Council plan to phase out English-medium schools ‘doesn’t go far enough’

Dale Spridgeon – Local democracy reporter

A plan to phase out English-medium schools in a Welsh county “doesn’t go far enough,” councillors have said.

Cyngor Gwynedd plans to make Welsh the principal language of education in every school it administers in the county.

During a meeting of the council’s education and economy scrutiny committee on Thursday, April 10, some councillors expressed “disappointment” the Draft Revised Education Language Policy does not go further.

Others argued it was a “positive step” in ensuring the future of the Welsh language.

Councillors at the meeting also criticised Clwyd West MS Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, who said on social media that “linguistic zealots should remember that there are two official languages in our country”.

Policy

Earlier this month, the council announced the plans for the first major review of its Welsh language education policy in more than four decades.

It would initially see 70% of subjects taught in English, with schools “monitored” and “supported” with the aim of increasing that figure over time.

The council said the policy was in line with Welsh Government’s Welsh 2050: a Million Welsh Speakers’ strategy.

It was also “an attempt” to set Gwynedd’s ambition to ensure that the county’s children and young people grew up to be “proficient users of the Welsh language and develop bilingual or multilingual skills” within its education system.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Dewi Jones said it was “timely” to update the “successful” 1984 policy to a model where Welsh was “more prominent” in schools.

He reminded the committee it was still in “draft” form and on “the first step of its journey”.

There is yet to be a public consultation and further council debates.

Transition

Ysgol Friars, Bangor, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, Tywyn and Our Lady’s School, a Catholic primary, in Bangor are categorised as “schools in transition” which are moving towards full Welsh medium provision.

Welsh is already the predominant medium in the rest of the county’s 90 plus educational establishments.

Accepting it would be a “challenge for some schools”, it was “an ambition we want them to achieve,” Cllr Jones said.

He said: “We are more than prepared to support schools to meet that ambition.

“We don’t want our children to leave schools without English, we need bilingualism.

“People need to be able to work and live through the medium of both languages.”

During the debate, Cllr Huw Rowlands said he was “disappointed” over the policy’s “lack of ambition” and felt it “weakened” what had happened in the past.

Cllr Jina Gwyrfai said she felt the 70 percent aim was “not enough” and suggested “full immersion into Welsh”.

Cllr Beca Brown “welcomed” the policy and said she felt that having been taught Welsh at school and now being fully bilingual was “a gift”.

Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn urged fellow councillors “not to be negative” by spreading “gloomy messages” of disappointment.

He also “greatly welcomed” the move, saying it was “ambitious and positive,” and that the council was being “innovative”.

Before the meeting, MS Darren Millar had stated that while he “supported” Welsh medium education “linguistic zealots should remember that there are two official languages in our country that all local councils and education authorities should cater for; English and Welsh”.

In response, Cllr Gwynfor Owen said during the meeting: “Let’s tell people like Darren Millar, no.

“You should not try to kill our language to please your own narrow minded politics.

“This language belongs to Gwynedd and the rest of Wales, we are duty bound to give our children the best possible opportunity to learn and speak Welsh fluently.”

‘Disappointing’

Cllr Dewi Owen said Mr Millar’s comments had been “disappointing”.

He added: “I hope that Mr Millar is in the minority. I thought we had reached a point in Wales where Welsh was acceptable.

“We all want to see a growth in the language and our young people having opportunities.

“I thought the days of using the Welsh language as a political football to score political points were ended.

“We are accused of closing doors but we are opening doors to give children every opportunity possible.”