May I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement this afternoon? May I also endorse the thanks to Qualifications Wales for their research, and for sharing the information with us beforehand?

It’s important that we don’t forget, in this debate, why this is happening, and we have to remind ourselves that this is happening because what the teachers want is the best for the pupils and the best for their schools, and there’s a risk that that is lost in this debate. That is why this situation has arisen, to all intents and purposes, but we shouldn’t doubt, and I’m sure we don’t doubt, the motives of teachers in insisting on the best for their pupils and the best for their schools. It’s also important, as the Cabinet Secretary has reminded us in her statement, that we recognise that there is value and importance in allowing the use of early entry GCSEs, and I welcome the fact that the Government is to provide specific guidance on that, because I do think that that will be of assistance—of great assistance, in fact.

As I said, I welcome the statement and I also welcome what the Government intends to do in light of the content of the statement. There is one question at the back of my mind, however, on the limited element of the research carried out by Qualifications Wales: 59 professionals in the education sector—heads of departments, headteachers and teachers and so on; no school governors, no parents, and most importantly, no consultation with the pupils and students themselves—the very people who are impacted most by this decision. Where is the voice of young people in this debate, and where is the voice of young people in this decision? I do think that it’s a weakness in the process if we haven’t been having discussions with the very people most affected by this. And Qualifications Wales themselves have said that, because of the limitations of this research, they have failed to undertake further research, which would provide them with additional sources of evidence in order to evaluate the statements made by teachers.

My first question to you, Cabinet Secretary, is: are you confident that you have all of the evidence necessary to make this decision? And how can we be certain that all voices impacted by this have been heard and have had an opportunity to express their views in the debate that has led to this decision? Because views are quite clearly polarised, in terms of the evidence gathered by Qualifications Wales. Some feel that they are strongly in favour of what’s happening, and others feel that it’s the wrong approach and this polarisation, to me, would insist that the evidence that we have is as robust as it possibly can be before we come to a decision.

Hoffwn ofyn ichi hefyd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: beth fyddech chi'n ei ddweud wrth y bobl hynny a fyddai o’r farn, yn ôl yr ymchwil eto gan Cymwysterau Cymru, na fyddai caniatáu dim ond y canlyniad cyntaf i gyfrif tuag at fesur perfformiad ysgol yn ei hanfod yn wahanol i dynnu'r dewis o gael cofrestru’n gynnar yn gyfan gwbl oherwydd y pwysau sydd wedi bod yn flaenorol, y byddai'r un pwysau'n digwydd eto, o ran dim ond cofrestru’r disgyblion ar ddiwedd y broses, pan fyddant yn cael y canlyniad gorau posibl? Mae hwnnw’n bryder sy’n cael ei fynegi yn yr ymchwil, a meddwl ydw i sut y byddech chi'n tawelu’r meddyliau hynny.

Yr amserlen y gwnaethoch ymhelaethu arni. Rydych yn dweud eich bod yn ymwybodol bod angen digon o amser ar ysgolion i addasu, ac rwy’n cytuno'n llwyr. Er hynny, mae Cymwysterau Cymru yn awgrymu y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gynnal ei hasesiad effaith ei hun ar ba mor fuan i gyflwyno unrhyw newidiadau. Felly, meddwl ydw i a ydych chi wedi gwneud hynny, ac os ydych chi, a fydd hwnnw’n cael ei gyhoeddi gan y Llywodraeth. Rydych chi wedi sôn yn fyr am y goblygiadau cost, ac eto, rwy'n rhannu llawer o'ch pryderon. Ac er bod rhai pobl yn canolbwyntio ar arbed arian—ac, yn amlwg, mae hwnnw un o nifer o ffactorau—i mi, y brif flaenoriaeth, yn amlwg yw gwneud yr hyn sy'n iawn i'r disgybl. Nawr, mae'r amcangyfrif ceidwadol o £3.3 miliwn yn sylweddol iawn ar lefel ysgol a system o fewn addysg yng Nghymru. Rydych chi wedi mynegi'ch pryder ynghylch y posibilrwydd o rannu costau a'r effaith y bydd hynny’n ei chael ar degwch i fyfyrwyr unigol ac, yn amlwg, cynaliadwyedd hirdymor ysgolion. Ond fy nghwestiwn i chi yw hyn: os bydd hynny'n ymddangos, pa gamau fyddwch chi’n eu cymryd? Gallwch ddweud wrth bobl y dylent feddwl yn ofalus amdano—wel, oni ddylem ni fod yn gweithredu i sicrhau nad yw'n digwydd? Felly, efallai y gallech chi rannu gyda ni unrhyw feddyliau sydd gennych ynglŷn â hynny.

A wnewch chi ddweud wrthym ni beth yw eich bwriad o ran gwerthuso effaith y penderfyniad yr ydych chi'n ei gyhoeddi heddiw, a phryd yr ydych yn bwriadu gwneud hynny? Ac, wrth gwrs, o ystyried y cwricwlwm newydd, diwygio'r cwricwlwm, sut mae'r Llywodraeth yn asesu'r angen am ddiwygio’n ehangach y modd y mae perfformiad ysgol yn cael ei fesur, a pha effaith yn benodol y bydd hyn yn ei chael, neu y bydd y newidiadau hyn yn ei chael, o fewn y broses ehangach honno? Diolch.