Welsh for adults partnership plays key role in promoting bilingualism

Effective Practice
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Dysgu Cymraeg Gogledd Ddwyrain/Learn Welsh North East

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Brief contextual information about the provider/partnership

Learn Welsh North East, which is a partnership between Coleg Cambria and Popeth Cymraeg, was established during the reorganisation of the Welsh for Adults sector in 2016, to teach Welsh to Adults in the Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire areas. It provides a range of different courses at Entry to Proficiency levels, including mainstream Welsh for Adults, Welsh in the Workplace and Working Welsh courses. It also provides a programme of informal learning opportunities for learners to practise and extend their Welsh skills outside the classroom.

Identify how the excellent area of practice/sector-leading practice that was identified during the inspection relates to a key question, quality indicator and/or a specific aspect

Learn Welsh North East is an important and valuable part of Coleg Cambria and make a strong contribution to the aim in the college’s strategic plan to broaden bilingual opportunities for communities in north-east Wales. It succeeds effectively in supporting Coleg Cambria strategically and operationally in working towards Welsh Government’s aims in its Cymraeg 2050: A million Welsh speakers policy.

Context and background to the sector-leading practice

Coleg Cambria is committed fully to promoting the Welsh language. Leaders across the college are aware that the college’s geographical location close to the English border highlights the need to address the development of the Welsh language differently from other parts of Wales. The strategic decision to integrate Learn Welsh North East fully in the college’s infrastructure has led to the provision’s capacity to play a valuable part in the development of the Welsh language and bilingualism across the organisation.

The college places the Welsh language at the heart of every strategy. The manager who is responsible for the Welsh language is the head of provision is part of the senior management team and reports directly to the chief executive. This means that the provision is treated in the same way as any other department within the college through the business planning and self-evaluation processes. Both of these processes also ensure that the necessary investment is in place to develop provision and ensure equality.

Due to the head of provision’s wider responsibilities within the college, the provider is able to make the most of opportunities to promote all aspects of the service. As a result, this ensures that Welsh for Adults fulfils a key and core function in the college’s strategic plans to promote the Welsh language, in line with Welsh Government policies.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity that has been identified as excellent/sector-leading practice

Learn Welsh North East makes a key contribution towards achieving the aims of Cymraeg 2050 as follows:

  • The location of provision within the college’s management structure gives it status and raises it to the same level as the college’s other academic departments. It also ensures that the Welsh language is considered when making any policy decisions across the college.

  • The provider’s priorities for improvement are an integral part of the college’s development plans, which ensures that the area plays a key role in trying to develop the Welsh language in north east Wales.

  • The role of the Welsh Link Governor within the college means that the governing body has up to-date and valuable knowledge of the latest developments in the provider’s work. The provider benefits from this as it makes beneficial use of the college’s resources and links to evolve provision, in addition to supporting the college to achieve its aims to increase the number of people who speak and use the Welsh language.

  • The provision employs over 50 Welsh-speaking members of staff, which has a significant effect on the college’s Welsh ethos.

What effect has this work had on provision and learner standards

The provider has access to the host organisation’s wider resources, with support from departments such as human resources and financial services. Tutors across the provision are also able to access the college’s teaching and learning training programmes, which ensure that they are able to develop their skills, which leads to improving quality. Staff who are not part of the provision across Coleg Cambria also enjoy easy access to Welsh for Adults lessons and benefit from the tutors’ support and expertise. This leads to raising the profile of the Welsh language within the college and in the communities of north east Wales.