Lynne Neagle AC
Cadeirydd
Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg
Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru
Caerdydd CF99 1NA                                                                                        13 Mawrth 2018

Annwyl Ms Neagle,

Argaeledd gwerslyfrau :: Availability of textbooks

Diolch am eich llythyr dyddiedig 22 Chwefror ynghylch argaeledd gwerslyfrau.

Gall CBAC fel corff dyfarnu hybu diddordeb cyhoeddwyr o ran darparu gwerslyfrau, gallwn ddarparu cyngor o ran agweddau ar gynnwys ac asesiad a gallwn ddarparu “cymeradwyaeth“ ar gyfer gwerslyfrau sy’n addas ar gyfer cymhwyster. Fodd bynnag, nid oes gennym unrhyw reolaeth dros raglen waith cyhoeddwr na thros yr amserlen ar gyfer eu cynnyrch.

Yn gyffredinol, y ffactor pennaf sy’n creu rhwystr i gyhoeddwyr o ran eu hamserlen ar gyfer gyrru ymlaen gyda’u gwaith yw’r amserlen reoleiddiol ar gyfer cymeradwyo cymwysterau, yn benodol faint o amser sydd ar gael cyn y dyddiad pryd y dechreuir dysgu. Mae hyn wedi bod yn faen tramgwydd ar gyfer nifer o bynciau o fewn yr amserlen diwygio a luniwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn ystod rhan olaf y cyfnod pan oedd yn rheoleiddio cymwysterau yng Nghymru (ac roedd yr amserlen honno yn debyg iawn i’r un ar gyfer diwygio cymwysterau yn Lloegr). Fodd bynnag, o ran gwerslyfrau TGAU a Safon Uwch ar gyfer Astudiaethau Crefyddol, mae’n ymddangos bod ffactorau ychwanegol wedi cael effaith ar y ddau gyhoeddwr oedd yn gwneud y gwaith hwn.

Fel rhan o’n cefnogaeth i’n cymwysterau, mae CBAC yn buddsoddi yn sylweddol mewn adnoddau digidol ar gyfer dysgu ac addysgu, gan eu darparu yn rhad ac am ddim i ddefnyddwyr. Yn eu plith mae dogfen “canllaw dysgu” sylweddol ac amrediad o adnoddau digidol i gefnogi’r dysgu, gyda phwyslais penodol ar rannau o’r cymhwyster sydd wedi newid ers y fersiwn flaenorol. Mae Astudiaethau Crefyddol TGAU a TAG yn digwydd bod ymhlith y cymwysterau hynny lle rydym wedi datblygu amrediad eang o adnoddau digidol newydd.

Ar gyfer rhai cymwysterau rydym yn methu ennyn diddordeb unrhyw gyhoeddwr gwerslyfrau, fel arfer oherwydd y niferoedd bychain sy’n dilyn y cymhwyster neu oherwydd natur y dysgu. Yn yr achosion hynny, bydd adnoddau digidol a gynhyrchir gan CBAC yn bwysicach fyth, fel sydd wedi digwydd ar gyfer cymwysterau diwygiedig ar gyfer Dylunio a Thechnoleg ac Electroneg (ar gyfer y cyntaf o’r rhain, derbyniwyd cefnogaeth ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru).

Ar cyfan, mae amrediad rhesymol o werslyfrau ar gael trwy ddarpariaeth fasnachol ar gyfer cymwysterau TGAU a TAG diwygiedig yng Nghymru, ond mae’n anarferol iawn canfod ar gyfer unrhyw bwnc ddewis o gynnyrch gan fwy nag un cyhoeddwr. Y prif bryder yw’r amserlen ar gyfer eu cynhyrchu a’r bwlch amser rhwng darpariaeth fersiynau cyfrwng Saesneg a chyfrwng Cymraeg. Gan edrych tua’r dyfodol, fodd bynnag, ni ellir cymryd yn ganiataol y bydd y farchnad fasnachol fel y mae ar hyn o bryd yn gallu ateb anghenion rhaglenni dysgu sy’n seiliedig ar gwricwlwm sy’n datblygu i fod yn fwy penodol ar gyfer Cymru.

Hyd yn oed mewn sefyllfaoedd lle mae dysgwyr wedi cael eu siomi o ran argaeledd gwerslyfrau, nid ydym fel arfer yn canfod bod ganddyn nhw bryderon o ran y canlyniadau maen nhw yn llwyddo i’w cyrraedd yn ddiweddarach yn eu hasesiadau. Credwn bod hyn yn digwydd oherwydd yr amrediad o adnoddau eraill sydd ar gael, gan gynnwys rhai sydd wedi eu teilwra gan athrawon a darlithwyr ar gyfer eu dosbarthiadau.

Pe byddai’r Pwyllgor yn ystyried y gallai hynny fod yn ddefnyddiol, byddai CBAC yn hapus iawn i ddarparu gwybodaeth bellach trwy drafodaeth a chyflwyniad ar faterion sy’n berthnasol i’r drefniadaeth bresennol a’r dyfodol.

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Thank you for your letter of 22 February regarding the availability of textbooks.

As an awarding body, WJEC can stimulate publishers' interest in providing textbooks, can advise on aspects of content and assessment and can provide an "endorsement" of textbooks that are well aligned with the qualification. However, we have no contractual control over a publisher's programme of work nor the timelines to which they work.

In general, the main inhibiting factor in relation to timelines to which publishers proceed with their work is the regulatory schedule for approving qualifications, relative to the date of first teaching. This has proved to be a problem for several subjects that were recently reformed to a schedule set out by Welsh Government during the latter part of the period when it fulfilled the role of qualifications regulator in Wales (that schedule being very similar to that followed for qualifications reform in England). However, in relation to GCSE and A level textbooks for Religious Studies, it appears that there were additional factors that impacted on the two publishers involved.

In support of most of our qualifications, WJEC makes a substantial investment in teaching and learning resources that are made available in digital form free of charge to users. These comprise a substantial "guidance for teaching" document and a range of digital resources to support learning, with a particular emphasis on areas of the qualification that have changed from previous versions. GCSE and GCE Religious Studies happen to be qualifications for which we have developed a substantial range of new digital resources.

For some qualifications, usually for reasons related to low volume of take-up or the nature of the learning, we fail to attract interest from any textbook publisher. In such cases, digital resources produced by WJEC assume an even greater importance, as is the case for reformed qualifications in Design & Technology and Electronics (for the former, funding support was received from Welsh Government).

Overall, the commercial provision of textbooks for reformed GCSE and GCE qualifications in Wales is reasonable in terms of range, but it is very unusual to find for any subject a choice of products from more than one publisher. The main issues have been with timeliness of production and with the interval between availability of English-medium and Welsh-medium versions. Looking to the future, however, it cannot be assumed that the commercial market as it currently stands will meet the needs of learning programmes that are based on a curriculum in Wales that becomes increasingly more distinctive.

Even in situations where learners have been disappointed with the availability of textbooks, we have in general not found that they have had subsequent concerns with the results they have achieved in their assessments. We believe that this arises because of the breadth of other resources that are available, including those tailored by teachers and lecturers to meet the needs of their classes.

If the Committee considers that it would be useful, WJEC would be pleased to provide further information through a discussion and illustration of matters relevant to current and future arrangements.

Yn gywir,

Gareth Pierce
Prif Weithredwr / Chief Executive
CBAC / WJEC

cc  Philip Blaker, Prif Weithredwr, Cymwysterau Cymru