900 extra teaching staff in plan to “Recruit, recover and raise standards” in Welsh schools

The Welsh Government will provide an additional £29 million to schools to boost support for learners at crucial stages in their education from September.

• 600 extra teacher and 300 teaching assistant posts over the 2020-21 school year
• Focus on supporting pupils most affected by school closures
• Extra support for Years 11, 12 and 13 in secondary schools
• Support for pupils who receive free school meals, Additional Learning Needs and vulnerable children
• Builds on existing reforms such as Pupil Development Grant, E-sgol and curriculum development

The equivalent of 600 extra teachers and 300 teaching assistants will be recruited throughout the next school year, targeting extra support at Years 11, 12 and 13, as well as disadvantaged and vulnerable learners of all ages.

This will support learners taking their A level and GCSEs in 2021 and those known to have been affected most while many schools have been closed since March.

Professional learning resources will be provided to support the new and existing teachers, in preparation for September. Staff will be recruited on a one-year fixed term contract and are expected to move into educational roles in the following school year. 

The support package, provided at a school level, could include extra coaching support, personalised learning programmes and additional time and resources for exam year pupils. A range of teaching approaches will be relevant, including blended learning.

Since most schools closed to pupils in March, the Welsh Government has targeted support to ensure continuity of learning, including providing 10,000 digital learning devices, ensuring eligible children continue to receive free school meals and increasing mental and emotional health and wellbeing support.

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, will host the Welsh Government’s daily press conference at 12:30 today, where she will announce plans for schools in September.

Kirsty Williams said:

“Our education family in Wales has met the challenge of the pandemic together, ensuring that our young people are supported with their well-being and learning.

“I now want to ensure schools and pupils have the support they need by recruiting extra staff, to support the recovery phase and continue to raise standards as part of our national mission of education reform.

“We must never lower our expectations for any of our young people, no matter their background. That is why thousands and thousands more learners in Wales now enter and gain a science GCSE, it is why we now outperform other nations for A Level results, and it is why thousands more are studying and succeeding at higher levels.

“I know that teachers and parents across the country share my determination not to lose that momentum. This extra investment and targeted support will ensure that the impact of time away from school over recent months is minimised.

“This is not a short-term fix. I am guaranteeing this money, extra staff and support for the whole of next year.

“Alongside the new curriculum, we are moving purposefully into a new era for education. One where each learner benefits from a broad and balanced education.

“Together, we will continue to raise standards for all, reduce the attainment gap and ensure we have a system that is a source of pride and public confidence.”

The total cost of the provision will be £28.869m. There will be £16.840m in the financial year 2020/21, from the Welsh Government’s Covid19 Revenue Response Reserve, and £12.029m in 2021/22.

Newly qualified teachers and supply teachers will take up the majority of the posts. It is projected that there will be around 800 newly qualified teachers in September and around 800 supply staff currently working in Wales.

900 o staff addysgu ychwanegol mewn cynllun i “Recriwtio, adfer a chodi safonau” mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru 

Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru’n darparu £29m ychwanegol i ysgolion er mwyn rhoi mwy o gymorth i ddysgwyr yn ystod cyfnodau hanfodol yn eu haddysg o fis Medi ymlaen.

Bydd 600 o athrawon ychwanegol a 300 o gynorthwywyr addysgu ychwanegol yn cael eu recriwtio drwy gydol y flwyddyn ysgol nesaf, gan ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol i Flynyddoedd 11, 12 a 13 a hefyd i ddysgwyr difreintiedig a dysgwyr agored i niwed o bob oed.

Bydd hyn yn helpu dysgwyr sy’n eistedd eu harholiadau Safon Uwch a TGAU yn 2021 a’r rheini yr effeithiwyd arnynt fwyaf ers i’r ysgolion gau ym mis Mawrth.

Caiff adnoddau dysgu proffesiynol eu darparu i gynorthwyo’r athrawon newydd a’r athrawon presennol, er mwyn paratoi ar gyfer mis Medi. Bydd staff yn cael eu recriwtio ar gontract tymor penodol o flwyddyn a disgwylir iddynt symud i rolau addysgol yn y flwyddyn ysgol ddilynol. 

Gallai’r pecyn cymorth, a ddarperir ar lefel ysgol, gynnwys cymorth hyfforddi ychwanegol, rhaglenni dysgu wedi’u personoli yn ogystal ag amserau ac adnoddau ychwanegol ar gyfer disgyblion sydd ym mlwyddyn yr arholiadau. Bydd ystod o ddulliau addysgu’n berthnasol, gan gynnwys dysgu cyfunol.

Gan fod y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion wedi cau i ddisgyblion ym mis Mawrth, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi targedu cymorth i sicrhau bod dysgu’n parhau, gan gynnwys darparu 10,000 o ddyfeisiau dysgu digidol, sicrhau bod plant cymwys yn dal i gael prydau ysgol am ddim a chynyddu’r cymorth ar gyfer iechyd a lles meddyliol ac emosiynol.

Bydd Kirsty Williams, y Gweinidog Addysg, yn cynnal cynhadledd ddyddiol Llywodraeth Cymru i’r wasg am 12.30 heddiw, lle bydd yn cyhoeddi’r cynlluniau ar gyfer yr ysgolion ym mis Medi. 

Dywedodd Kirsty Williams:

“Mae ein teulu addysg yng Nghymru wedi mynd i’r afael â her y pandemig hwn gyda’i gilydd, gan sicrhau bod ein pobl ifanc yn cael cymorth gyda’u llesiant a chymorth i ddysgu.

“Rwyf bellach eisiau sicrhau bod gan ysgolion a disgyblion y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt drwy recriwtio staff ychwanegol i’w cefnogi yn y cyfnod adfer a pharhau i godi safonau fel rhan genhadaeth ein cenedl i ddiwygio addysg.

“Ni ddylem byth ddisgwyl llai gan unrhyw berson ifanc, ni waeth beth fo’i gefndir. Dyna pam fod miloedd a miloedd yn fwy o ddisgyblion yng Nghymru bellach yn astudio ar gyfer cymhwyster TGAU Gwyddoniaeth, a pham ein bod yn perfformio’n well na’r gwledydd eraill o ran canlyniadau Safon Uwch a bod miloedd yn fwy yn astudio ac yn llwyddo ar lefelau uwch.

“Rwy’n gwybod bod athrawon a rhieni ar draws y wlad yr un mor benderfynol â mi i beidio â cholli’r momentwm hwnnw. Bydd y buddsoddiad ychwanegol hwn a’r cymorth wedi’i dargedu’n sicrhau bod yr amser i ffwrdd o’r ysgol dros y misoedd diwethaf yn cael cyn lleied o effaith â phosibl.

“Nid yw hyn yn ateb tymor byr. Bydd yr arian hwn, y staff ychwanegol a’r cymorth ar gael ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf i gyd.

“Ochr yn ochr â’r cwricwlwm newydd, rydym yn symud gyda phwrpas i gyfnod newydd ar gyfer addysg. Cyfnod lle mae pob dysgwr yn elwa ar addysg eang a chytbwys.

“Gyda’n gilydd, byddwn yn parhau i godi safonau i bawb, yn lleihau’r bwlch cyrhaeddiad ac yn sicrhau bod gennym system y gall y genedl i gyd fod yn falch ohoni a bod a hyder ynddi.