New Welsh-medium Primary School Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar
Introduction
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Education Transformation team have been lucky enough to secure 100% funding from Welsh Government Welsh-medium Capital Funding. This has enabled the council to build an additional Welsh-medium Primary school and increase our Welsh medium primary provision in the County Borough.
A formal consultation concluded in early 2021 which secured the Council Executive Committee approval in April 2021 to proceed with the build. The preferred site proposed for the development is situated on Chartist Way Tredegar. (See below Image).
It’s Blaenau Gwent’s plan to expand Welsh-medium education so that as a County Borough we can not only contribute to Welsh Government's vision of a million speakers by 2050 but also give the best bilingual start to your child’s education and work prospects through Welsh-medium education.
Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar
The education offer in the town of Tredegar has now changed and for the first time, Welsh-medium education will be available on your doorstep. Up until now, Welsh-medium education for the whole of the County Borough has been provided at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg situated in the Brynmawr Valley. Historically pupils from Tredegar have travelled from all over Blaenau Gwent to attend this school.
Since September 2023 a satellite provision has been available in Tredegar and is located on a temporary site at Bedwellty House for Nursery and Reception children, until the school moves to its permanent location at Chartist Way for Spring 2025.
For the first few years, the school will come under the shared leadership and governing body of Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg. This will enable the school to start under an established and experienced leadership team and progress confidently as more children and staff join the school in Tredegar.
Please see below images from Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar, the schools has also set up a twitter page @ysgolgymraegtredegar
Home to School transport arrangements
Your children will receive home to school transport if they live more than 1.5 miles from the school as stated in the authorities’ home to school transport policy 2023/24.
Here’s what you need to know about the permanent location of the School
ISG have been appointed as the preferred contractor to build Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar, contractors will be on site from November 2023 with for preparatory work before starting on the school build which is scheduled to start for March 2024.
Wicksead was appointed to build a new park area to the southern end of Chartist way, this has now concluded. Please see below image of park design and actual park.
The school building is scheduled for completion Spring 2024 which will see Nursery, Reception and Year 1 classes transitioning from Bedwellty House, Tredegar into the new building. Admission to the school will continue every year from 2025 the year groups will increase to include Year 2 right through to Year 6. In 2029 all year groups will be full.
Please see the latest construction images to date (April 2024)
Admissions information
It is an important reminder to parents when applying for a Nursery or Reception place for a Welsh-medium school in Blaenau Gwent, if you live closer to Tredegar, you’ll be able to apply for a Nursery and Reception places at Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar for September 2024.
However, as a parent if you have older children that already go to Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg, there would not be an option to move them over to the Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar school as admissions would only be for the Nursery and Reception pupils in 2023 as stated above.
If you have older children in English medium schools and you would like to transfer them into a Welsh medium school, then they would be able to attend Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg, which has all year groups from Nursery to Year 6. Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg has an immersion provision which will allow your child to be immersed with the Welsh Language and gain support to help with the transition.
Design Image of Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar
Frequently asked Questions
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Is Welsh-medium education suitable for my child and can my child apply for a place? |
Yes, and yes! In a Welsh-medium school, education is delivered in a way that at a very early age, children can speak in Welsh and English from early-years. The way we teach Welsh in a Welsh-medium school is through a method called immersion. Immersion means to surround the child completely with the Welsh language form Nursery and this will continue throughout their education. English is also taught formally from year 3 so that your child’s literacy skills in both languages are developed and progressed to an equal standard. |
| Does the Welsh Language have an effect on their English or other home languages? |
Well, no, this method has been used for many years as a way to transfer languages from one generation to the next. In Wales, Welsh and English have equal status and more and more jobs are now looking for skills in both Welsh and English.
English or the home language is spoken at home and English is also very prominent within the community and is therefore heard and used by the child at the same time as Welsh is being learned in school! |
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My child has already started primary school. Can I change to a Welsh-medium school now? |
Absolutely! There is a provision for any pupil that wishes to change from English-medium school to Welsh-medium school called a Latecomers Centre. Here, the pupil is given intensive language skills in Welsh in a purposely designed environment so that after a short while they will be able to join their own class in their school, in this instance the immersion unit is based in Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg for any pupil/child from Year 1 upwards. This happens over a term or more if the support is needed. In Blaenau Gwent, all pupils older than year 1 will have to attend Ysgol Bro Helyg as only pupils up to year 1 will be able to attend Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar. |
| Will there be transport provided to the Welsh-medium schools? |
The Council has a Home to School Transport policy, it offers free home to school transport for any pupils that live more than 1.5 miles for under 8’s and 2 miles for over 8’s.
The council offers free home to school transport to non-statutory school age pupils (Nursery pupils) to increase the offer for Welsh-medium education.
It should be noted that free Home to School transport is only provided for pupils to their nearest catchment area school and that if you choose to send your child to the other Welsh-medium settings then it will be classed as parental choice and you may not get the free transport offer for your child |