Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

Appendix 1 - The Welsh Language in Carmarthenshire Report

Appendix 1 - The Welsh Language in Carmarthenshire Report

AIM: Increase the provision of Welsh medium education in Carmarthenshire and ensure linguistic continuity from the nursery sector along the key stages to the secondary sector so that every pupil becomes fluent and confident in both Welsh and English.

Pre-School Education

1. The County Council works closely with Mudiad Meithrin and private providers to ensure that Welsh-medium pre-school education is readily available in all parts of Carmarthenshire.

Primary Sector

1. The County Council prepares a robust work plan and timetable, in conjunction with school governing bodies, to move all primary schools along the language continuum. Strategies will need to be developed for the various categories and geographical areas.
2. The County Council works closely with school staff and governing bodies of Carmarthenshire’s transformational schools (Welsh medium-schools but with significant use of English) for them to become Welsh schools.
3. The County Council works closely with the staff and governing bodies of Carmarthenshire’s dual stream schools for them to become Welsh schools.
4. The County Council agrees with the principle that all English-medium primary schools over a period of time should deliver the curriculum in the Foundation Phase primarily through the medium of Welsh as a starting point taking into account different options for Key Stage 2 (KS2);
5. The County Council begins the process of identifying English-medium schools that would be prepared to introduce the Foundation Phase through the medium of Welsh fairly soon with the aim in KS2 to offer a choice between a Welsh stream or a bilingual stream (25-50% Welsh medium).
6. The County Council considers the current model of language centres/latecomers in Carmarthenshire in the primary sector and to develop provision based on the model of Gwynedd and Ceredigion Councils.
7. The County Council adopts Gwynedd Council's Welsh Language Charter (which encourages children to speak Welsh at school and in the community) and adapts it to the requirements of Carmarthenshire.
8. The County Council revisits this and ensures that Welsh-medium primary schools are part of a secondary school family that can provide a suitable linguistic continuum from the primary sector onwards to KS3 and KS4 and carry out transition activities that reflect the linguistic nature of the feeder primary schools.
9. The County Council includes expectations of Welsh-medium provision as part of an agreement with schools, alongside expectations of discipline, attainment, and attendance.
10. The County Council, should the above recommendations be realised, is aware of the need to plan for growth in Welsh-medium education in the secondary sector.

Secondary Schools

1. The County Council expect secondary schools to build on the linguistic foundation laid by the Welsh medium primary schools by ensuring that all pupils continue to study Welsh as a first language and as a learning medium up to KS4.
2. The County Council adopts a clear continuity protocol with all primary and secondary Welsh schools (or bilingual), with appropriate training where needed, to increase the number of pupils continuing to study through the medium of Welsh at all key stages:
3. The County Council researches the possibility of establishing a second-chance scheme within the transition period between primary and secondary sector by adopting the Immersion Scheme which has been very successful across Wales.
4. The County Council agrees to a timetable and plan to support schools 2A, 2B and 3 to move along the language continuum over a period of time and provides guidance to ensure that all other secondary schools move along the language continuum and create an ethos that encourages respect for the Welsh language.
5. The County Council plans for growth in Welsh medium education in the secondary sector.

Welsh Education Promotion

1. The County Council maintains an ongoing marketing campaign to promote Welsh medium education by explaining the advantages of being bilingual to parents and pupils.
2. The County Council provides training for primary and secondary school governors on the advantages of Welsh medium education and the educational, economic and community reasons why the provision should be extended across the county.

General

1. The County Council undertakes an assessment of the demand for Welsh-medium education in areas where it is considered necessary.
2. The County Council works with all Governing Bodies to undertake a language skills audit to take account of the linguistic needs of the workforce for being able to move the school along the language continuum.
3. The County Council ensures appropriate support and resources to develop and lead a strategy to promote and expand Welsh-medium education in Carmarthenshire.

AIM: Increase the range of opportunities to use Welsh in our communities, particularly for children and young people to reinforce the language outside the school walls.

Youth Services

1. The County Council co-ordinates a strategic action group that would include secondary schools, the county's youth organisations, the further and higher education sector, and the leisure sector to plan and link Welsh-medium provision to ensure that the best possible use is made of the resources available within the County, to target resources as required and to identify any gaps in provision.
2. The strategic implementation group ensures that it develops Welsh-medium community opportunities that will support and strengthen the educational curriculum.
3. The County Council increases Welsh-medium provision within its youth service and supports staff within the service to develop their skills to work through the medium of Welsh.
4. In line with the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group on Youth Clubs (January 2014), prioritise increasing provision through the medium of Welsh as part of the new strategic approach by commissioning some organisations that provide an open youth service through the medium of Welsh.