A Welsh language campaign group has criticised Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council for what it said was a “lack of growth” in Welsh medium education in the county. Language campaigners Cymdeithas yr Iaith have claimed there has been a “lack of growth” in Welsh-medium education in RCT, and have called for urgent action to reverse what they see as “decades of inaction” by the council.
Cymdeithas yr Iaith said that 20% of the county’s children are educated in Welsh at present, and said that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has not opened a single new Welsh medium school since the council itself was established in 1996, something campaigners say highlights the local authority’s “serious lack of ambition.” But RCT Council said it is fully-committed to Welsh medium education and has set out its “significant recent and ongoing investment” in Welsh medium language education despite there being an overall 26% surplus capacity in the Welsh medium sector, with current provision more than sufficient to meet demand.
However in an open letter from Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s education group, the council’s decision to close Ysgol Pont Siôn Norton was criticised, saying that “the right of families to have Welsh-medium education on their doorstep has disappeared overnight”. The group also criticised the “unexpected and damaging move to consult on changing Ysgol Dolau from a dual-language school to an English-medium school”.
Cymdeithas yr Iaith is calling instead for the Welsh-medium stream to be retained at Ysgol Dolau, and to increase the Welsh language provision of the whole school over time so that, in time, all the school’s children will receive their education in Welsh. Toni Schiavone from Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s education group said: “Despite the rhetoric of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, the story we hear about the growth of Welsh-medium education in the county is a myth. 80% of the county’s children are educated in English, and the overwhelming majority of those will leave school without being able to speak Welsh confidently.
“We know that young people want to become confident Welsh speakers, and Valleys children are being let down. There’s no sign that things are getting better either: recent decisions to close Ysgol Pont Siôn Norton and a proposed consultation on turning Ysgol Dolau into an English-medium school are two serious backward steps.” But the council highlighted it’s £15.5m investment in the Cynon Valley at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr, a new £14m Welsh medium school in Rhydyfelin and a new £18m replacement school for Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn y Forwyn in Ferndale.
It also mentioned there has been recent investment of around £6m into early years, to improve existing provisions and establish new Welsh Medium settings at YGG Ynyswen, Ysgol Llanhari, YGG Aberdâr, YGG Abercynon, YGG Evan James and YGGG Llantrisant which includes £1.5m for improvements to YGG Castellau and £850,000 for a community building next door to Ysgol Penderyn. The council highlighted two new Welsh medium learning support classes planned to open in September, on top of the secondary Welsh medium provision which opened last year.
And the council pointed out that cabinet recently agreed to consult on plans to build a brand new Welsh medium primary school as part of its work to provide a suitable education provision to serve the future Llanilid housing development But Lowri Mared, a local parent who campaigned against the council’s decision to close Ysgol Pont Siôn Norton, said: “It’s a real shame that the council can’t see that the decision to move Ysgol Pont Siôn Norton out of the community of north Pontypridd was a backward step for the Welsh language here.
“In making this decision, the council has completely disregarded the impact on the language. Some children will now have to pass seven English-medium schools on their way to the nearest Welsh-medium school. The areas of Cilfynydd, Glyncoch and Ynysybwl will lose the language because the council has made Welsh-medium education an impossibility for many.” Cymdeithas yr Iaith is campaigning for all children to receive Welsh-medium education by 2050. Figures commissioned by the group shows that, in order to ensure by 2050 that all children in Rhondda Cynon Taf receive their education in Welsh, 40.2% of the county’s primary pupils will need to receive Welsh-medium education by 2035. At present, only 16% of the county’s primary school children are at a Welsh-medium school, the group said. To get all the latest Pontypridd news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
The group added that Welsh-medium education for everyone cannot happen overnight, but says ambitious action is needed to start the journey. The campaigners have proposed action to take to begin the process of a radical increase in provision including:
Toni Schiavone said: “Providing Welsh-medium education on the doorstep in all areas is the only way to ensure that everyone can become confident Welsh speakers. With the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd this year, the council has a great opportunity to think again about the language, to reverse its record of the last few decades and leave a legacy by getting serious about the journey towards giving every child in the county the gift of the Welsh language.” A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “The council is fully-committed to Welsh medium education, to achieve the outcomes set out in our ambitious 10-year Welsh in Education Strategic Plan – and Welsh Government’s own Cymraeg 2050 commitment.
“This has been reflected in the significant recent investment in Welsh medium education facilities for Rhondda Cynon Taf, despite there being an overall 26% surplus capacity in the Welsh medium sector, with our current provision more than sufficient to meet demand. We’ve recently delivered a joint investment of £15.5m in the Cynon Valley, to construct brand new teaching accommodation at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun and a significant extension at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr – creating brand new facilities and, importantly, increasing the Welsh medium capacity for the area.
“In September 2024, a new 21st Century Welsh Medium school will open in Rhydyfelin following a £14m investment. Ysgol Awel Taf is a brand new build with capacity for 540 learners that will enable us to grow Welsh medium education in the area.
“We’re also currently constructing a new replacement school for Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn y Forwyn in Ferndale – replacing ageing facilities with a state-of-the-art £18m development on a fit-for-purpose site. The new site is on course to open its doors in the 2024/25 academic year and will also include a new Welsh medium early years setting.
“There has also been recent investment of around £6m into early years, to improve existing provisions and establish new Welsh medium settings. The projects have been delivered at YGG Ynyswen, Ysgol Llanhari, YGG Aberdâr, YGG Abercynon, YGG Evan James and YGGG Llantrisant.
“This figure includes £1.5m for improvements to YGG Castellau and £850,000 for a community building next door to Ysgol Penderyn, to further improve Welsh medium early years provision. We are committed to achieving our target of growing the number of Welsh medium early years learners by 10% over the next eight years. Investment in additional learning needs is also a priority, and we have two new Welsh medium learning support classes planned to open in September, on top of the secondary Welsh medium provision which opened last year.
“Finally, in the last two weeks, cabinet members have agreed to consult on plans to build a brand new Welsh Medium primary school as part of its work to provide a suitable education provision to serve the future Llanilid housing development. The exciting proposals provide an opportunity to grow the Welsh medium provision in the local area and will be formally consulted upon from September.
“Our future aim is to build upon our significant achievements to date – we’ll be continuing to prioritise Welsh medium education and aiming to secure a further investment programme through the rolling Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme by Welsh Government.”
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