‘Linguistic zealots’: Tories slam plans to phase out English in Gwynedd schools
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar MS, has labelled Gwynedd Council’s decision to phase out English-medium streams in schools across the county “totally unacceptable”, raising concerns over the lack of choice for parents and pupils.
Darren Millar MS has argued that both languages should be accommodated in Wales’ schools, and that English speakers should be catered for, following the news that English medium streams will be phased out in state schools across Gwynedd as part of the local authorities plans plans to make Welsh the principal language of education in every school it administers.
Commenting on the plans, Darren Millar MS, said: “Axing the opportunity for parents and pupils to choose to be educated in English medium schools is totally unacceptable.
“While I fully support access to Welsh medium education in all parts of Wales, 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.
“It is this sort of policy that pushes people away from the Welsh language, when I want people to embrace it.”
Review
Cyngor Gwynedd is planning the first major review of its Welsh language education policy in more than four decades.
The Draft Revised Education Language Policy will come before the council’s Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday, April 10.
The shake-up will see Welsh becoming the significant language used to teach children in the county’s schools.
Ysgol Friars, Bangor, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, Tywyn and Our Lady’s School, a Catholic primary, in Bangor are categorised as “Category 3T schools” or schools “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. They are considered to be in the Welsh Government’s Category 3 – schools that already offer a significant amount of Welsh medium provision, with Welsh being the main language of internal communication.
Children who move to the county from non Welsh speaking areas will be referred to attend Gwynedd’s Immersion Education System.
The main changes are:
- All pre-school education settings will be provided through the medium of Welsh.
- All pupils in the Foundation Phase until the end of Year 2 will be taught and assessed through the medium of Welsh.
- Schools will provide opportunities for pupils to use the Welsh language regularly, inside and outside the classroom, in a curricular and extra-curricular manner.
- From Year 3 onwards, at least 80% of the pupils’ educational activities (both curricular and extra-curricular) will be in Welsh.
- Pupils’ grasp of Welsh will continue to be developed, giving attention to the development of their skills in both languages. From Year 3 onwards, English will be introduced as a subject and cross-curricular learning medium.
Secondary schools
In secondary schools, Welsh will be the main language of education for all pupils up to 16 years old.
Pupils’ grasp of Welsh will continue to be developed, giving attention to the development of their skills in both languages. English will continue to be introduced as a subject and learning medium of some cross-curricular elements.
Schools are expected to ensure that all pupils (Years 2-9) who are latecomers and new Welsh speakers are referred to attend Gwynedd’s Immersion Education System.
Children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN) will receive equal linguistic opportunities in accordance with the policy.
The council says the new policy is in line with Welsh Government’s Welsh 2050: A Million Welsh Speakers’ strategy.
The proposed changes will have to be scrutinised and debated in the council’s cabinet and full council. A public consultation will also have to be held.
The council, in its report stated: “This policy is an attempt to set Gwynedd’s ambition to ensure that the county’s children and young people grow up to be proficient users of the Welsh language and develop bilingual or multilingual skills within our education system.”
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Linguistic zealots are those who force the oppressor’s tongue on Wales. Welsh schools are the only schools which produce bilingual students. English schools produce monoglots.
Cywir, cywir, cywir. There again the fat head Millar’s too thick and monoglot to understand the nature of the crisis where our language and culture are systematically swamped by his preferred mix of language culture and heritage.
I dispute your claim that English schools produce monoglots. My English children who attended English schools in Wales are all fluent Welsh, French and Spanish speakers with useable German as well. Welsh children attending Welsh language schools could just as easily be monoglots.
An anecdotal argument is no argument at all. I very much doubt that anyone emerging from the secondary school system would be fluent in four languages. The evidence is that children from Welsh-medium schools emerge bilingual whereas English-medium school pupils do not. I have taught many people as adults who did Welsh at GCSE at an English-medium school who got top marks but were unable to hold a conversation in Welsh. I applaud Gwynedd’s plans to have a fully Welsh-medium education sector in what is a majority Welsh-speaking area. It can only strengthen Welsh-speaking communities facing Anglicisation and all the… Read more »
Children attending Welsh medium schools are never monoglots
Maybe we could introduce an English Not?
If something offends the disgusting Tories, its a good idea.
If you want your child educated in English, it would be fair for the parents to pay for the extra tuition.
If there’s one thing the CONservatives will conserve, it’s the language of the invaders and conquerors as subsequently imposed on the governance of Cymru by Henry Tudor Mk. II’s acts of union.
Hopefully the Tories will be “phased out” soon from the whole of Cymru.
Oh look, a Tory that worshiped at the feet of a convicted felon and abuser and whose party has aligned with Trump.
The Tories are becoming ever more desperate as they seek to appeal to the Reform voters, who chew their daily cud on GB News, Daily Telegraph, and that suburban coffee table favourite The Daily Mail. Is there a competition between Darren Millar and Andrew RT Davies over who can be the most virulently anti-Cymraeg?
Just having one system will improve taxpayer value for money so real Cons will approve.
Great news. All schools in Wales’ should be Welsh medium schools. Kids will then be bilingual.
My daughters 16 and trilingual and her English friends are so envious.
How so? Current experience shows many students struggle to achieve literacy in both. Bilingualism should be enhancing. Is it the way languages are taught that fails so many? This has sadly been so across several generations.
If you want parents to be able to choose what schools their kids go to Darren, then Slovak parents should be able to choose Swedish speaking schools for their kids. Bizzare huh? That’s how you sound.
Good start from Gwynedd, let’s see other counties following suit. Every young Welsh citizen should leave school able to speak the language, it’s the least they should expect.
It’s absolutely disgusting that a Conservative that isn’t even from Gwynedd can seriously say that the oppressors English language education can remain when there is a majority Welsh speaking population in Gwynedd and this is an area that you need more than basic welsh skills to communicate within the community, I would get his argument if English medium education was removed from Monmouthshire but this isn’t Monmouthshire this is Gwynedd. However he isn’t from Monmouthshire either is he !!
Dydy’r Iaith yn tyfu yn Sir Fynwy mwy na rhai siroedd yn y de
Can we choose our own religious preferences please Rev Millar?
I am an English speaking welshman
And I agree with Darren millar
How did your family lose the language?
Do you not think it’s respectful of wherever you land to learn the lingo? As in any country, not just Wales.
So every school in England that teaches solely English are also language zealots according to anti-Welsh bigot Darren Millar. Listen up. Cymraeg is the first language of the country. It used to be all of Wales until your sort tried to eradicate it. And he wonders why the Welsh Tories since the Inception of devolution have never even come close to becoming the Welsh Government. May that tradition continue! I find fear, hate , alternative facts and lying is a virtue to most right-wing politicians, especially in the era of Trumpism they have become emboldened . They always seem to… Read more »
Politicians say we are a bilingual country. This is the way to achieve this, otherwise we are a country where some of us can speak two languages, but have to defer to our second language to communicate with the majority.
For far too long have we had to put up with Tory nonsense ,it was their insist as nice that all teachers in Welsh schools teaching Welsh should be replaced by little Englander teacher teaching only English ,and all official business to be conducted in English could you imagine those little Englanders going to France and doing the same thing there trying to replace a Nations language with a foreign one like English the audacity and exceptionalism of the English is beyond belief.