The Council’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan is now available to view on the website – https://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/council/policies-plans-strategies/
The plan’s main objectives are to raise the profile and participation in Welsh Education in the area by 2020 by increasing early years provision for Welsh; improving transition rates from early years into primary and secondary Welsh Medium and further improve learner outcomes through the medium of Welsh.
Some of these are on the way to being achieved with the borough’s Welsh medium primary school, Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg in Nantyglo, continuing to make improvements and see better outcomes for pupils. The Council is also working with the South East Wales Education Achievement Service to ensure that outcomes are also good at the secondary provision, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Pontypool, where Blaenau Gwent learners attend.
Full time nursery placements are now offered at Bro Helyg and the Council are also considering the development of a Welsh seeding school in the Tredegar valley area through the 21st Century Schools Programme’s second wave of funding.
Councillor Clive Meredith, the Council’s Executive Member for Education says:
“We have for a long time been committed to encouraging and developing the Welsh language within both the workplace and our communities. It is important to recognise that children from non-Welsh speaking homes can develop true bilingual skills by attending Welsh medium schools and this is a skill that will equip them well in the future.
“We are pleased that the Welsh Government has approved our Plan to developing Welsh Education here in Blaenau Gwent and now we will get on with the work of achieving our objectives and contributing towards the country’s aim of 1million Welsh speakers by 2050.”