Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

2012 – 2015

December 2012


Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

Introduction

This Welsh in Education Strategic Plan is presented by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council in conjunction with the local authorities of Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. These five local authorities will work together in partnership to plan and deliver Welsh-medium education across the area. This plan details how Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and the South East Wales consortium will aim to achieve the Welsh Government’s outcomes and targets outlined in the National Welsh Medium Education Strategy at a local and regional level.

Section 1: Vision and aim for Welsh in education


Section 2: The Action Plan

This action plan sets out how the South East Wales consortium will work together to contribute to the objectives set out in the Welsh Government’s Welsh-Medium Education Strategy.

Outcome 1: More seven-year-old children being taught through the medium of Welsh
See also Appendix 3
A. Objective / B. Current performance / C. Targets / D. Progress /
South East Wales / Local authority / South East Wales / Local authority /
1.1 Increase the number of seven-year-old children taught through the medium of Welsh / The number of pupils in Welsh-medium education is increasing as more places are provided in response to demand.
Across the region, 9.65% of year 2 learners are currently in Welsh-medium education. This proportion has increased four out of the five authorities over the last 3 years, and projections indicate that numbers will continue to increase to 10.21% by 2015.
All parents receive information on Welsh-medium education through each local authority’s Parents’ Handbook which is distributed with school application forms.
Parents are able to access information on Welsh-medium childcare and early years education provision through Family Information Services.
Every local authority within the region complies with the requirements of the Learner Travel Measure (Wales) 2008 through providing transport to Welsh-medium schools for pupils of statutory school age in accordance with each local authority’s individual transport policy. / Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council currently maintains one Welsh medium primary school.
Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg opened in September 2010 and has 253 pupils on roll aged 3-11 years.
In the academic year 2012-2013, 5.4% of the total number of 7 year olds within Blaenau Gwent schools were taught through the medium of Welsh.
The projected figures for year 2 at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg is as follows:
Year / % / No.
2013 / 5.5% / 40
2014 / 6.7% / 54
2015 / 5.0% / 38
In 2011-2012 a scheme run by Bro Helyg to offer Nursery pupil places full time (whole day) was piloted which increased pupil numbers. The pilot was not financially viable and therefore, in 2012 nursery places were only offered on a part time basis. Number of admissions for nursery in 2012 is 51.
Within Blaenau Gwent transport is provided for statutory aged pupils as follows:
·  8 years of age and under is 1.5 miles.
·  9-16 years of age is 2.0 miles.
Distance is measured using the nearest suitable safe walking route as determined by the Learner Travel Measure.
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council assess the needs of learners attending Welsh Medium Education by ensuring that there is sufficient transport provision to meet the needs of all learners who qualify for free transport under Statutory Regulations.
The average distance each learner is required to travel to access Welsh Medium Education is as follows:-
2010/2011
Primary (within Blaenau Gwent County Borough) - 4.5 miles
Secondary(out of borough) -12.6 miles
2011/2012
Primary (within Blaenau Gwent County Borough) -4.5 miles
Secondary (out of borough) - 12.5 miles
2012/2013
Primary (within Blaenau Gwent County Borough) -4.5 miles
Secondary (out of borough) -12.6 miles / Continue to provide Welsh-medium education to meet parental demand. This includes providing permanent sites for Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon in Newport and Ysgol Gymraeg Panteg in Torfaen and consultating on proposals to increase Welsh medium provision through the opening of a new school in the Sirhowy valley from September 2014.
Maintain the dialogue with parents, RhAG and all interested parties.
Conduct regular parental demand surveys to assess demand and produce annual action plan to address findings of parental demand survey and Welsh-medium elements of Childcare Sufficiency Survey.
Ensure every parent seeking a Welsh-medium school place for their child is able to access a place within reasonable travelling time from their home.
Continue to provide transport to Welsh-medium schools in accordance with individual local authorities transport policies and the Learner Travel Measure (Wales) 2008. / To provide additional Welsh medium primary provision to meet parental demand by 2015. / Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council are currently in the process of undertaking an informal consultation on a proposal to increase Welsh medium provision in the Sirhowy valley, as from 1 September 2014. The informal consultation is scheduled to conclude on the 16th December 2012.
The proposal is to establish a starter class for nursery and reception within an existing school premises, alongside an English medium provision. If the proposal is taken forward there will be additional Welsh medium primary provision in Blaenau Gwent from September 2014.
Current proposals for an additional Welsh medium provision in Tredegar were supported by the results of the May 2010 survey parental demand survey carried out by the Authority. The results from the 2012 survey will provide further information on the level of demand for Welsh Medium education in Blaenau Gwent. The information gathered from the survey will be available Spring 2013, and will inform the formal consultation process, and future Welsh medium demand.
It is anticipated that if this proposal is taken forward, the proportion of children in Welsh medium primary education in Blaenau Gwent will increase by 2015.
Year / No of pupils in Year 2 / Yr 2 pupils in Welsh-medium Education / Year / No of pupils in Year 2 / Yr 2 pupils in Welsh-medium Education / Year / No of pupils in Year 2 / Yr 2 pupils in Welsh-medium Education / Year / No of pupils in Year 2 / Yr 2 pupils in Welsh-medium Education
No / % / No / % / No / % / No / %
Blaenau Gwent / Monmouthshire / Newport / Torfaen
2009 / 676 / 29 / 4.29% / 2009 / 842 / 23 / 2.73% / 2009 / 1659 / 63 / 3.80% / 2009 / 893 / 78 / 8.73%
2010 / 764 / 36 / 4.71% / 2010 / 921 / 46 / 4.99% / 2010 / 1650 / 59 / 3.58% / 2010 / 954 / 87 / 9.12%
2011 / 691 / 31 / 4.49% / 2011 / 904 / 38 / 4.20% / 2011 / 1711 / 83 / 4.85% / 2011 / 1079 / 111 / 10.29%
2012 / 792 / 43 / 5.43% / 2012 / 867 / 44 / 5.07% / 2012 / 1652 / 86 / 5.21% / 2012 / 1088 / 86 / 7.90%
2013 / 730 / 40 / 5.48% / 2013 / 877 / 51 / 5.82% / 2013 / 1792 / 85 / 4.74% / 2013 / 1046 / 134 / 12.81%
2014 / 808 / 54 / 6.68% / 2014 / 908 / 43 / 4.74% / 2014 / 1942 / 105 / 5.41% / 2014 / 1080 / 134 / 12.41%
2015 / 765 / 38 / 4.97% / 2015 / 874 / 41 / 4.69% / 2015 / 1949 / 112 / 5.74% / 2015 / 1106 / 134 / 12.12%
Caerphilly / Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw cluster / South East Wales Region
2009 / 1996 / 266 / 13.33% / 2009 / 4070 / 193 / 4.74% / 2009 / 6066 / 459 / 7.57%
2010 / 2085 / 352 / 16.88% / 2010 / 4289 / 228 / 5.32% / 2010 / 6374 / 580 / 9.10%
2011 / 2002 / 339 / 16.93% / 2011 / 4385 / 263 / 6.00% / 2011 / 6387 / 602 / 9.43%
2012 / 2016 / 360 / 17.86% / 2012 / 4399 / 259 / 5.89% / 2012 / 6415 / 619 / 9.65%
2013 / 2081 / 407 / 19.56% / 2013 / 4445 / 310 / 6.97% / 2013 / 6526 / 717 / 10.99%
2014 / 2173 / 376 / 17.30% / 2014 / 4738 / 336 / 7.09% / 2014 / 6911 / 712 / 10.30%
2015 / 2064 / 365 / 17.68% / 2015 / 4694 / 325 / 6.92% / 2015 / 6758 / 690 / 10.21%
1.2 Adopt systematic processes for measuring the demand for Welsh-medium childcare and Welsh-medium statutory educational provision. Act promptly on the findings of parental surveys. / Each local authority conducts separate Childcare Sufficiency Assessments in line with Welsh Government requirements. / The CSA 2011 identified a low % of parents that felt there was not enough Welsh medium provision. However this conflicts with responses from Family Support, Social Services Health, Employers, other preventative services and stakeholders who suggested there should be more Welsh language/bilingual provision.
In addition 37% of providers consulted stated that they had plans in place or were interested in expanding Welsh/bilingual provision. / Continue to work collaboratively with Mudiad Meithrin to develop Welsh medium childcare and nursery education provision.
Ensure sufficient Welsh-medium nursery places to meet parental demand. / Develop an action plan based on the findings of the Welsh medium childcare and education survey 2012.
A pilot project will take place during the spring term 2013 in the three non-maintained registered education providers to increase the confidence in staff to use welsh language throughout the day in their settings. The anticipated outcome is that parents will also see an increase in the amount of welsh the children use at home, which may influence and stimulate demand for welsh medium provision in the future.
The intention is to then expand the pilot into all pre-school settings over the next three years with the anticipated impact resulting in providers becoming bilingual.
The EYDCP will continue to invest in Welsh language training for all childcare providers.
During 2013 carryout the triannual CSA, the results of which will be published in 2014.
Develop a 3 year action plan to address identified gaps in the 2014 CSA. / Cylch Meithrin ‘Tic Toc’ opened in Tredegar in October 2012, on the same site that is being proposed for the additional Welsh medium Primary provision. This provision is not currently registered with CSSIW and cannot be counted in the CSA until registration is confirmed.
All local authorities conduct regular parental demand surveys for Welsh-medium education. / In December 2012, a parental demand survey which incorporates childcare sufficiency questions will be mailed to all parents/guardians of pre school age children.
The information obtained will help to further shape the future needs of Welsh provision when planning school places and support our approach to 21st Century Schools Programme.
Current proposals for an additional Welsh medium provision in Tredegar were supported by the results of the May 2010 parental demand survey carried out by the Authority. The results from the 2012 survey will provide further information on the level of demand for Welsh Medium education in Blaenau Gwent. The information gathered from the survey will be available Spring 2013, and will inform the formal consultation process, and future Welsh demand. / The South East Wales authorities will continue to work together to conduct and analyse regular parental surveys to assess the demand for Welsh-medium education and act on the findings accordingly to ensure sufficient Welsh-medium education places.
/ Clych Meithrin Helyg Bychan has expressed an interest in becoming a registered education provider. A formal request letter from Helyg Bychan was received and accepted by the EYDCP. The Advisory Teacher in the EAS will now start the process for them to become an approved REP.
1.3 Ensure that proposals for 21st Century Schools include full consideration of Welsh-medium education. / The four authorities of Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen all included a commitment within each 21st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme to work together to secure additional Welsh-medium secondary provision within the region when Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw reaches its full capacity in 2016.
A working group has been established and is meeting regularly, with WG representation present, to derive options for providing additional provision in September 2016.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is currently consulting on expanding provision within the local authority area to provide a 11-16 Welsh-medium facility at St. Ilan site, Caerphilly for resident students in the Caerphilly basin area. Proposals to increase secondary places at the St. Ilan site were approved by the Minister for Education and Skills on 5 December 2011 as part of the 21st century schools programme Band A. / Blaenau Gwent’s 21st Century Schools strategic outline programme published in October 2010 outlined a proposal to secure the needs of secondary Welsh medium learners across the South East Wales consortia. A 21st Century second bid was submitted 18th November 2011, which identified the needs of secondary Welsh medium learners as a priority. Blaenau Gwent has received ‘in principle’ agreement to the sum of £1 million for Welsh medium which will become available between 2014-2020. / Present a report to the Councils of Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen in Spring 2013 for members to consider options and identify a preferred option for additional Welsh-medium secondary provision to be provided by September 2016. / Through planning with neighbouring authorities, provide a Welsh medium secondary place for all Blaenau Gwent pupils following an education through the medium of Welsh. / Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is currently undertaking an informal consultation to provide an additional Welsh medium primary provision within the Sirhowy valley.