Campaigners calling for new Welsh school march on City Hall with Mari Lwyd

Emily Price

A campaign group calling for a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school in the Welsh capital has marched on County Hall with a Mari Lwyd.

Members of the Ysgol De Caerdydd group gathered at Cardiff Council’s main offices on Thursday (Jan 10) where they carried out the New Year tradition of Hen Galan.

The folk custom usually involves children going door-to-door singing, reciting rhymes, and carrying decorated fruit in exchange for gifts during midwinter.

The group brought along their own Mari Lwyd – a giant horse’s skull traditionally carried from house to house during the ancient celebration – and rang bells whilst chanting, “New year! New plan!”

‘Viable’

The Welsh wassailing tradition came in response to Cardiff Council’s remarks at the end of last year that “a fourth school is viable in the future”.

The city authority had previously argued that a drop in the birth rate means there are not enough pupils to sustain another Welsh school despite some parents having to drive halfway across Cardiff.

There are currently three Welsh-medium secondary schools in the capital– Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Llandaff, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr in Fairwater and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern in Penylan.

Oversubscribed

But some parents whose children were able to secure a place at Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf – one of city’s most oversubscribed schools – say they face a 30 minute journey.

Campaigners have called for a new secondary school in the south of the city, arguing that the situation is unfair for communities in one of the most multicultural and deprived areas of Cardiff.

‘Logical’

Speaking on behalf of the campaign group, Carl Morris said: “The Hen Galan celebration today comes as a result of the council’s remarks at the end of last year that ‘a fourth school is viable in the future’.

“While we greatly welcome the council’s constructive remarks, they are very ambiguous – this won’t happen without a clear plan. The next logical step therefore is for the council to publish its plan to establish the school in the south of the city, and to do so urgently, and we are here at the beginning of the year to emphasise that there’s no time to lose.

“We fully believe that Huw Thomas and his cabinet will present a forward-thinking vision for a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school, to be established in south Cardiff.”

He added: “In order to encourage debate and assist the council in its work, we as campaigners will be having an open debate about the content of the plan to establish a fourth school over the coming period.

“In the history of Cardiff, a Welsh-medium secondary school has never been given a new building. To date, communities that have Welsh-medium secondary schools locally have had to make do with old buildings.

“Fair progression is needed in Welsh-medium education from nursery to secondary for all of the city’s children, and we look forward eagerly to seeing the council’s plans.”

Benefits

Cardiff Council says it remains dedicated to promoting the benefits of bilingual education.

A spokesperson said: “We will prioritise the wide range of commitments set out in our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2022-2031 that will make a fourth Welsh Medium Secondary school viable, especially in view of the current fall in birth rates.”

“In 2012 a third Welsh Medium secondary was established to support growth of the Welsh language in Cardiff and the number of learners in Welsh-medium secondary schools has increased over the period by 57%, from 2,328 to 3,650.

“As a result, there are sufficient places available in the medium term within Cardiff’s three Welsh-Medium Secondary Schools to support any pupils who want to learn through Welsh.

“The Council welcomes the encouragement from the Campaign on this issue, and would be keen to get into dialogue to discuss some of the practical challenges that exist in the short term, and how together they could be overcome.”