Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

Within the first 5 years of this plan we aim to be on target with regard to achieving our objectives. We will continue to work with partners on the future recruitment, development and training of the schools’ workforce in order to be able to deliver this Plan and the Welsh Government’s ‘A million Welsh speakers by 2050’ aspiration.

To achieve our aspirations for upskilling staff we will:

• Continue to use the language skills audit every two years to identify the Welsh language skill levels of all staff to provide a robust evidence base for the type of further training required to increase the number of staff able to work and learn through the medium of Welsh.
  
• All schools to respond to the school workforce Welsh Language Skills audit, analysing the data that identifies current provision and areas for further development. All schools will need to reflect this in the school's self-evaluation documents and development plans. Schools will be required to use their resources to provide opportunities for staff to access development opportunities.
  
• Further analysis by the Local Authority of the workforce data will inform us of gaps in provision and future training needs/content of training programmes. The Department will need to review and publish the programme of Continuing Professional Development which is available to cater flexibly for identified training needs, in support of the WESP’s implementation.
  
• We will work with partners (Partneriaeth, National Centre for Learning Welsh, Dysgu Cymraeg, Trinity St David’s University Sabbatical Courses) to deliver training programmes with a specific focus on teaching through the medium of Welsh.
  
• We will encourage staff to enrol on the University of Wales Trinity Saint David's sabbatical training scheme.
  
• We will offer staff training to improve reading, writing and speaking in Welsh, and to refine the Welsh skills of those who already have a command of the language. We will use the County Council's Language Skills Framework, as a basis for this work.
  
• In addition, we intend developing the skills and confidence of teachers to teach through the medium of Welsh and upskill support staff to lend assistance to pupils through the medium of Welsh.
  
• Furthermore, we will upskill staff to ensure that appropriate pedagogy is adopted, to ensure that standards will be maintained and raised whilst teaching through the medium of Welsh.
  
• This will include implementing the new Professional Standards for Teachers, increasing the number of teachers who can teach Welsh as a subject and work effectively in bilingual settings, take advantage of alternative routes into teaching, access national workforce planning systems and the Wales-wide approach to small and rural schools.

Staff/leaders Recruitment:

• Recruiting Welsh speaking education staff to work in our schools can be challenging and we will consider a range of ways of dealing with this challenge, including linguistic support to school leaders. This will include the launch of a local campaign in terms of recruiting bilingual staff to lead and work in Carmarthenshire schools.
  
• Challenges persist in recruiting Welsh speaking school leaders and we will instigate and formalise school federations to assist with the situation. We will provide guidance and training and support this new leadership role by offering specific training and facilitating school to school support.
  
• We will also be providing bespoke linguistic and leadership training for school leaders.

Support for School Governors

• The Local Authority will provide support and challenge to Governors and school leaders on appointing suitably qualified staff in order that they can address the requirements of this Plan and continue to improve educational standards.
  
• Continue to support and advise Governors and school leaders on developing the linguistic ability of staff.

General

• We will ensure that the Athrawon Gwella’r Gymraeg Service is maintained as they work tirelessly in delivering all aspects of support for Welsh medium education.
  
• We will work with partners e.g., the Welsh for Adults team, Dysgu Sir Gâr, Partneriaeth, further education colleges, Welsh Government, National Academy for Educational Leadership, on leadership development and ensuring that we have a school workforce with the appropriate bilingual skills.
  
• This work can be supported by Leaders of Learning and Professional Learning Communities to ensure practical support for practitioners teaching increasingly through the medium of Welsh especially with respect to classroom resources. This can then lead into working with publishers of educational materials (e.g.CAA, Peniarth, Telesgop, Theatre in Education and outside agencies) to develop teaching resources, apps etc. and work with WG to secure financial resources to develop this aspect.

• Through strategic planning we will offer training to all staff across both the primary and secondary sector at all linguistic levels. This is paramount in achieving our goals.
  
• We will work hand in hand with Trinity St David’s in the delivery of the Sabbatical courses feeding into and offering linguistic after care.
  
• Welsh for Adults service will continue to deliver language courses at all levels and the Athrawon Gwella’r Gymraeg service will continue to create resources to enhance teaching in both the primary and secondary sector.
  
• We will also provide language awareness training and the benefits of Welsh-medium education/bilingualism for the Council's front-line workers (School Admissions department, Family Information Service, programmes such as Flying Start) and work with the Health Board to provide the same training for Midwives and health visitors.