Issue - meetings

(a)       That the work undertaken by the Welsh Advisory Service be noted; and

(b)       That the work of the Welsh Advisory Service in supporting schools to raise standards of Welsh in Flintshire schools be endorsed.

The Senior Manager School Improvement (Claire Homard) introduced the report to provide an overview of the work of the Welsh Advisory Service which provides support services to primary schools to raise standards in Welsh and Welsh as a second language. 

The Senior Manager School Improvement reported on the main considerations as detailed in the report.  She advised that there were 5 Welsh-Medium primary schools in the Authority and referred to assessment outcomes at the end of the Foundation Phase and Key Stage 2 in Flintshire’s Welsh-Medium schools in 2016. She also reported that there had been a strong upward trend in Welsh second language results, taught in English medium schools, at the end of Key Stage 2 over the last 5 years.   

The Senior Manager School Improvement commented on the Welsh Government’s new Welsh Language Strategy and its target of creating 1m welsh speakers by 2050.   She explained that training staff continued to be a priority for the Welsh Advisory Service and emphasised the need for the workforce within Flintshire’s boundaries to possess the necessary language skills and appropriate methodology to deliver age appropriate and sufficiently challenging schemes of work to pupils.  She commented on the difficulties being experienced in recruiting staff with Welsh language skills.

The Senior Manager School Improvement agreed to invite headteachers to give a presentation during consideration of the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan at the next meeting of the Committee on 15^th December.

RESOLVED

(a)       That the work undertaken by the Welsh Advisory Service be noted; and

(b)       That the work of the Welsh Advisory Service in supporting schools to raise standards of Welsh in Flintshire schools be endorsed.