Information about the school / provider 

Ceredigion County Council has a total population of around 71,500. A significant proportion of the County’s population, 45.6%, were born outside Wales with 37.3% born in England and 8.3% born outside England and Wales. According to the 2021 Census, 45.3% of the population of Ceredigion speak Welsh. 71.8% of the 3-15 year old cohort speak Welsh (Census 2021). This is the largest proportion across the age groups.  

The local authority runs 14 nursery resources within schools as well as education in 20 Cylch Meithrin. There are 36 primary schools, four secondary schools and one all-age school providing education for pupils aged 3-16 and two all-age schools providing education for pupils aged 3-19. The authority also maintains one pupil referral unit between two sites. 

Context and background of the effective or innovative practice   

Ceredigion Local Authority’s vision is to ensure that pupils are confident bilingual learners. The Ceredigion Well-being Survey shows that many younger people feel a strong connection to the Welsh language and Welsh culture, as well as an equally strong desire to maintain that for future generations. 

Overview of the situation of the Welsh language in Ceredigion 

The diagram below (Figure 1) summarises Ceredigion County Council’s strategic planning processes in relation to the Welsh language and the relationship between Corporate and Educational elements. The cooperation between the different elements is core to the development of the Welsh language in Ceredigion.  

Figure 1: Ceredigion County Council’s strategic planning processes – Welsh Language  

According to the 2021 Census, 45.3% of the population of Ceredigion speak Welsh and 71.8% of the 3-15 year old cohort speak Welsh (Figure 2).  

Figure 2: Welsh speakers by age group – Ceredigion, 2021  

Source: ONS – Census 2021: Table TS076 

A significant proportion of the County’s population, 45.6%, were born outside Wales, 37.3% were born in England and 8.3% were born outside England and Wales (Figure 3).  

Figure 3: Ceredigion’s Population by Country of Birth, 2021 

Source: ONS – Census 2021: Table TS012 

The results of the Ceredigion wellbeing survey show that many younger people feel a strong connection to the Welsh language and Welsh culture, along with an equally strong desire to maintain that for future generations. 

Schools Profile 

In the authority, there are: 

• 29 Welsh-medium Primary Schools (Category 3),  

• 5 T2 Primary Schools,   

• 3 All-age Schools, (one 3P, one 3 and one T3) and  

• 4 Secondary Schools (three T3 and one Category 1)

A description of the nature of the strategy or activity 

Ceredigion Local Authority’s vision is to ensure that pupils are confident bilingual learners. The cooperation across departments is a strength and enables strategic planning in order to develop the Welsh language by ensuring that it is a core element of living and being in Ceredigion. There are two key documents that intertwine in order to provide a clear and ambitious strategic direction to support and develop the Welsh language: 

• Promote and Facilitate Strategy – setting clear goals to increase the use and opportunities to speak Welsh across the county. Emphasis will be placed on a scheme that will address the development of the Welsh language across all aspects of life in Ceredigion by using the four main themes: Learning, Living, Belonging and Success. 

• Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP)  – it is ambitious and has placed a clear focus on moving schools along the continuum and increasing the use of the Welsh language. Transitional category 2 was agreed for 5 primary schools and a consultation on adapting the Language of Foundation Learning medium was completed in the 5. The LA has acted quickly and strongly to meet WESP’s ambitious targets, and nursery pupils in these schools now receive Welsh-medium immersion education.  

Supporting Schools 

The WESP’s actions inform the work of the Ceredigion Welsh Language Support Team. The support includes: 

• An experienced team of central practitioners  

• Three Primary Language Centres to integrate newcomers into Welsh education  

• Lead and cooperate with Headteachers and Governors of the Transitional Schools to develop incisive Action Plans following School Categorisation 

• Supporting Transitional School Practitioners in Immersion Methodology, co-learning and resource preparation 

• Support parents and the school community in learning Welsh in cooperation with Learn Welsh Ceredigion through Aberystwyth University 

• Identify the workforce and their personal linguistic needs and set them on a suitable pathway to learning Welsh 

• Piloting language medium reform in one two-stream school and appraise the actions evaluatively 

• Match the work of the Welsh Language Charter with curricular work and appoint a specific officer to lead on the work 

• Developing standardised resources that support local and national priorities by creating, launching and sharing a comprehensive website – CÂR-DI-IAITH 

• Effective use of a targeted Immersion Grant to achieve the goals of WESP and the Secondary sector in particular  

Enrich and Support 

Educational provision is enriched by a range of partnerships but more specifically through the County Council’s Culture Department which is part of the Schools and Lifelong Learning Service. Promoting the Welsh language and Welsh culture is at the heart of the Department’s work and there is close cooperation to facilitate creative and cultural experiences, which meet the requirements of Curriculum for Wales and support provisions such as ALN and parents who home-school.  

Table 1: Examples of educational enrichment projects  

Theatr Felinfach	Music Service	CERED
Cynefin Scheme – upskilling teachers in the context of Curriculum for Wales with a focus on language, culture and ‘cynefin’	Welsh-medium Music Therapy provision	Extra-curricular opportunities – Theatr Fach Llandysul, Lego Clubs, Young Reporters Scheme, Welsh language music workshops
Bore da Drama/Creu yn y coed – a creative scheme that promotes language and culture for parents and pupils who are taught at home	Performance opportunities and musical workshops including a First Experience scheme promoting Welsh Music and Welsh Culture	Support the Welsh Language Support Team and WESP schemes by offering specific Welsh language/Welsh social activities for parents and families in the transitional schools
Programme of creative projects for ALN Centres with an emphasis on language and culture	Targeting the Cardigan area for performances to promote Welsh music for secondary school pupils in the area

Also:  

• Agreements with external partners e.g. Local theatre company, Youth Service, the Urdd and Young Farmers Club. 

• The Council’s Welsh Language Group (Grŵp Prifio’r Gymraeg) – bringing partners together to discuss Welsh extra-curricular provision for children and young people and identify opportunities for cooperation 

What effect has this work had on learners’ provision and standards? 

The cooperation across departments is a strength and enables strategic planning in order to develop the Welsh language by ensuring that it is a core element of living and being in Ceredigion. 

Educational provision is enriched by a range of partnerships but more specifically through the County Council’s Culture Department which is part of the Schools and Lifelong Learning Service. 

Implementing the WESP targets has ensured consistent provision across the Authority by giving all pupils in Ceredigion an equal opportunity to develop their Welsh language skills. The percentage of 3-year-old pupils receiving Welsh-medium education has reached 100% since September 2024.  

Over the last five years 3 Language Centres in the County have provided latecomer immersion education to 190 pupils to enable them to access Welsh language education in their schools. 

As a result of the effective use of the Welsh Language Grant 2050 and the support of the Welsh Language Support Team, the numbers of school practitioners continuing on their linguistic journey since Summer 2022 are as follows: 

Table 2: Welsh/ supplementary courses by number of teachers and assistants (2022 onwards) 

Course	Teachers	Assistants
Advanced Sabbatical	5
Intermediate Sabbatical	9
Foundation Sabbatical	2
Supplementary Courses
Welsh Taster Course (Entry Level)		19
Confidence Building (2 intensive days)	5	6
Language Awareness	Total staff 4 Primary Schools and 5 Secondary/All-age School
60 hours Foundation with Tutor support		11
Confidence Building for Secondary Practitioners -Nant Gwrtheyrn	2

Corporately, the Council provides Welsh lessons at all levels to employees across the Council as well as providing tailored group sessions for employees in specialist areas such as Carers, Leisure Workers etc. In 2024, a specific Welsh lesson scheme was put in place for Counsellors of children and young people.  

For 2023/24, the number of lessons delivered was as follows: 

Level	Number
Access – Taster	10
Access	24
Foundation	13
Intermediate	15
Higher 1	7
Higher 2	5
Higher 3	5
TOTAL	79

Measuring Effect: Feedback Received  

Culture 

“It was creative, fun, brilliant introduction to Welsh. Variety of activities.”  (Theatr Felinfach- Scheme for homeschooling parents – Parent Feedback)	“I like that all the teachers are there because it’s fun and I like how they help us to learn Welsh. One of the things I liked best of all the activities was the story about the giant.”  (Theatr Felinfach- Scheme for homeschooling parents – Pupil Feedback)
“We use the Welsh language here to practise and inspire each other. It’s a special experience for us as a family.”  (Cered Lego Club- Parent Feedback)	“Drama makes me feel like a superhero, it helps with my nerves and makes me more confident to speak Welsh!”  (Theatr Fach CERED – Pupil feedback)
“The highlight was seeing the children perform confidently on the p-buzz during the Eisteddfod and during a Cawl a Chan event.”  (Music First Experience Scheme – Teacher Feedback)	“This scheme has been a new adventure for us in terms of the ALN Service in Ceredigion, and it’s certainly a solid foundation for future work.”  (Theatr Felinfach ALN Scheme – Teacher Feedback)
“Excellent, vibrant, creative and fully competent”   (Theatr Felinfach ALN Scheme – Teacher Feedback)	“It’s great that my children pick up the Welsh language before they start Meithrin and it’s a safe place for me to hear Welsh being spoken and to ymarfer my Cymraeg without feeling anxious or worried about making a mistake”   (Theatr Felinfach Tic Toc Club – Parent feedback)

Education 

“The pupils are all more confident in starting conversations in Welsh and their sentence patterns have improved greatly.”  (Language Centres – Headteacher’s Feedback)	“My daughter reads better and faster, her vocabulary has expanded … And is not afraid to communicate.”  (Language Centres – Parent Feedback)
“I feel extremely lucky to have had this support for my family and it far exceeded my expectations . The benefit of this course was immeasurable . The small group , supportive environment and dedication of the staff was amazing . I don’t know how to thank you enough.”  (Language Centres – Parent Feedback)	“I feel like a proper Welshspeaker.”  (PYPC – Playground Games – Pupil Feedback)
“Happy and surprised because when I came I thought that I would never be able to speak Welsh…but now I feel I could speak to someone fluently and understand what they are saying.”  (PYPC – Playground Games – Pupil Feedback)	“This is really cool miss, we’re going to put Tregaron on the map!”   (Hac y Gymraeg – Ysgol Henry Richard– Pupil Feedback)
“I’m very happy that we’ve been able to make a page for the chain story, we’re writers. The launch was fun. Books can teach you a lot but now I feel like I can create books too! I’m going to remember this day forever.”   (Bant â Ni – Seren a Sbarc – Pupil Feedback)	“The immersion days help as it gives us a lot of activities to use in class, and there are a lot of good ideas.”  (T2 Transitional Schools Development Network – Teacher Feedback)
“One of the main effects of the activity was the effect that it had on a particular individual. XXXX is originally from Pakistan and moved to Aberystwyth as his parents work at the Hospital. Before the activity, XXXX didn’t think that the Welsh language was relevant or of great interest to him. However, as Ameer spoke about his relationship with the Welsh language and the fact that he has been able to communicate with XXXXX in his mother tongue, there was a significant change in attitude and XXXX said “He’s just like me, and he can speak Welsh” Since the activity XXXX has realised that the Welsh language belongs to everyone and is more willing to learn more and use the Welsh than he has.”  (“1 million speakers” event – Ysgol Plascrug)