Welsh in Education Strategic Annual Action Plan 2023-24

Promotion and publicity

Work with young people to develop appropriate promotional materials in a range of media to encourage more young people to consider studying Welsh as a subject including taking Welsh at A level. This will link with the Welsh language 5year strategy targets.
Work with our Communications team and regional Welsh Language development officer hosted by Menter Iaith to update the calendar of campaigns shared between Welsh Language Forum and Welsh in Education Forum for consistent messages and promotional campaigns.
Continue to work with members of the Welsh language Strategy forum through the joint communication task group to ensure promotional work and targets are coordinated efficiently and effectively.
Establish promotional campaigns to increase the numbers starting nursery in Welsh medium education as well as those transferring to Primary school and on to Secondary school.
Develop website and information available to parents to inform choices and enable improved monitoring and accountability by the Welsh in Education Forum using the data trend.

Use the geographical transition rate data for each setting to target work with Mudiad Meithrin officers and Cylchoedd to improve transition rates from Cylch to school nursery.
Use the Childcare data analysis when working with partners in the development of category 3 Welsh language childcare provision and keep under review annually.
Monitor the take up rate annually each September to understand percentage take up of Welsh Medium places in Nursery and Reception years.

Ysgol Cwm Gwyddon opens Nov 2023.
Ysgol Bro Allta extension is completed by Nov 2023.
Ysgol Cwm Derwen extension is completed by Dec 2023.
Childcare provision bespoke build at Ysgol Ifor Bach is completed by Summer 2023 (subject to WG approval of additional funding).
Welsh Language Childcare (day care) extension of Pengam Library is completed Summer 2023 (subject to WG approval of additional funding).
Submission of specific childcare capital projects and implementation to expand Welsh language childcare provision.
Use Small Capital grant scheme to develop Welsh medium provision to deliver quality inclusive childcare provision for Flying Start expansion.
Continue to work with Mudiad Meithrin to develop further Welsh medium provision in future Flying Start childcare expansion areas.
Work with Mudiad Meithrin, Cymraeg I Blant, Parent Network and Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations to support community-based peer support groups to be developed and run by volunteers.
Youth Service will work with Menter Iaith, Urdd and wider partners to map the percentage of youth provision delivered through Welsh language and work collaboratively to increase the offer to 26% target by 2032.

Support the Road to Bilingualism for English language childcare settings to progress through the continuum towards category 3 Welsh language childcare provision, increasing the number moving to category 2 then moving to category 3.
Work with maintained CCBC childcare setting staff to support Welsh language development to move them towards delivering bilingual and/or Welsh immersion sessions.
Work with individual schools and Education Achievement Service business plan to set targets to increase the language skills in the workforce.
Continue to work with our schools to explore opportunities for collaboration and federation as opportunities arise.
Work with our young people in secondary school and Careers Wales to promote careers in childcare, education, and wider workforce opportunities for Welsh speakers.
Work as an early years’ team with Mudiad Meithrin and Menter Iaith along with secondary schools across the region, Coleg y Cymoedd and Coleg Gwent as well as private training providers to develop our childcare workforce.
Increase the Welsh speaking workforce across Education, childcare, and school teams.

Work with parents and carers of children with additional needs to understand what information they need to inform their choices of language provision for education, including resources, web presence, activities, etc. building this into our communication plan.
Work with the PETRA team to develop or use children’s books and learning materials to support parents in making choices for their child’s language of Education.
Develop case studies and lived experiences of families with children with Additional learning needs who have thrived in Welsh language provision.
Monitor numbers of children receiving universal and targeted provision and those with school or LA IDP annually.
Increase the provision for children with ALN to meet the increasing demand.

The Local Authority and Education Achievement Service will continue to work with the Secondary Schools leadership teams to increase the number of learners moving along the Welsh language continuum and increase the number studying a qualification in Welsh.
Welsh adult learner courses will be supported to increase take up across communities.
Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni will continue their partnership with Coleg y Cymoedd and strengthen the relationship with Coleg Gwent to ensure all learners have a broad range of Welsh language qualifications available to them.
Continue to work in partnership with Yr Urdd, Menter Iaith, Youth Service and Sports Caerphilly to deliver Welsh language social extra-curricular opportunities within and outside of school and during school holidays.
The Education Achievement Service will work with all Primary Schools to get 100% of English language Primary Schools involved and progressing through the award stages by 2032.