Leading figures call for new Welsh medium school in Cardiff

Jules Millward

Over 80 well-known names have signed an open letter calling on the Leader and Cabinet of Cardiff Council to establish a new Welsh medium all-age school in the city.

The letter calls for a new all-age (3-19) Welsh-medium school which would cover the districts of Butetown, Grangetown and surrounding areas which would provide a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to correct structures for Welsh-medium education that have discriminated against families in the area for decades”.

Among those who have signed are community leaders from the Butetown and Grangetown areas such as Emily Pemberton, Tariq Awan, Liz Musa, and Ifty Khan, as well as some of Wales’ leading voices in the arts.

Among the musicians, artists, poets and actors who have signed are Gwenno Saunders, Dafydd Iwan, Gruff Rhys, Dionne Bennett, Hammad Rind, Patricia Morgan (Datblygu), Don Leisure, Caryl Parry Jones, Sue Jones Davies, Cian Ciarán, Ani Saunders, Griff Lynch, Cerys Hafana, Annes Elwy, Morgan Elwy, Rachael Solomon (Eden), John Griffiths (Llwybr Llaethog), DJ Jaffa, Peredur ap Gwynedd (Pendulum), Sharon Morgan, Lisa Angharad, Rhys Gwynfor, Joe Patrick Healy, Ali Goolyad, Kyle Legall, Llio Maddocks, and Miriam Isaac.

The letter begins: “[…] As part of the engagement exercise that is being held concerning Welsh-medium education in our capital city, we wish to convey our support for the urgent call to establish a Welsh-medium all-age (3-19) school located in the community of Butetown and Grangetown in order to serve families in the south Cardiff area.

“In a city the size of Cardiff, we need Welsh-medium schools located in the west, north, east and south. The south of Cardiff is home to the most multicultural communities – not only in the capital but in the whole of Wales.

“It is also one of the most economically disadvantaged areas in the country. Ensuring that Welsh-medium secondary education is available locally to serve families in this area is a matter of social justice […]”

Liz Musa, a campaigner from Butetown who has signed the letter, said: “It’s essential for this Welsh medium school to go ahead in our community – as it will give our young people more opportunities.”

Dafydd Iwan, who has signed, said: “Of all the wonderful developments that are happening today to strengthen the Welsh language as a living language, there is none that is more important than the growth of Welsh-medium schools.

“It is therefore essential that we provide in good time for the demand for more Welsh-medium schools, especially in our capital city. It is a privilege to be able to support this important campaign.”

Right to Welsh-medium education

As a parent in the area and a Welsh speaker, the author Hammad Rind, who has signed, said: “I grew up in Punjab, Pakistan, a multilingual country where Panjabi is the language with the majority of speakers. But Panjabi is not taught in any schools in Pakistan. As a result, most people of my generation in Pakistan cannot read Panjabi and are ignorant of its rich literature.

“Education gives language confidence and a future. If we want the Welsh language to flourish, we must ensure that every child in Wales has the community right to Welsh-medium education.”

Catrin Dafydd said on behalf of the campaign: “By signing the letter, the community leaders and well-known artists of Butetown, Grangetown and Wales are sending a clear message to the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet that there is a real urgency to establish a Welsh-medium school for all ages to serve families in the south of the city and that the establishment of the school is a matter of local and national importance.”

She added that the call places great expectation now on the Leader and the Cabinet to act quickly and positively for the benefit of the most multicultural communities in the capital and Wales.

She said: “It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show that the Welsh language belongs to, and is available to, everyone.

“The fact that there is no Welsh-medium secondary school in the south of the city at the moment stops so many children in the area from receiving Welsh-medium education because there is no provision available at the heart of – and to represent – their community.

“There are children who also leave the Welsh-medium system at the end of primary school and attend local English-medium secondary schools in new buildings. But in accordance with the Curriculum for Wales, Welsh-medium secondary education should be available at the heart of this community so that pupils can celebrate the unique multicultural identity of the area while learning about the world.

“In order to correct decades of structures for Welsh-medium education that have discriminated against the capital’s most economically disadvantaged communities, the time has come for a political solution and clear leadership on the matter.

“Opening the doors of a Welsh-medium school for all ages is the only acceptable option on the table. We therefore formally call on the Leader and Cabinet of Cardiff Council to declare their intention to establish the school immediately by publishing a specific, statutory proposal for a Welsh-medium school for all ages 3-19 to be located and to serve the families of Butetown, Grangetown and surrounding areas.

“The Welsh language is a common heritage for us all – Welsh-medium secondary education should be available on the doorstep of our communities in a new and sustainable building.”

There will be a public meeting to discuss and plan next steps at the Grange Pavilion, Grangetown, Cardiff CF11 7LJ on Thursday 19 February 2026 from 7:30pm till 8:45pm.

Cardiff council is also running two public engagement exercises on Welsh-medium secondary education in the city between February 12 and March 26. More information can be found on their website.