Former first minister unveils major shake-up of Welsh-language education

Wales’ former first minister set out plans for a major shake-up of Welsh-language education.

Mark Drakeford, who was made responsible for the language in a reshuffle last week, said the Welsh language and education bill goes beyond Welsh-medium education.

He explained the reforms aim to improve how Welsh is taught in English-medium schools.

Prof Drakeford warned that too few children emerge confident and competent speakers of the language despite compulsory lessons in Welsh.

He told the Senedd’s education committee: “We have an ambitious target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050. If we are to achieve that target then the contribution that the education system must make … is at the centre of that effort.

‘Distortions’

“That means it cannot rely entirely on young people who receive their education through the medium of Welsh, it must encompass all children …. That’s at the heart of this bill.”

Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru’s shadow culture secretary, asked what difference it will make putting the ‘Cymraeg 2050’ target on a legal, rather than aspirational, footing.

Prof Drakeford said a statutory target safeguards its future and underlines its importance.

He explained that the bill will also introduce the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to help people gauge their ability.

“At the moment, there’s nothing to guide anybody and, as we know, it can lead to distortions at either end of the spectrum,” he said.

‘Promote and persuade’

Giving evidence as part of scrutiny of the bill on September 19, Prof Drakeford emphasised that the 2050 target includes doubling daily use of the language.

He said: “That’s extremely important – not to just have more people who can speak the language but to promote and persuade people to use the language they have.

“It is at the centre of the bill to do that.”

Buffy Williams, the Labour chair of the committee, asked questions on behalf of Tom Giffard, who had technical difficulties during the hybrid meeting.

Mr Giffard, the Tory shadow education secretary, raised concerns about Welsh-medium activities outside the curriculum no longer being used in school language categories.

‘Struggle’

Prof Drakeford said nothing in the bill in any way undermines the importance of the work to encourage the use of Welsh beyond the curriculum.

He told the committee the bill would set a 10% minimum level for the amount of Welsh-language education provision in primarily English-language schools.

Mr Giffard asked about the circumstances in which councils will be able to grant exceptions, warning that already under-pressure schools may struggle to meet the 10% requirement.

Prof Drakeford said: “The reason we have built this into the bill is to make sure those schools that will face some challenges in getting to 10%, don’t feel under unreasonable pressure….

“It’s to make sure we go on preserving the ground we’ve gained in terms of goodwill for the language and to attend to the sheer practical nature of some of the challenges.”

He confirmed compulsory elements of the bill will not apply to special schools.

Consultation

Prof Drakeford said the bill provides for two extensions to the 10% requirement to 2036 at the latest, “which is perilously close to 2050”, so indefinite extensions will not be allowed.

Lee Waters raised concerns about schools suddenly moving between language categories, with examples of ”fractured and disempowered” communities in his Llanelli constituency.

The Labour MS cautioned that the bill “seems a little silent” on community consultation.

Bethan Webb, a deputy director responsible for Cymraeg 2050, said councils will consult on their plans every five years, setting out their ambitions.

Ms Webb added that headteachers, governors and the wider school community will be able to feed into delivery plans at a school level.

Iwan Roberts, a Welsh Government lawyer, said consultation is an obligatory part of the bill.

A consultation on the principles of the bill runs until October 11.

What would the bill do?

The Welsh language and education bill aims to ensure pupils are confident Welsh speakers by the end of compulsory school age.

All pupils would be expected to develop skills equivalent to the B2 level of proficiency in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The bill as drafted would:

• put targets including a million Welsh speakers by 2050 on a legal footing;
• embed a standard way to describe language ability based on the CEFR;
• establish new categories of school – primarily Welsh, dual language, and primarily English, partly Welsh – with targets for each;
• create a chain of accountability with duties on schools, councils and ministers; and
• set up the National Welsh Language Learning Institute.

Ministers introduced the bill as part of the now-collapsed cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru in return for support to pass Welsh Government budgets.

The bill’s impact assessment estimates the total cost at £103.2m in the decade to 2034/35.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter