Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP)

All local authorities in Wales are required by law to have a Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP).

New regulations came into force last year to better support Welsh Government’s long-term goal of having one million Welsh speakers by 2050. The education system plays a key part in achieving this vision and all local authorities in Wales must contribute by creating their own action plans for Welsh-medium education provision for both now and in the future.

In the new Curriculum for Wales, which starts in September 2022 for primary schools and from 2023 for secondary schools, becoming bilingual and multilingual is a key feature of the Languages, Literacy and Communications area of learning.

The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill became law in April 2021 and learning Welsh will be compulsory from the age of three and English from age seven. It means current English medium schools can still teach English from the age of three, but now have the duty and opportunity to introduce Welsh from age three as well.

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires public bodies across Wales to work towards achieving seven well-being goals, including 'A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Welsh Language'. We have a duty to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language and to work towards the achievement of the well-being goals.

This is where the medium of teaching and learning is delivered wholly or predominantly through the medium of Welsh. Learners in these schools often come from a variety of linguistic backgrounds, some from homes where Welsh is spoken and others where Welsh is not spoken. Younger learners receiving their education through the medium of Welsh and who do not speak Welsh at home undergo a process of language immersion immersion (at the same time being sensitive to their background language). All learners in Welsh-medium education are taught in the same classroom, whether or not they speak Welsh at home.

Though taught mainly through the medium of Welsh, it is important to stress that Foundation Phase pupils can, and do, become bilingual in Welsh and English by the age of seven. This is achieved by sensitive and skilful teaching methods the schools are using.

Examples of schools practising immersion can be found all over the world. The Canadian model for implementing immersion is widely documented. It shows that learners need to be taught fully through the target language for two to three years to ensure language competence is developed sufficiently. Another language is then introduced. This is the model used in Wales. It means that learners are taught fully in Welsh up to and including the school year in which the majority of learners turn seven. English is introduced as a subject towards the end of the Foundation Phase, and to varying degrees as a medium of instruction. However, Welsh remains the predominant language of the classroom.

Our key message is don't worry if you can't speak Welsh with your children, you don’t need to be able to speak Welsh to send your child to a Welsh-medium playgroup or school – and there is a lot you can do to help your children speak and use the language.

Schools will remain your first point of contact when it comes to your children’s continued learning. They should be able to support you or advise you on the best way to support your children to maintain their Welsh language skills.

If you can encourage your children to use Welsh when speaking to friends, brothers or sisters or other family members who can speak Welsh, then it will help them maintain their skills.

You can also help your children by encouraging them to attend Welsh-medium activities and to watch Welsh-language television programmes, listen to Welsh-language music, download Welsh-language apps and older children can use social media such as Facebook and Twitter in Welsh. The important thing is that your children have contact with the language as often as possible.

There is a wealth of information leaflets, videos and other resources to help pupils and parents. You can find further information and links to organisations providing activities for children and young people in Welsh on Hwb and on our website.

We also have a dedicated and specialist team of staff to support school leaders, teachers and teaching assistants in their work of delivering the benefits of learning languages at school.

Our specialist language centres provide assistance with newcomers to the county as well as language and confidence improvement programmes for pupils and parents.

Welsh schools set homework instruction in Welsh and in English so there will be no problem in understanding what your child is being asked to do at home. The schools themselves will be happy to provide educational advice and the parents evening will be in your chosen language.

Work set will be appropriate to the pupil’s age and ability level and therefore should be within your child’s reach.

Research has also shown that children who have to translate a task for their parents get a better understanding of the subject, as the process of translation actually reinforces the subject in the child’s mind.

No, in fact, it may even help your child’s English. By learning two languages at the same time, children become aware of how languages work in general. Recent results suggest that children who receive a bilingual education do better in subjects across the curriculum – including English!

On average, about 80% of Carmarthenshire pupils who attend Welsh medium education get A* to C in Welsh and in English.

There are lots of advantages to being bilingual from educational attainment to employability and health.

There is evidence of better results, bilingual people tend to be more creative and flexible, they find it easier to focus on a variety of tasks and to learn additional languages.
Bilingual people earn an average of 11% more, and research shows that being bilingual can also delay the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Being able to speak Welsh also gives you access to many aspects of Welsh culture, history and identity.

You can find out more on the advantages of being bilingual on our web page.

No, please be assured we will continue to identify the Welsh skill levels of all staff and develop the skills and confidence of our school workforce with a comprehensive and flexible training programme.

Welsh is a compulsory, core subject in Wales (alongside English, Mathematics and Science) and it is important that we support staff to engage positively with the training on offer. Welsh language skills also form part of the National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders.

The Welsh in Education Strategic Plan is a statutory national policy and as council employees, we have an important role to play in making sure that any legal obligations are fulfilled.

A programme of Continuing Professional Development will be available to cater flexibly for identified training needs, in support of the WESP’s implementation.

We will work with partners (regionally, National Centre for Learning Welsh, Trinity St David’s University Sabbatical Courses) to help deliver training programmes with a specific focus on teaching through the medium of Welsh.

We will also continue to work with partners on the future recruitment, development and training of the schools’ workforce in order to be able to deliver the WESP and the Welsh Government’s ‘A million Welsh speakers by 2050’ aspiration.