Significant Plan Proposed to Make Welsh the Primary Language in Every School in Gwynedd County, Wales
In a groundbreaking move, the local council of Gwynedd, a county in Wales, is considering phasing out English medium streams in state schools. The ambitious plan aims to establish Welsh as the principal language of education across all schools under the council’s administration. This initiative marks the first extensive review of the county’s Welsh language education policy in over 40 years and signals a major shift towards promoting the use of Welsh in educational settings.
The Draft Revised Education Language Policy is set to be presented at the council’s Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday, April 10. Once implemented, Welsh will play a crucial role in the teaching and learning processes in all schools within the county. Schools like Ysgol Friars in Bangor, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn in Tywyn, and Our Lady’s School in Bangor, have been identified as “Category 3T schools” transitioning towards full Welsh medium provision.
Welsh is already the predominant language in over 90 educational establishments in Gwynedd, classified under the Welsh Government’s Category 3. These schools currently offer a significant amount of Welsh medium provision, with Welsh being the primary language used for internal communication. To support non-Welsh speaking students relocating to the county, Gwynedd’s Immersion Education System will be recommended for their enrollment.
The proposed changes include providing all pre-school education settings in Welsh, teaching and assessing pupils in Welsh from the Foundation Phase to Year 2, and ensuring that at least 80% of educational activities for pupils from Year 3 onwards are conducted in Welsh. Additionally, English will be introduced as a subject and learning medium from Year 3 onwards, with a focus on developing bilingual or multilingual skills among students.
In secondary schools, Welsh will be the main language of education for all pupils up to the age of 16, while English will continue to be incorporated into selected subjects and cross-curricular elements. The policy also outlines equal linguistic opportunities for children and young people with additional learning needs, aligning with the Welsh Government’s strategy to promote Welsh language proficiency as laid out in Welsh 2050: A Million Welsh Speakers.
The proposed policy changes will undergo thorough scrutiny and debate within the council’s cabinet and full council, followed by a public consultation to gather feedback and perspectives from stakeholders. The council emphasises that the objective of the new policy is to ensure that children and young people in Gwynedd grow up as proficient users of the Welsh language, fostering bilingualism and multilingualism within the education system.
In a bid to align with national strategies for language revitalisation and cultural preservation, Gwynedd’s initiative reflects a growing commitment to promoting Welsh as a living language in educational settings. By prioritising Welsh language education, the council seeks to empower students to develop fluency, embrace their linguistic heritage, and engage with Wales’ rich cultural tapestry. Through these measures, Gwynedd aims to set a benchmark for language revitalisation efforts and bilingual education practices across Wales.