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Question 1 – What are your views on whether Welsh in Education
Strategic Plans are contributing to the outcomes and targets set
out in the Welsh Government’s overarching Welsh Medium
Education Strategic Plan?
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In
Flintshire the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan is taken very
seriously and is making a noticeable contribution to enabling
Flintshire County Council reach its targets in promoting Welsh
Medium Education in a very anglicised authority.
This
is because the Council has established a very effective Welsh in
Education Forum where senior officers and representatives of key
local partners meet on a regular basis to create the plan, monitor
its outcomes and work in strong partnership to deliver its aims and
objectives. A senior school improvement officer is responsible for
the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan and there is strong
collaboration between officers across the Education and Youth
Portfolio to ensure its effective implementation. The Forwm holds
officers to account on the delivery of the plan.
This
Forwm is chaired by the Chief Officer for Education and Youth
and/or the Lead Member for Education so it given a very high
political priority
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If you believe that
WESPs are not contributing sufficiently, how do you think this
could be resolved?
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Where WESPs are not
contributing sufficiently, it could be for a number of reasons but
it is likely that the fundamental one would be a lack of leadership
at a senior officer or political level to give it the status and
resources it needs to be implemented effectively.
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Question 2 – What
are your views on whether WESPs are (or have the potential) to
deliver the required change at a local authority level (for example
delivering provision to meet any increased demand for Welsh medium
education)?
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In
Flintshire, in the context described in Question 1, the WESP has
delivered changed at a Local Authority level. A parental survey in
2013 identified that there was a demand for Welsh medium education
in the Deeside area of the county. Through the 21st
Century modernisation programme, the council has been able to open
a new Welsh medium provision in the Deeside area under the
leadership of a nearby Welsh medium primary school. The Local
Authority has provided ‘start up’ funding for this
satellite centre with a view that it will become self-sufficient
over time if parents actively choose it as an option for their
children in the area. Early indications are good with pupil numbers
starting at 11 in September 2014 with projected numbers of 24 for
September 2015.
The
development of the plan and the requirement to have a dedicated
Welsh in Education Forum has been a significant step in improving
the quality and range of partnership working in Flintshire between
council officers and a range of organisations eg Twf, Mudiad
Meithrin, Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Syfflag
and Coleg Cambria. This has delivered quality Welsh in Education
Plans which have been approved by Welsh Government, new Welsh
medium pre-school and school aged provision and has increased the
profile of Welsh medium education generally across the
county.
The
key to a successful WESP is strong local leadership and a genuine
commitment to partnership working.
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If you believe that
WESPs are not, or don’t have the potential, to deliver
change, how do you think this could be resolved?
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See answer to Question
2 & 3
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Question 3 – What
are your views on the arrangements for target setting; monitoring;
reviewing; reporting; approving; and ensuring compliance with
delivering the requirements for WESPs (and the role of the local
authority and the Welsh Government in this regard)?
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The
arrangements for the target setting etc. appear to work as they
stand. They cover the main areas as would be expected. It does need
to be acknowledged by Welsh Government, however, that parental
choice is the biggest factor in selecting which school their
children attend and that despite the best efforts of the Local
Authority, sometimes pupils do leave the Welsh medium sector for a
variety of reasons eg dissatisfaction with the individual school,
movement into the private sector, moving out of the area and back
into England.
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If you believe there
are problems in this area, how do you think they could be
resolved?
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Question 4 – What
are your views on whether WESPs evidence the effective interaction
between the Welsh Government’s Welsh-medium education
strategy and other relevant policies and legislation*?
(*for example school transport policy; 21st Century Schools
programme; A living language: a language for living – Moving
forward policy statement; Flying Start; planning policy)
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It is self evident that there should be effective
interaction between Welsh in Education Strategic Planning and wider
social and educational policy goals. There are challenges in
achieving this for partners, local authorities/ consortia and the
Welsh Government.
For example, in some areas there is an ongoing challenge to ensure
that Welsh Medium education is accessible to all. Early years
education and Flying Start strategies are key to making progress in
this to ensure that all families know about and can take advantage
of Welsh Medium learning opportunities.
In relation to school transport, the recent judicial review of
Swansea's transport policy questioned the legal basis on which many
authorities offer provision to Welsh Medium provision. This may
have significant negative implications for the sector as
Authorities review their compliance with the adjudication. It is an
area where issues need careful consideration and review.
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If you believe there
are problems in this area, how do you think they could be
resolved?
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Question 5 – What
are your views on whether the outcomes of WESPs deliver equal
outcomes for all pupils, including for example, primary/secondary
pupils or children from low income households.
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The
focus of the WESP is on all pupils regardless of phase of education
or socio-economic background. The emphasis on raising standards of
attainment through the curriculum, as measured by outcomes at the
end of each phase and external examinations, applies to all
learners. Monitoring the performance of pupils from low income
households could only be measured by breaking the data down in more
detail to e-FSM and non-FSM pupils which adds to the workloads of
Local Authorities in the time of financial austerity and
diminishing resources so would probably not be welcomed.
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If you believe that the
outcome of WESPs do not deliver equal outcomes, how do you think
this could be resolved?
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Question 6 - If
you had to make one recommendation to the Welsh Government from all
the points you have made, what would that recommendation
be?
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The WESP forums are a
key driver and the quality of these is an areas worthy of
exploration.
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Question 7 - Do
you have any other comments or issues you wish to raise that have
not been covered by the specific questions?
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