Gwynedd sign

Gwynedd Council announces £1.1m Welsh language pupil support plan

Plans are being developed by Gwynedd Council to extend specialist support that will be available to immerse children in the Welsh language in the county.

The new system will see the authority investing £1.1m in new facilities in Bangor and Tywyn, as well as improving resources at Porthmadog through the Welsh Government’s Welsh Medium Capital Grant.

The council said the developments would be built on the solid foundations that are already in place, offering learners a state-of-the-art immersion education system.

This would develop their Welsh language skills to enable them to succeed and thrive in schools, becoming proficient bilingual speakers, the council added.


Commenting, Gwynedd Council's Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Cemlyn Rees Williams said:

“The council has led the way in developing a Welsh education system and supporting all pupils who move to the area so that they can benefit fully from the range of cultural and economic opportunities that bilingualism brings.

“Our intention is to build on this excellent work in developing a modern immersion system that will prioritise the needs of learners and ensure that the system is suitable for years to come.

“I am confident that we have exciting plans that will ensure support and experience of a high standard, developing Welsh language skills and enabling pupils to succeed and thrive in our schools and become confident bilingual speakers.

“We will recommend investing over £1m in modern facilities located in Bangor and Tywyn, which are two areas that are key to the vision of ensuring that we strengthen the position of the Welsh language throughout the county.

“As part of the plans, we will also be improving provision at other locations across the county, ensuring opportunities for more pupils to benefit from this support.”

The new look immersion system would:

  • Promote the achievement and wellbeing of Gwynedd's ‘newcomers’ to acquire the Welsh language.
  • Support learners who need an extra boost to increase their confidence and skills in Welsh at school.
  • Extend the immersion provision to more learners.
  • Equip and support the Gwynedd school workforce to implement the principles of immersion education in the Foundation Phase.
  • Provide guidance, support and resources to the Gwynedd school workforce to enable them to support learners to make further progress in terms of their confidence and skills in Welsh.
  • Help parents and guardians to understand the value of Welsh-medium education and help them support their children.

 A report on the new immersion education system will be presented to the authority’s Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee before being considered by Gwynedd Council's Cabinet for a decision.

If approved, the intention is for the new system and facilities to be in place by September 2022.

Public Sector Executive, Feb/March, Cover

PSE Feb/March, 23

Greater choice, greater results

Our February/March 2023 edition of PSE brings you expert comment and analysis on a range of key public sector topics, from EV infrastructure to Digital transformation and reducing carbon emissions. Learn how the UK Government is investing in highway and freight innovation or read Cllr Matthew Hicks discuss the first step towards an exciting future for Suffolk, alongside so much more…

Videos...

View all videos
#PSE365: Public Sector Decarbonisation

Be A Part Of It!

PSE365: Public Sector Decarbonisation Virtual Event | 21 Mar 2023

PSE has created a full calendar of events to address the most important issues that influence the delivery of public sector services. 

Over 365 days you’ll have the opportunity to hear from a range of highly motivating, informative and inspirational speakers. These speakers will equip you with knowledge and unique insight to enable you to overcome the challenges that you face.

Industry Survey

What are the biggest issues facing the Public Sector?

 Public Sector Executive is undergoing some in-depth research around the issues the Public Sector is facing and the importance of deploying and using new technology within Public Sector organisations. 

We are asking for your help to better understand how public sector organisations are utilising technology to support their digital strategy and your opinion on what the biggest issues facing the public sector are.

This survey only takes a couple of minutes to complete and to thank you for your time and for filling out our survey, we'll enter you into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.

In order to assist public sector organisations with improving their existing technology estate, we hope to leverage our findings to share best practises and innovations across the public sector.

More articles...

View all