1. Cymorth a chydweithio rhwng ysgolion School-to-school support and collaboration

2. Cefndir Background Promoting and encouraging school-to-school working is a priority of Welsh Government This report gives examples of school-to- school support, including self-generated arrangements, brokered arrangements and federations The report considers what works, how and why it works, and the support mechanisms that sustain it It also discusses the impact, success factors and obstacles facing these school-to-school initiatives Mae hyrwyddo ac annog gweithio rhwng ysgolion yn un o flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru Mae’r adroddiad hwn yn rhoi enghreifftiau o gymorth rhwng ysgolion, gan gynnwys trefniadau a grëwyd gan yr ysgolion eu hunain, trefniadau wedi’u brocera a ffederasiynau Mae’r adroddiad yn ystyried beth sy’n gweithio, sut a pham y mae’n gweithio, a’r dulliau cymorth sy’n ei gynnal Mae hefyd yn trafod effaith, ffactorau llwyddiant a’r rhwystrau y mae’r mentrau hyn rhwng ysgolion yn eu hwynebu

3. Prif ganfyddiadau Mae bron pob ysgol yn cymryd rhan mewn rhyw fath o waith partneriaeth ag ysgolion eraill Yn y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion yng Nghymru, ceir gwaith cydweithredol ag ysgolion eraill mewn clwstwr cynradd/uwchradd. Mewn lleiafrif o ysgolion, mae’r holl waith ychwanegol rhwng ysgolion o ganlyniad i frocera (gan yr awdurdod lleol, consortia neu Lywodraeth Cymru). Mae gan tua hanner yr ysgolion drefniadau gweithio eraill rhwng ysgolion a grëwyd gan yr ysgolion eu hunain Main findings Nearly all schools are involved in some form of partnership working with other schools In most schools in Wales there is collaborative work with other schools within a primary/secondary cluster. In a minority of schools, all additional school- to-school work is the result of brokering (by the local authority, consortia, or Welsh Government). Around half of schools have other school-to-school working arrangements that are self-generated

4. Prif ganfyddiadau Mae trefniadau gweithio llwyddiannus rhwng ysgolion yn mynnu ymrwymiad dilys gan arweinwyr ysgolion ac agweddau sy’n cynnwys agoredrwydd, ymddiriedaeth a thryloywder mewn arfer Hefyd, mae’n hanfodol bod y rhai sy’n cydweithio â’i gilydd wedi nodi amcanion strategol clir a meini prawf llwyddiant manwl ar gyfer y cyfryw gydweithio Yn fwyaf hanfodol, rhaid i’r ffocws fod ar yr effaith i ddisgyblion Main findings Successful school-to-school working arrangements require the genuine commitment of school leader’s attitudes of openness, trust and transparency in practices It is also essential that those working together have clearly identified strategic objectives and precise success criteria for such collaboration Most crucially the focus must be on the impact for pupils

5. Prif ganfyddiadau Er mwyn i gymorth rhwng ysgolion fod yn llwyddiannus, mae’n hanfodol bod arweinwyr yr ysgol yn ymrwymo i gydweithio ag ysgolion eraill. Mae gweithio effeithiol rhwng ysgolion yn mynnu buddsoddi amser sylweddol staff ar gyfer ymchwil a datblygu Main findings For school-to school support to be successful, the commitment of the school leadership to work with others is essential. Effective school-to-school working requires significant investment of staff time for research and development

6. Prif ganfyddiadau Mae cymorth rhwng ysgolion yn gweithio orau: pan mae’n deillio o nodi angen yn glir, bod iddo sail resymegol glir a’i fod wedi ei seilio ar amcan strategol pan mae’r ffocws ar wella deilliannau i ddisgyblion pan mae’n fuddiol i bob un o’r cyfranogwyr pan mae’r ysgolion ar gamau tebyg ar eu taith wella oherwydd, os oes un ohonynt yn dda neu’n dda iawn a’r llall yn wan, mae’n llai tebygol y bydd y cymorth yn effeithiol oherwydd bod gormod o fwlch rhwng yr ysgolion; a phan mae’r berthynas rhwng ysgolion yn gyfartal, ymddiriedus, agored ac yn dryloyw Main findings School-to-school support works best when: it arises from a clear identification of need, has a clear rationale and is based on a strategic objective the focus is on improving outcomes for pupils; the participants experience it as mutually beneficial; the schools are at similar stages of their journey of improvement because if one is good or very good and the other is weak, it is less likely that the support is effective as the distance between the schools involved is too great; and the relationships between schools are equal, trusting, open and transparent

7. Prif ganfyddiadau Mae’r rhwystrau a nodwyd rhag cydweithio effeithiol rhwng ysgolion yn cynnwys: diffyg ymrwymiad gan arweinwyr yr ysgolion; diffyg buddiannau ar y cyd; diffyg ymddiriedaeth a gonestrwydd; a chred nad oes gan eraill unrhyw beth defnyddiol i’w gynnig Main findings The barriers identified for effective school to school working include: lack of commitment by the school leadership; lack of shared interests; lack of trust and openness; and a belief that others have nothing useful to offer

8. Prif ganfyddiadau Mewn tua hanner yr ysgolion yr ymwelwyd â nhw, mae’r gweithgarwch wedi’i frocera rhwng ysgolion (ar wahân i gydweithio 14- 19) yn ddiweddar ac mae’n rhy gynnar i weld yr effaith ar safonau Roedd bron pob un o’r trefniadau ffedereiddio presennol yn deillio o angen i arbed arian neu achub ysgolion rhag cael eu cau Main findings In around half of schools visited the brokered school-to-school activity (apart from 14-19 collaboration) is recent and it is too early to see the impact on standards Nearly all existing federation arrangements originated from a need to save money or save schools from closure

9. Bu manteision ariannol ym mron pob un o’r ffederasiynau. Mae’r rhain yn deillio o: rannu a chyfuno staff ac arbenigedd; cyflawni dull cyson, er enghraifft i arfer asesu, datblygu medrau a rheoli ymddygiad; gallu taro bargen well ar gyfer gwasanaethau ac adnoddau; a rhesymoli’r strwythur staffio (er enghraifft cael un pennaeth adran yn hytrach na dau). Caiff ysgolion wedi’u ffedereiddio eu cofrestru’n ysgolion unigol, sy’n golygu, at ddibenion archwilio ac arolygu, cânt eu trin ar wahân. Mae hyn yn gwastraffu amser ac adnoddau In nearly all federations there have been financial benefits. These derive from: sharing and pooling of staff and expertise; achieving consistency of approach, for example, to assessment practice, the development of skills and behaviour management; being able to negotiate better deals for services and resources ; and rationalising the staffing structure (for example one head of department rather than two). Federated schools are registered as separate schools which mean that for audit and inspection purposes they are treated separately. This wastes time and resources

10. Prif ganfyddiadau Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r trefniadau ffedereiddio yn gymharol newydd. Mae tystiolaeth bod deilliannau i ddisgyblion yn ymwneud â lles, fel presenoldeb ac ymddygiad, yn gwella o ganlyniad i ffedereiddio. Mae’n rhy gynnar i arfarnu eu heffaith ar safonau yn llawn. Mae ysgolion ffederal yn ceisio gwella profiadau dysgu disgyblion trwy gynllunio cynlluniau gwaith ar y cyd mewn cyfarfodydd rheolaidd o’r staff o’r ysgolion ffederal. Mae gweithgareddau allgyrsiol ar y cyd yn cyfrannu’n dda at les disgyblion. Mae athrawon yn datblygu ystod ehangach o fedrau addysgu o ganlyniad i gydweithio â’i gilydd a rhannu gweithgareddau datblygiad proffesiynol. Main findings Most federation arrangements are relatively new. There is evidence that outcomes for pupils relating to wellbeing such as attendance and behaviour, improve as a result of federation. It is too early to fully evaluate impact on standards. Federated schools seek to improve the learning experiences available to pupils by planning schemes of work jointly in regular meetings of the staff from the federated schools. Joint extra-curricular activities contribute well to pupils’ wellbeing. Teachers develop a greater range of teaching skills as a result of working together and sharing professional development activities.

11. Argymhellion Dylai arweinwyr ysgolion: Fod yn glir iawn ynghylch yr hyn y maent am ei gyflawni trwy gymryd rhan mewn gweithgarwch cymorth rhwng ysgolion Nodi meini prawf llwyddiant penodol ar gyfer y gweithgarwch Sicrhau bod y ffocws ar godi safonau a gwella deilliannau Arfarnu’r effaith, costau a buddion Recommendations School leaders should: Be very clear about what they want to achieve from taking part in school-to-school support activity Identify specific success criteria for the activity Make sure that the focus is on raising standards and improving outcomes Evaluate the impact, costs and benefits

12. Recommendations Dylai awdurdodau lleol a chonsortia: Fod â strategaeth glir ar gyfer paru ysgolion i gydweithio â’i gilydd Gosod disgwyliadau ynghylch sut bydd grwpiau’n gweithredu Sicrhau bod adnoddau ar gael i ategu gwaith rhwng ysgolion Nodi a lledaenu gwybodaeth am arfer sy’n haeddu cael ei hefelychu Local authorities and consortia should: Have a clear strategy for matching schools to work together Set expectations about how groupings will operate Make sure that resources are available to support school-to-school work Identify and disseminate information about practice worthy of emulation Argymhellion

13. Recommendations Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru: Ystyried ffyrdd i alluogi ffederasiynau i gofrestru’n ysgol unigol Cydlynu cronfa ddata genedlaethol o arfer sy’n haeddu cael ei hefelychu sy’n dod ag astudiaethau achos arfer orau Estyn, a’r rhai a nodir gan gonsortia ac awdurdodau lleol, at ei gilydd Welsh Government should: Consider ways of allowing federations to register as a single school Coordinate a national database of practice worthy of emulation that brings together Estyn best practice case studies and those identified by consortia and local authorities Argymhellion

14. Arfer orau Ysgol Uwchradd Elfed yn Sir y Fflint Ym Medi 2014, cyflwynodd Ysgol Elfed ddogfen cynllunio gweithgarwch rhwng ysgolion. Roedd y ddogfen hon yn mynnu, cyn unrhyw ymweliad, y dylid: nodi’r ffocws ar gyfer y cymorth rhoi disgrifiad o’r angen neu’r mater nodi amcan strategol y gwaith Nododd arolygiad Estyn ym Mawrth 2015 fod diwylliant cryf o fyfyrio a chydweithio wrth rannu arfer orau yn yr ysgol. Best practice Elfed High School in Flintshire September 2014 introduced a school-to-school planning document in September 2014 This required that before any visit there should be identification of the focus for the support description of the need or issue the strategic objective for the work The Estyn inspection of March 2015 noted that there is a strong culture of reflection and collaboration in sharing best practice at the school.

15. Mae cyflwyno cynllunio gwaith rhwng ysgolion yn ffurfiol yn Ysgol Uwchradd Elfed wedi annog ysgolion i ystyried yn ofalus iawn beth maent am ei gyflawni trwy’r cymorth ac, o ganlyniad, bu ffocws gwell i weithgareddau. Trwy ei wneud yn ofyniad i ysgolion sy’n cysylltu â nhw am gymorth fod yn glir ynghylch eu hanghenion, mae Ysgol Uwchradd Elfed yn helpu cydweithwyr i ddatblygu ffocws a strwythur clir yn eu cyfleoedd dysgu proffesiynol. The introduction of the formalised planning of school-to-school work at Elfed High School has encouraged schools to consider very carefully what they want from the support and as a result activities have been better focused. By requiring a school approaching them for support to be clear about their needs Elfed High School is helping colleagues to develop clear focus and structure in their professional learning opportunities

16. 10 cwestiwn i ddarparwyr Beth yw ffocws gwaith rhwng ysgolion? Pam y mae angen y cymorth? Sut bydd y gwaith hwn yn ategu blaenoriaethau’r ysgol, blaenoriaethau lleol a blaenoriaethau cenedlaethol? Beth yw’r deilliannau gofynnol? Pa adnoddau sydd eu hangen ar gyfer y gwaith hwn (amser, staff ac ati)? 10 questions for providers What is the focus of the proposed school-to- school support? Why is the support needed? How will this work support school, local and national priorities? What are the required outcomes? What are the resources required for this work (time, staff etc.)?

17. 10 cwestiwn i ddarparwyr Sut byddwch yn arfarnu’r effaith? Sut byddwch yn nodi â phwy i weithio? A oes gennych arfer y gallech ei rhannu? A oes gennych ddiwylliant yn eich ysgol sy’n cynorthwyo gweithio ar y cyd? Os nad yw gwaith rhwng ysgolion wedi cael yr effaith ofynnol, a allwch chi nodi pam ddim – beth oedd y rhwystrau? 10 questions for providers How will you evaluate the impact? How will you identify who to work with? Do you have practice that you could share? Have you a culture within your school that supports collaborative working? If school-to-school working has not had the required impact, can you identify why not – what were the barriers?

18. Cwestiynau...Questions…