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Welsh Medium and Welsh Language Education

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Welsh-medium Education Strategy

Welsh-medium Education Strategy
This document sets out the Welsh Government's Strategy and Implementation Programme for Welsh-medium education.

Iaith Pawb

Iaith Pawb - A National Action Plan for a Bilingual Wales
A public declaration of what we want to achieve for the Welsh language.

Welsh-medium and Welsh-language education have become increasingly important in Wales in recent times. Our education system has a key role to play to help realise the Welsh Government’s vision of creating a bilingual Wales.

Welsh-medium Education Strategy

The Welsh-medium Education Strategy was published in April 2010. It sets out a national policy framework for the development of Welsh-medium and Welsh-language education across all phases of education and training. The Strategy aims to achieve an education and training system which responds in a planned way to the growing demand for Welsh-medium education. Increasing the number of people able to use the language with their families, in their communities and at work is central to the Strategy.

The Welsh-medium Education Strategy sets out a long-term and complex agenda. The accompanying Implementation Programme gives further detail about the work expected of the Welsh Government, its partners and other agencies. It also includes a series of targets which will be central to the Strategy’s overall success. The Welsh Government publishes an annual report on progress in implementing the Strategy, and a comprehensive review will take place in 2015.

If you have a query regarding the Welsh-medium Education Strategy, e-mail the Welsh Government at welsh.education@wales.gsi.gov.uk

What are the benefits of Welsh-medium education and Welsh language skills?

Welsh language skills are increasingly important in Wales. The ability to speak Welsh and English can be a big advantage for young people looking for work. Employers are increasingly looking for people with Welsh language skills to provide bilingual services to the public. Research shows that there are numerous benefits to being bilingual.

Whether a child receives Welsh-medium or English-medium education, he or she will learn Welsh as part of the national curriculum. Parents do not have to be able to speak Welsh in order for their children to benefit from Welsh-medium education. It is important, however, that parents encourage their children to use the language and keep developing their skills as they progress through compulsory education.

Welsh-medium schools also provide a good grounding in English language skills. A child’s English skills will be developed at the same time as their Welsh-language skills. Results from Welsh-medium schools show similar levels of achievement on the whole to those from English-medium schools.