areas for development and providing the context for the school's improvement priorities and planned actions. This will form part of the wider school development plan summary, which is published on the school's website and is therefore accessible for the wider community, continuing to provide parents and learners with up to date information about their school.

Strengthen and provide clarity about the separation and distinction between evaluation and improvement activities and the accountability system

The guidance provides clarity about where accountability resides in each level of the education system. It emphasises that accountability and transparency should be seen as separate, if related, to evaluation and improvement activities. It makes clear that whilst local authorities have the power to intervene in 'schools causing concern', in the majority of cases governing bodies, as the accountable body for their school, should be free to oversee the evaluation and improvement process, supported by advice, resources and services from local authorities and regional consortia.

In order to ensure that accountability remains robust, schools will be inspected more regularly by Estyn. Inspection reports will also have greater explanatory narrative about the performance of schools, supporting schools' improvement planning, without including summative judgements. Schools judged to be in the statutory categories of special measures or significant improvement, however, will continue to be clearly identified.

Clearly assign the roles and responsibilities of different bodies in the education system

Within a self-improving school system, it is important that the different bodies - principally schools and governing bodies, local authorities, and regional consortia - understand their own roles and responsibilities, those of others, and the relationship between them. The guidance therefore sets out Welsh Government's expectations of the role and responsibilities of the different bodies, in relation to evaluation, improvement and accountability, in order to help the self-improving system to function efficiently and effectively.

Impact on young people

We expect that the changes proposed in the school improvement guidance will have a positive impact on children in Wales.

The overarching purpose of school improvement is to help schools give young people the best possible learning experiences and outcomes, whatever their background, thereby achieving high standards and aspirations for all and narrowing the gap between disadvantaged learners and their peers.

Under the Curriculum for Wales, a fundamental part of this will be ensuring that schools support every learner to progress towards the four purposes. In order to ensure that schools are helping learners to progress in a way that will support them to develop towards the four purposes, the Principles of Progression provide a framework for school leaders to use to design their processes for collecting and analysing evidence about learner progress, both over time and at a group level.

With the removal of levels in the Curriculum for Wales, it is necessary for schools and partners to develop a more sophisticated, broad-based understanding of learner progress. Schools need to collect evidence to evaluate learner progress, both at an individual, group and school level. They should use this evidence to answer the following two questions:

are learners progressing in the ways described in the Principles of Progression, supporting them to develop towards the four purposes?

is the pace of learners' progress in line with the expectations of teachers and the curriculum?

Schools' answers to these questions will help determine the lines of enquiry of subsequent self-evaluation and improvement. To help schools arrive at answers to these questions, the Principles of Progression include both overarching principles and principles specific to each Area of Learning and Experience.

To further support schools, the guidance sets out eight contributory factors which describe the key attributes that schools that are successfully realising the curriculum will possess; these factors should be taken into account when schools carry out self-evaluation. The Curriculum for Wales recognises that learners progress at different rates, and this is reflected in the new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements.

The new arrangements support the introduction of a new culture for school evaluation and improvement, in which a main focus of all levels of the education system will be the delivery of school improvement processes that supports a broad and balanced curriculum in all schools, and ensures that the progress and wellbeing of all learners, including the most vulnerable, feed into self-evaluation and subsequent improvement priorities and actions. Schools will be encouraged to be open about their strengths and areas for improvement, within a collaborative and supportive environment, which should ensure that they receive the support and advice they need to improve for the benefit of their learners.

Under the new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements:

governing bodies are accountable for the effectiveness and improvement of their school and oversee their evaluation and improvement activities. As part of this accountability role, governing bodies will publish summaries of their school's annual school development plan, setting out their school's improvement priorities and the actions which it will take to deliver them. It will also report against the previous year's priorities

the school's improvement priorities should be determined by consideration of the outcomes and conclusions of its self-evaluation, and of statutory national priorities, which include reducing the impact of poverty on learners' progression and attainment. Self-evaluation should be based on the widest and richest possible range of information, covering the breadth of learner's educational experience. The self-evaluation processes should consider how the school is enabling all learners, and groups of learners, in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to progress along their own learning pathway. The aim to raise standards and aspirations for all learners should be a key driver. Consideration of learner wellbeing should also be at the heart of self-evaluation under the new arrangements

a key aspect of the arrangements, which is emphasised by the eight contributory factors, is the importance of pupil voice and community engagement in school self-evaluation. The views of learners, their families and the wider community should be sought and taken into consideration in the self-evaluation process. This will contribute to the contextualisation of the wider evidence before schools, and should ensure that the needs of all learners are considered in the process and reflected in subsequent improvement priorities

to support effective school self-evaluation, we have worked with schools, regional consortia and Estyn to develop the National Resource: Evaluation and Improvement, which provides schools with prompts and case studies to help them carry out self-evaluation. The resource covers a range of areas, with its four main themes for evaluation including Teaching and Learning and Equity and Wellbeing

whilst schools' will continue to use qualifications data in their self-evaluation, for example as a starting point for self-evaluation in some areas, it should not be used in isolation or out of context, nor presented as evidence of how effective a school is. Using external qualifications data out of context, for accountability purposes, has in the past led to perverse behaviours and choices by schools that are not necessarily in the best interests of learners - for example, a narrowing choice of the curriculum at both primary and secondary sectors and an excessive focus on the GCSE C/D boundary, which can lead to schools not recognising the achievements or requirements of learners either below or above that threshold, or of learners in different age groups. The removal of any perceived incentives to such behaviours will improve the life chances of all learners, as schools will be encouraged to offer a broad and balanced curriculum and to ensure that the progress made by every learner is their priority

the new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements will also see the ending of the national categorisation system, with its published categories. Whilst the core purpose of the categorisation system was to establish the level of support needed by schools to improve, it had a number of negative consequences. Most significantly, whilst the category in which a school was placed did not reflect on the quality of education delivered by the school, but was rather an assessment of the support it needed to improve, it was seen as an accountability exercise - an assessment of the quality of education delivered by the school. This led to the consequential risk of schools not engaging fully or openly in what should have been a beneficial evaluation and improvement process to determine the level of support they needed to improve for their learners. In addition, the OECD's report to Welsh Government, 'Achieving the new curriculum for Wales', published in October 2020, referred to ways in which perceptions of the national categorisation system 'have tempered schools'' confidence and even their capacity to engage in enquiry, experimentation and innovation. Responses received to the consultation on the draft school improvement guidance were also strongly in favour of the removal of categorisation for this reason

The replacement of categorisation with a more bespoke process, in which schools set out the support they need in their published school development plan summaries, removes the suggestion of comparative judgement whilst continuing to provide transparency for learners, families and the wider community. The new arrangements should encourage schools to think more widely about where they need to develop to support all learners to progress towards the four purposes , and how they can best do so. It will also allow them to work more collaboratively and effectively with others in the education system, including regional consortia, local authorities and other schools, to obtain any support they need to improve for their learners.

As a result of the pandemic, the categorisation process has been suspended since the summer of 2020. The clear feedback we have received from regional consortia, who daily saw the impact of categorisation on schools' behaviour, is that its suspension has improved their relationships with schools, and has accelerated a culture change towards a professional partnership that supports and accelerates schools' improvement rather than one based upon accountability. Regional consortia have reported that the removal of the categories has resulted in schools being considerably more open about requesting support, especially those schools which had previously been categorised as green.

Explain how the proposal is likely to impact on children's rights

The Welsh Government is proud of our record of promoting children's rights and working to ensure all children in Wales have the best start in life. Our ambition is that the rights of every child and young person in Wales should be promoted and respected to enable them to be the best they can be.

The development of the new curriculum for Wales has had due regard to the UNCRC and Welsh Government has worked closely with the Office of the Children's Commissioner. The proposed new framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability in schools, set out in the school improvement guidance, is designed to align with and support the new curriculum and its underlying principles.

We consider that the evaluation, improvement and accountability framework and the guidance in which it is presented contribute to the following articles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC):

article 28 - Children have a right to an education. Discipline in schools should respect children's human dignity. Primary education should be free. Wealthy countries should help poorer countries achieve this

article 29 - Education should develop each child's personality and talents to the full. It should encourage children to respect their parents, and their own and other cultures

The school improvement guidance will also support schools and others in the education system evaluate and improve the delivery of the four purposes to their learners. (The four purposes specifically recognise the role of children's rights: all children and young people will be ethical, informed citizens; who respect the needs and rights of others, as a member of a diverse society; and who understand and exercise their human and democratic responsibilities and rights.) In doing so, it will be supported by the national evaluation and improvement resource, which will help practitioners to deliver on the expectations set out in the guidance. The resource has 'curriculum' as one of its four themes.' and contains prompts to support schools to self-evaluate their delivery of and progress towards the four purposes and the principles of curriculum for Wales.

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School improvement guidance: impact assessment

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Section 1: what action is the welsh government considering and why? The Welsh Government has worked with stakeholders in schools and the middle tier of the education system to develop new evaluation, improvement and accountability arrangements for schools, local authorities, regional consortia and Estyn.

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Cynnwys pob un o’r staff yn y broses hunanwerthuso | Estyn

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Mae staff yn Ysgol Gynradd Gatholig Rufeinig y Santes Fair wedi dechrau cymryd mwy o ran yn y broses hunanwerthuso. Trwy rannu cyfrifoldeb, caiff staff gyfle i gydweithio â’i gilydd. Crëwyd timau i werthuso meysydd datblygu penodol. Mae hyn wedi galluogi staff i wella eu medrau arwain. Disgwylir i s…

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St Mary's R.C. Primary School is in Wrexham local authority. There are 395 pupils on roll aged 3 to 11 years, including 42 who attend part-time in the nursery. The school organises pupils into 14 single-age classes and two nursery classes. About 5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is considerably below the national average of 18%. The school identifies about 8% of pupils as having additional learning needs which is below the national average of 21%. The majority of pupils come from an ethnic minority background and around a half the pupils have English as an additional language. This is notably above the national average of 6%. A very few pupils speak Welsh at home.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school staff are organised into teams to lead and develop priorities. This has proved successful, for example when implementing new initiatives within the school following their involvement in a number of collaborative, cluster-based projects.

Previously, the headteacher and senior managers were responsible for leading the school's self-evaluation process. Whilst staff and governors were involved and aware of the SDP (school development plan) through staff and governors' meetings and training opportunities, there was limited involvement in its creation and on-going evaluation.

In addition, the traditional role of the curriculum co-ordinator had become redundant within the school. Staff were working much more collaboratively to plan stimulating learning experiences with the pupils, and all members of staff were involved in monitoring exercises on a rota basis.

With the imminent arrival of the new Professional Teaching Standards, the leadership team recognised their professional responsibility to support and facilitate the development of all staff as leaders. Going forwards, it was vital that the self-evaluation and school development process became a whole school concern and that all staff members claimed greater ownership of their professional development.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school self-evaluation, its development planning and staff development is a shared responsibility of staff who work collaboratively as a professional learning organisation.

Initially, draft school improvement priorities are identified following a robust self-evaluation process involving all staff and governors.

Key personnel with specific responsibilities are nominated by the leadership team to lead the development of each identified priority within an SDP development team e.g. literacy coordinators, Successful Futures Cluster Lead.

Staff are invited to express an interest in joining a particular SDP team.

Based on this information, the leadership team then organise teachers into cross-phase teams with an appropriate balance of expertise and experience to ensure effective whole-school development of each priority.

Each SDP team work collaboratively to evaluate and detail their specific priority area for development within the shared SDP document.

They reflect on the current situation in relation to the priority area, identify criteria for successful implementation and document specific actions to be taken. Any staffing and resource implications are detailed, including costs and their source. Deadlines for achievement are also included.

On completion, the SDP teams present their part of the development plan to the whole staff and any further actions are added following discussion. Links between different priorities are made to ensure a consistent and cohesive approach.

The leadership team analyse the overall SDP and prioritise whole school development, research and training needs. This informs a planned programme of in-house action-based research activities, staff meeting workshops, training and any other staff development sessions to be provided by other key professionals.

SDP teams are then given short-term targets for development linked to their priority, with an expectation to share research and good practice with the whole staff during a designated staff meeting and training session.

All staff meetings and development sessions provide an open forum for staff to contribute, ask questions, and professionally challenge ideas and strategies. This ensures that systems are appropriately refined and adapted to best suit the pupils and their setting.

Each half term, SDP teams conduct a full review of progress towards the identified actions and the SDP is updated accordingly on the shared online document. Each action is RAG (Red, Amber, Green) colour-coded and progress is evidenced. Where necessary, actions may be modified in light of any additional training or research conducted.

All staff and governors have access to the 'live' SDP and it is also formally shared with governors at each curriculum and governors' meetings. Progress is discussed and challenged where appropriate to ensure sustained improvement.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners' standards?

A climate of mutual support where all staff effectively collaborate on all areas of school improvement

A shared ownership and understanding of the school's vision for strategic development

Successfully distributed leadership responsibilities to all staff according to their strengths and areas of interest and expertise

Staff working in cross-phase teams, ensuring that everyone has an overview of the school's improvement journey

Well-defined roles and responsibilities clearly understood by all members of staff

Staff at all levels empowered to contribute extensively to developing their own leadership skills

Collaborative teaching and support for colleagues, providing tangible guidance for less confident or experienced staff

Opportunities for professional learning both within and beyond the school

A platform for staff to share good practice and provide training at a whole school level, which also successfully enhances their own presentation skills

Innovation and professional growth at all levels, facilitated by action research conducted by SDP teams

Higher expectation for staff to conduct research and to be responsible for their own professional learning

Encouragement and empowerment for staff to reflect on their own practice and be open to trialling new, innovative and forward thinking pedagogy without the fear of making mistakes

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has shared the development of this leadership model with the regional consortium, the Diocese and key stakeholders.

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Including all staff in the self-evaluation process | Estyn

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Staff at St Mary's Catholic Primary School have become more involved in the self-evaluation process. By making it a shared responsibility, staff have the opportunity to work collaboratively with each other. Teams have been created to evaluate specific areas of development. This has allowed staff to improve on their leadership skills.

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Datblygu Ysgolion - Estyn (2018) Gwella addysgu

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Datblygu Ysgolion - Estyn (2018) Gwella addysgu

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School Improvement Case Studies - Estyn (2018) Improving teaching

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School Improvement Case Studies - Estyn (2018) Improving teaching

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School self-evaluation for school improvement: Principles of effective practice | BERA

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Ross Goldstone

Cardiff University

Ross Goldstone is a PhD candidate at the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, where he is studying the relationship between social class and further education participation and experience. His current interests are in educational inequality and the sociology of education, in addition to wider debates around social class, and the ideas of Bourdieu and their application in educational research. Further information is available on his university profile.

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School self-evaluation for school improvement: Principles of effective practice

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Ross Goldstone Cardiff University Ross Goldstone is a PhD candidate at the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, where he is studying the relationship between social class and further education participation and experience. His current interests are in educational inequality and the sociology of education, in addition to wider debates around social class, and the ideas of Bourdieu and their application in educational research.

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Dwyieithog/ Bilingual  Follow link to website.   The national resource: evaluation and improvement  

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Dwyieithog/ Bilingual  Follow link to website.   The national resource: evaluation and improvement  

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A resource to support schools with self evaluation and improvement

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The national resource: evaluation and improvement - Hwb

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Dwyieithog/ Bilingual  Follow link to website.  Schools as Learning Organisations (Welsh Government hosted on Hwb)

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Dwyieithog/ Bilingual  Follow link to website.  Schools as Learning Organisations (Welsh Government hosted on Hwb)

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Exploring Schools as Learning Organisations Podcast

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Exploring Schools as Learning Organisations Podcast

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Exploring Schools as Learning Organisations - Addysg Cymru | Education Wales

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The Schools as Learning Organisations model helps schools explore new ways to improve teaching and learning. Mike Bubbins speaks to Jenny Scott, Headteacher at Ninian Park Primary in Cardiff about how

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Thomson, P. (2010)

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First Things First: Demystifying Data Analysis by Mike Schmoker

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First Things First: Demystifying Data Analysis by Mike Schmoker

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To improve student achievement results, use data to focus on a few simple, specific goals.

Phi Delta Kappan - The Professional Journal for Education

February 2003 | Volume 60 | Number 5

Using Data to Improve Student Achievement Pages 22-24

I recently sat with a district administrator eager to understand her district's achievement results. Pages of data and statistical breakdowns covered the table. Looking somewhat helpless, she threw up her hands and asked me, "What do I do with all this?"
Many educators could empathize with this administrator. The experts' tendency to complicate the use and analysis of student achievement data often ensures that few educators avail themselves of data's simple, transparent power. The effective use of data depends on simplicity and economy.
First things first: Which data, well analyzed, can help us improve teaching and learning? We should always start by considering the needs of teachers, whose use of data has the most direct impact on student performance. Data can give them the answer to two important questions:

How many students are succeeding in the subjects I teach?

Within those subjects, what are the areas of strength or weakness?

The answers to these two questions set the stage for targeted, collaborative efforts that can pay immediate dividends in achievement gains.

Focusing Efforts

Answering the first question enables grade-level or subject-area teams of practitioners to establish high-leverage annual improvement goals-for example, moving the percentage of students passing a math or writing assessment from a baseline of 67 percent in 2003 to 72 percent in 2004. Abundant research and school evidence suggest that setting such goals may be the most significant act in the entire school improvement process, greatly increasing the odds of success (Little, 1987; McGonagill, 1992; Rosenholtz, 1991; Schmoker, 1999, 2001).

If we take pains to keep the goals simple and to avoid setting too many of them, they focus the attention and energies of everyone involved (Chang, Labovitz, & Rosansky, 1992; Drucker, 1992; Joyce, Wolf, & Calhoun, 1993). Such goals are quite different from the multiple, vague, ambiguous goal statements that populate many school improvement plans.

Turning Weakness into Strength

After the teacher team has set a goal, it can turn to the next important question: Within the identified subject or course, where do we need to direct our collective attention and expertise? In other words, where do the greatest number of students struggle or fail within the larger domains? For example, in English and language arts, students may have scored low in writing essays or in comprehending the main ideas in paragraphs. In mathematics, they may be weak in measurement or in number sense.

Every state or standardized assessment provides data on areas of strength and weakness, at least in certain core subjects. Data from district or school assessments, even gradebooks, can meaningfully supplement the large-scale assessments. After team members identify strengths and weaknesses, they can begin the real work of instructional improvement: the collaborative effort to share, produce, test, and refine lessons and strategies targeted to areas of low performance, where more effective instruction can make the greatest difference for students.

So What's the Problem?

Despite the importance of the two questions previously cited, practitioners can rarely answer them. For years, during which dataand goals have been education by-words, I have asked hundreds of teachers whether they know their goals for that academic year and which of the subjects they teach have the lowest scores. The vast majority of teachers don't know. Even fewer can answer the question: What are the low-scoring areas within a subject or course you teach?

Nor could I. As a middle and high school English teacher, I hadn't the foggiest notion about these data-from state assessments or from my own records. This is the equivalent of a mechanic not knowing which part of the car needs repair.

Why don't most schools provide teachers with data reports that address these two central questions? Perhaps the straightforward improvement scheme described here seems too simple to us, addicted as we are to elaborate, complex programs and plans (Schmoker, 2002; Stigler & Hiebert, 1999).

Over-Analysis and Overload

The most important school improvement processes do not require sophisticated data analysis or special expertise. Teachers themselves can easily learn to conduct the analyses that will have the most significant impact on teaching and achievement.

The extended, district-level analyses and correlational studies some districts conduct can be fascinating stuff; they can even reveal opportunities for improvement. But they can also divert us from the primary purpose of analyzing data: improving instruction to achieve greater student success. Over-analysis can contribute to overload-the propensity to create long, detailed, "comprehensive" improvement plans and documents that few read or remember. Because we gather so much data and because they reveal so many opportunities for improvement, we set too many goals and launch too many initiatives, overtaxing our teachers and our systems (Fullan, 1996; Fullan & Stiegelbauer, 1991).

Formative Assessment Data and Short-Term Results

A simple template for a focused improvement plan with annual goals for improving students' state assessment scores would go a long way toward solving the overload problem (Schmoker, 2001), and would enable teams of professional educators to establish their own improvement priorities, simply and quickly, for the students they teach and for those in similar grades, courses, or subject areas.

Using the goals that they have established, teachers can meet regularly to improve their lessons and assess their progress using another important source: formative assessment data. Gathered every few weeks or at each grading period, formative data enable the team to gauge levels of success and to adjust their instructional efforts accordingly. Formative, collectively administered assessments allow teams to capture and celebrate short-term results, which are essential to success in any sphere (Collins, 2001; Kouzes & Posner, 1995; Schaffer, 1988). Even conventional classroom assessment data work for us here, but with a twist. We don't just record these data to assign grades each period; we now look at how many students succeeded on that quiz, that interpretive paragraph, or that applied math assessment, and we ask ourselves why. Teacher teams can now "assess to learn"-to improve their instruction (Stiggins, 2002).

A legion of researchers from education and industry have demonstrated that instructional improvement depends on just such simple, data-driven formats-teams identifying and addressing areas of difficulty and then developing, critiquing, testing, and upgrading efforts in light of ongoing results (Collins, 2001; Darling-Hammond, 1997; DuFour, 2002; Fullan, 2000; Reeves, 2000; Schaffer, 1988; Senge, 1990; Wiggins, 1994). It all starts with the simplest kind of data analysis-with the foundation we have when all teachers know their goals and the specific areas where students most need help.

What About Other Data?

In right measure, other useful data can aid improvement. For instance, data on achievement differences among socio-economic groups, on students reading below grade level, and on teacher, student, and parent perceptions can all guide improvement.

But data analysis shouldn't result in overload and fragmentation; it shouldn't prevent teams of teachers from setting and knowing their own goals and from staying focused on key areas for improvement. Instead of overloading teachers, let's give them the data they need to conduct powerful, focused analyses and to generate a sustained stream of results for students.

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First Things First: Demystifying Data Analysis

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Phi Delta Kappan - The Professional Journal for Education February 2003 | Volume 60 | Number 5 Using Data to Improve Student Achievement Pages 22-24 I recently sat with a district administrator eager to understand her district's achievement results. Pages of data and statistical breakdowns covered the table.

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Use this link to Improvement resources to look at Thematic reports and Effective practice

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Yma, byddwch yn dod o hyd i adnoddau i gynorthwyo'r rhai sy'n gweithio mewn addysg a hyfforddiant i godi safonau i ddysgwyr. Chwiliwch am adnoddau penodol neu gallwch archwilio mwy isod.

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Use this link to Improvement resources to look at Thematic reports and Effective practice

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Here you'll find resources to support those working in education and training in raising standards for learners. Search for specific resources or explore more below.

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The impact of school self-evaluation upon student achievement
Pages 1 -5

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The impact of school self evaluation upon student achievement a group randomisation study

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Bridghouse and Woods How to improve your school.

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Brighouse and Woods (1999) Chapt 5 Stakeholders and partners

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Arweinyddiaeth ar gyfer system sy'n gwella ei hun

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Arweinyddiaeth ar gyfer system sy'n gwella ei hun

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Data-based decision-making for school improvement: Research insights and gaps. Kim Schildkamp

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Data-based decision-making for school improvement: Research insights and gaps. Kim Schildkamp