Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2022-2032 - Five year action plan 2022-2027

Pursuing Excellence Together - Dilyn rhagoriaeth gyda’n gilydd

Introduction

The main overarching aim of the plan is to increase the number of Welsh language speakers and the opportunities to use Welsh in our communities. Therefore, we have a minimum target of 26% for learners in year 1 by 2032 which has been set by Welsh Government in order to meet the national 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050 target.

There will be a need to expand our Welsh medium provision across all phases, childcare, primary and secondary to meet this target, and we need to get our starting point right in the early years to stimulate Welsh language development. There will also be the need to expand our Welsh speaking workforce to deliver the provision needed in Schools, Childcare as well as our wider workforce. There will be detailed annual task plans underpinning this five year plan to take forward the work needed, while working in partnership with all members of the Welsh in Education Forum and the Welsh Language Forum.

Where do we want to be in 2027 and how will we know we are on track to deliver our WESP commitments?

Academic year 2022-23

Promotion and publicity

Parent consultation on accessible timely information is completed by Summer 2023
Audit the online information for families and ensure accessible information throughout the learner journey
Develop the communication plan linked to capital developments, and promotion of provision
Promote the latecomer immersion provision being developed
Work with our Communications team and regional Welsh Language development officer hosted by Menter Iaith to develop a 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.

Data development, analysis, and monitoring

Audit all data sets available and consider which will support learner choices and support planning of places / provision development by March 2023
Collate easily understood and simplified data sets into one location accessible to Welsh Education Forum members, parents and members for monitoring and scrutiny by Aug 2023
Use the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 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.
Identify the baseline data in the below to enable future targeting for improvement:
Number of vocational courses offered in the local authority
Number of pupils studying A level Welsh
Welsh medium provision in English Medium schools

Capital programme and provision development

Ysgol Cwm Gwyddon build completed and relocates by Sept 2023
Ysgol Penalltau extension is completed by Aug 2023
Ysgol Y Castell childcare provision completed by Oct 2022
Work with Mudiad Meithrin officers to develop and register new provision under the Set up And Succeed scheme in Trethomas area.
Work with Mudiad Meithrin officers to develop a Ti A Fi in the Flying Start phase 1 expansion area of New Tredegar by Spring 2023
Submit capital bid expression of interest for expansion phase 2 to include Welsh medium childcare provision by Dec 2022
Recruit appropriate teaching staff to deliver the latecomer pilot in 2023
Use Small Capital grant scheme to develop Welsh medium provision to deliver quality inclusive childcare provision for Flying Start expansion
Develop an action plan in response to the young people engagement project to ensure wider Welsh language opportunities for children and young people. There is likely to be a need to increase the Welsh language provision for young people aged 11years upwards. This will be taken forward in the partnership between Urdd, Menter Iaith and Youth Service.

Workforce Development

Complete an analysis of Welsh speaking workforce needed to deliver the provision planned in capital developments for the next ten years by June 2023
Complete an analysis of language skills of workforce in English language schools by June 2023
Annual analysis of Welsh Medium workforce linked to learner transition rates
Develop a detailed partnership plan to increase the Welsh language of the childcare workforce by June 2023.
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.
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.

Additional Learning Needs provision

Audit all Welsh medium schools in the borough to understand baseline numbers of children receiving universal and targeted provision and those with school or LA IDP by June 2023
Audit early years intervention services to identify gaps in support for Welsh speaking families by April 2023
Develop appropriate accessible information for families of children with additional needs by Dec 2022
Audit capacity of Welsh speaking ALN workforce to identify and address any gaps in support by June 2023.
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

Welsh language qualifications

Education Other Than At School teams will consider how the alternative education opportunities will continue to offer support for Welsh language to ensure young people can continue using Welsh language and access qualifications through Welsh language if they choose by June 2023.
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 by Aug 2023
Welsh adult learner courses will be supported to increase take up across communities by Aug 2023
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.
Identify if Welsh medium provision development is captured in individual School Development Plans and school level targets identified for future interventions.
Map work of Urdd and Menter Iaith within school context well as map time for activities (inside and outside of classroom) to reinforce Welsh language skills to become the baseline for future development work.
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.

Academic year 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

Data development, analysis, and monitoring

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.

Capital programme and provision development

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.

Workforce development

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.

Additional learning needs provision

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.

Welsh language qualifications

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.

Academic year 2024-25

Promotion and publicity

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

Data development, analysis, and monitoring

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.

Capital programme and provision development

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
School planning team will monitor take up of secondary places and plan for the expansion of secondary provision before the maximum capacity is reached in order to increase the number of pupils studying qualifications through Welsh language.
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.

Workforce development

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.

Additional learning needs provision

Evaluate take up of places for children with additional learning needs in Welsh medium school to understand the impact of marketing campaigns.
Continue to work with families, schools and specialist staff to support informed choices for children with additional learning needs.
Monitor numbers of children receiving universal and targeted provision and those with school or LA IDP annually

Welsh language qualifications

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.

Academic year 2025-26

Promotion and publicity

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

Data development, analysis, and monitoring

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.

Capital programme and provision development

School planning team will monitor take up of secondary places and plan for the expansion of secondary provision before the maximum capacity is reached in order to increase the number of pupils studying qualifications through Welsh language.
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.

Workforce development

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.

Additional learning needs provision

Evaluate take up of places for children with additional learning needs in Welsh medium school to understand the impact of marketing campaigns.
Continue to work with families, schools and specialist staff to support informed choices for children with additional learning needs.
Monitor numbers of children receiving universal and targeted provision and those with school or LA IDP annually.

Welsh language qualifications

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.

Academic year 2026-27

Promotion and publicity

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

Data development, analysis, and monitoring

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.

Capital programme and provision development

Develop the Outline Business Case for the new school in Bedwas Trethomas Machen area and submit to Welsh Government by March 2027
Relocation of Ysgol y Lawnt as part of the Band B Sustainable Communities for Learning programme by Summer 2027
School planning team will monitor take up of secondary places and plan for the expansion of secondary provision before the maximum capacity is reached in order to increase the number of pupils studying qualifications through Welsh language.
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.

Workforce development

Maintained Flying Start childcare settings to become at least bilingual category 2 provisions.
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.

Additional learning needs provision

Evaluate take up of places for children with additional learning needs in Welsh medium school to understand the impact of marketing campaigns.
Continue to work with families, schools and specialist staff to support informed choices for children with additional learning needs.
Monitor numbers of children receiving universal and targeted provision and those with school or LA IDP annually.

Welsh language qualifications

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.

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