Concerns raised as only half of primary school’s pupils transfer to Welsh medium high school

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

Concerns have been raised after it was revealed that only around half of pupils at a Welsh medium primary school are transferring to the nearest out of county high school – with travel distance highlighted as a potential reason.

In its update to the Welsh Government, Monmouthshire Council highlighted concern at the low number, of only around half of pupils, transferring from Abergavenny’s Ysgol Y Fenni to the Welsh medium secondary Ysgol Gwynllyw, in Pontypool in neighbouring Torfaen.

As pupils attend either Pontypool, or Ysgol Gwent Is-Coed in Newport, for Welsh medium secondary education the council struggles to track their progress and said it isn’t helped as the schools are in different local authorities, and use different systems, but it is addressing this.

Drop in numbers

At present there are 57 pupils in the council’s three reception classes, including at the new seedling school in Monmouth, which is below the in-year target of 69 but Ms Randall-Smith said this means the council is at 65 per cent of its 2030 target. 

Missing the 2023/24 target was blamed on a drop in numbers at Abergavenny but Ms Randall-Smith said it is normal for registrations to fluctuate. The council doesn’t expect numbers at Ysgol Y Fenni to increase until its move to a new, larger building. 

Ysgol y Ffin, in Caldicot, also recorded its highest number of pupils in reception, with 25, and the council also plans to provide a second “immersion class”, for older primary school children, who want to switch to Welsh medium.

GCSE progress

Meanwhile, every pupil studying Welsh as a second language in Monmouthshire gained a GCSE in the subject last year. 

Education officer Sharon Randall-Smith told Monmouthshire County Council 95 per cent of students gained a qualification in the summer 2023 exams. 

The council’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan, a 10 year strategy for boosting use of the language, has a target of increasing the number of students studying for an assessed Welsh language qualification, and an increase in those taking qualifications through the medium of Welsh by the end of the plan period in 2030. 

As Monmouthshire’s four secondaries are English medium students only take Welsh second language qualifications. 

Further concerns

Members of the council’s performance scrutiny committee raised concerns at the drop in pupils studying for advanced As and A-levels in the language and the progression of pupils from the county’s Welsh medium primaries to continue learning through the language at secondary level. 

Rogiet Labour councillor Peter Strong asked about the sustainability of sixth form lessons as though 95 per cent of students gained a GSSE in Welsh only 20, across four secondaries, went on take the subject at AS or A-level. 

“That’s very concerning, it seems to me very low and how can headteachers afford classes that small other subjects would struggle to stay on the timetable at that level.” 

Ms Randall-Smith said the council and school promote the benefits of learning Welsh and it is also part of the ‘E-sgol’ online learning programme in which students across the area study with a teacher based in one school. 

They also have the opportunity to meet in person and director of education Will McLean said the scheme is used to support other subjects with low pupil numbers and each secondary has taken the lead for the others which are economics, computer science and Spanish.