Issue - meetings

(a)       That the changes in the guidance on Welsh in Education Strategic Plans be noted; and

(b)       That the draft statutory Welsh in Education Strategic Plan be endorsed.

Councillor Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Education and Youth, introduced the report to update the Committee on the changes in the guidance on Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESP).  He provided background information and explained that the deadline for Flintshire’s draft WESP 2017-2020 to be submitted to the Welsh Government (WG) was 20 December 2016.  The draft Plan would then be submitted for a period of consultation with a prescribed list of stakeholders.  Pending final approval from WG, the Plan will be operational from 1 April 2017 and published on the Authority’s website by 1 June 2017. 

Councillor Bithell referred to the WG draft national strategy to achieve a million Welsh speakers by 2050.  He said that to meet this target and secure use of the language in the long term, it was acknowledged that children and young people in Wales must be given the chance to improve and extend their use of Welsh through a variety of ways.  Key to this was improving learners’ outcomes in Welsh and increasing the number of children accessing their education through the medium of Welsh. 

Councillor Bithell advised that following a review of current strategies, including a thematic review by Estyn, Flintshire had received positive feedback regarding its effective partnership working and ambition for Welsh Medium education in the County.  He reported that the WG and Estyn had issued revised guidance to local authorities for drafting new WESP plans and Estyn’s recommendations were outlined in paragraph 1.03 of the report.  Councillor Bithell explained that the draft Plan had been produced by the Senior Manager for School Improvement with the active participation and contribution of dedicated partners including representatives of Welsh and English medium schools and key organisations. The Plan outlined the Council’s vision statement and commitment in supporting the Welsh language and Welsh medium education and contained an action plan detailing how it would achieve the key outcomes determined by the WG.

During discussion Mr. David Hytch commented that over 80% of pupils in Welsh-medium education came from English speaking homes.  Referring to the key outcome on workforce planning and continuing professional development listed in section 1.08 of the report, he commented on the difficulties being experienced in recruitment at all levels in the Welsh medium sector.   Mr. Hytch drew attention to the principles that all learners become proficient in Welsh and English listed in section 1.07 of the report and asked whether this was a realistic ambition.

RESOLVED

(a)       That the changes in the guidance on Welsh in Education Strategic Plans be noted; and

(b)       That the draft statutory Welsh in Education Strategic Plan be endorsed.