Carmarthenshire’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) has been launched today (Monday, June 25)
In accordance with statutory requirements, under the Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, Local Authorities are required to prepare a Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP).
Carmarthenshire’s WESP was approved by Welsh Government in March 2018 following full statutory public consultation.
Carmarthenshire’s WESP aims to ensure that all pupils are given the opportunity to be able to become more fluently bilingual by the end of primary school (Key Stage 2) to their expected levels and then develop this attribute through to secondary school, whilst also ensuring the acquisition of other languages, as set out in the New Curriculum for Wales.
The Plan reflects the Welsh Government’s wider strategy for the Welsh language which is to realise ‘A million Welsh speakers by 2050’. To achieve that, the Welsh Government believes that several things need to happen, one of which includes ‘more children in Welsh-medium education’.
Executive board member responsible for education and children’s services, Cllr Glynog Davies, said: “We are proud that here in Carmarthenshire we are making great strides towards helping the Welsh Government to fulfil its vision for a million Welsh speakers by 2050 by implementing our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan. We intend to move every primary and secondary school along the language continuum, so that each school plays its particular part in realising this ambition. For those schools which are already on the journey the timescale will be comparatively short, for others, it will be a longer term aim.
“Support will be available to train staff in order to improve their linguistic skills, where required, and also to offer professional development, thus enhancing teaching provision across all age groups. We will be developing the skills and confidence of teachers to teach through the medium of Welsh whilst also upskilling support staff to lend assistance in the classroom.”
Guidance will also be offered to school governors and school leaders.
Leader of the council, Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “I recognise the importance of creating opportunities for the pupils of Carmarthenshire to become confident in Welsh and English.
“All our young people, from all walks of life, should have the opportunity to be bilingual when they emerge from our education system, proud of their identity and able to celebrate both languages.”
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