Education through the Medium of Welsh

For parents/carers who prefer their children to be educated through the medium of the Welsh language, the Authority currently provides Welsh-medium Education at three Welsh Primary Schools situated in Cwmbran and Pontypool. These schools cater for demand throughout the County Borough.

Nursery provision is catered for at the Nursery Unit attached to Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran, Ysgol Bryn Onnen and Ysgol Panteg and at Meithrinfa Pontnewydd and Ysgol Feithrin Pontypŵl.

Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw in Pontypool caters for children aged 3-18.

Pupils attending a Welsh medium school will be provided with transport in accordance with the Authority's transport policy.

The names and addresses of the various Welsh schools and details of the Authority's transport policy in respect of welsh medium education can be found in the Parents / Carers Information Booklet.

Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP)

Councils have to submit a Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) for approval to Welsh Government. WESPs detail council and Welsh Government outcomes and targets for the development of Welsh Medium education. You can download a copy of the approved Torfaen Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2022-2032 here.

If you are thinking about educating your child through the medium of Welsh and want to know more about the support on offer then the Welsh Government's Guide to Welsh Medium Education could help.

Welsh Immersion Unit – Carreg Lam

Carreg Lam, which means stepping stone, is an immersion unit for primary school pupils in years 2 to 6 who want to transfer to Welsh-medium education.

The centre aims to support them to improve the skills and confidence needed to continue their learning through Welsh.

Children generally will join the unit for an intense learning period of approximately 12 weeks before then undergoing a period of transitioned integration into Welsh-language main-stream settings within Torfaen. 

Our prospectus contains lots of useful information to explain all about our immersion centre.

For more information about Carreg Lam, visit www.carreg-lam.com

5 top tips to help your child at home with Welsh

1. Don’t panic!  There’s plenty of support out there for you
2. Keep in touch with your school - We can’t stress enough how important this is.  Your school and the teachers are your best source of advice. If you have any questions or concerns get in touch with them first. They should always be your first port of call
3. Encourage your child to speak about their tasks with you - Getting your children to explain their work gets them to translate and adapt their language. This deepens their understanding of what they have to do and strengthens their language skills
4. Welsh isn’t only for school - Welsh isn’t just for school!  It’s for all things in life! So start making Welsh a part of things you do at home like singing and dancing to Welsh music, watching television, videos, cooking, art and crafts, playing games …
5. Find and use extra resources - There are many resources available for your child to use at home as well as what your school provides. There are Welsh events for all ages and lots of help with learning Welsh for adults too!

For more information and support visit www.welsh4parents.cymru