Education

Language learning is in ‘steep decline’

Published

11 years ago

June 18, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Welsh crisis: More focus on foreign languages

A REPORT this week has highlighted an alarming decline with Welsh Schools’ provision of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). In a hasty response, Education Minister, Huw Lewis, announced new plans to improve and promote MFL across Wales’ schools.

The report, published by the British Council and CFBT Education Trust, which was carried out across two thirds of Welsh secondary schools, showed a drop of over 4,000 pupils since 2002 taking either a German or French GCSE.

At the same time as Wales reached near crisis levels for MFL uptake, England and Scotland, unlike the Welsh government, put in policies to increase provision. As a consequence, uptake in French increased in England by some 19% between 2012 and 2013.

As England has introduced a compulsory MFL curriculum at primary level, Wales has not. Even where MFL is compulsory, in the first 3 years of secondary school, the report showed that only a minimal or fragmented experience of language learning was being received by pupils.

Earlier this year a Welsh Government spokesperson was quoted as saying: “Learning a modern foreign language is not compulsory in primary schools in Wales”, but continued by opining that, “it should be noted that all children in primary schools in Wales are taught Welsh”.

Reacting to criticism and alarming statistics, Huw Lewis has launched, this week, ‘Global Futures’, a plan, he said, to improve and promote MFL in Wales that will come into effect from September and will be supported by up to £480,000 of Welsh Government funding in the first academic year.

The minister went on to say that under the plan, one secondary school in each of Wales’ four regional consortia will be appointed as a Centre of Excellence for MFL. Teachers at the appointed Centre for Excellence will receive targeted Continuing Professional Development and benefit from new partnership arrangements with language institutes and Welsh universities to help them develop high level language teaching skills.

They will then be tasked with working in partnership with other secondary schools and primary schools in their area to drive up teaching standards for MFL across the region. An MFL steering group, he said, that was made up of experts from schools, universities, Estyn, British Council, language institutes and education consortia will also be established to ensure the plan is fully implemented.

Mr Lewis said: “Linguistic skills are rapidly becoming one of the most important skills a young person can acquire to compete for jobs in the global economy. They are important to Welsh businesses too as increasing amounts of our trade and commerce is done with new partners overseas.

“I want to ensure that more and more of our young people actively choose to study a Modern Foreign Language as part of their school education, and develop the skills they need to thrive in a modern global economy. We need a radical and new approach.”

Owen Hathway, NUT Wales Policy Officer, said: “As with any ‘outreach’ initiative it is wholly vital that this is seen as working with schools rather than simply monitoring and challenging them. Regional consortia bodies have failed to find the correct balance in the past.”

However, Dr Philip Dixon, Director of ATL Cymru, said: “This announcement is far too late and far too little to stem the catastrophic decline in the teaching of modern foreign languages. That decline has been apparent for over a decade. We must wonder if the Welsh Government is serious about this matter at all. Changes to the way schools’ performance is measured, to be introduced in the next year or so, will simply make things worse. We fear it is a case of ‘adios’ to foreign languages.”

Also commenting on the news that the Welsh Labour Government is to overhaul its strategy on MFL was Angela Burns AM, Shadow Minister for Education, who said: “Labour took measures which actively discouraged modern foreign language study, slashed funding for the National Centre for Languages and failed to capitalise on a successful pilot of foreign language study in primary schools.

“The ability to communicate in multiple languages is an increasingly valuable skill in the international jobs market, but unfortunately if young people lack the skills employers seek, Wales will fall further behind in the global race.

“Language learning is crucial to the future of the Welsh economy and can help ensure that Wales doesn’t become isolated with school leavers and graduates only able to communicate in their mother tongue.”

Asked if it might be the case that Welsh language teaching had replaced MFL provision, a Pembrokeshire County Council Spokesperson said: “MFL and Welsh are not treated similarly due to the statutory requirement to teach Welsh second language in primary schools and up to the age of 16 in secondary schools. MFL teaching is only required to be taught from Years 7-9 (ages 11-14). The statutory nature of Welsh second language is a curriculum priority set by the Welsh Government.”

Cymraeg

Welsh language report says students face mixed experiences across colleges and universities

Published

4 days ago

May 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW report has found that Welsh-speaking students face inconsistent access to Welsh language services across Wales’ colleges and universities.

The research, published by the Welsh Language Commissioner on Monday (May 25), gathered responses from more than 1,500 further and higher education students.

It examined four key areas: whether students can submit written work in Welsh, choose accommodation with Welsh-speaking students, access a Welsh-speaking personal tutor, and receive wellbeing support through the medium of Welsh.

The report also looked at the wider language culture on campuses, including how institutions promote Welsh language services and support students to use Welsh naturally in academic and social settings.

Osian Llywelyn, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner, said colleges and universities had a vital role in helping students use Welsh as part of everyday life.

He said: “Given the importance of sustaining and developing the continued use of the Welsh language, it is essential to recognise the key role that further education colleges and higher education institutions play in ensuring that students have the opportunity to use Welsh naturally as part of their academic and social lives.

“While it is encouraging to see strong examples of good practice, that experience is not consistent across the sector. As a result, we have identified clear improvement actions, and we will be asking the relevant institutions to address them.”

Five improvement actions have been identified. These include standardising Welsh-medium assessment arrangements, proactively offering Welsh language services rather than simply making them available on request, addressing gaps in workforce Welsh-language skills, strengthening students’ sense of belonging through Welsh, and improving self-assessment and monitoring.

James Owen, Chief Executive of Medr, the body responsible for funding and regulating tertiary education in Wales, said the findings showed the need for more support across the sector.

He said Medr’s new Welsh Language Condition would place a clearer focus on providers promoting and supporting the use of Cymraeg, and on creating formal and informal opportunities for staff and learners to develop their Welsh-language skills.

Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, said students’ experiences of Welsh at college or university could influence their willingness and ability to use the language later in the workplace.

He said the report showed the need for the Welsh-language experience to extend “well beyond the classroom”.

The report will be officially launched at the Welsh Language Commissioner’s stand at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Anglesey at 11:00am on Monday (May 25).

Education

£1,500 cash bursary announced for aspiring local youngsters

Published

5 days ago

May 20, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

FOLLOWING its previous success, Ceredigion Youth Service is fortunate to accept another opportunity provided by West Wales Holiday Cottages to support young people with a cash bursary this year.

The purpose of the bursary is to provide young people aged between 11 and 25 with the chance to receive £1,500 to help with their future aspirations. The successful applicant(s) will be chosen by Ceredigion Youth Forum, which is a panel made up of young people from Ceredigion.

Gwion Bowen, Senior Support Officer Participation, said: “We are very grateful to West Wales Holiday Cottages for providing us with this opportunity for young people in Ceredigion for the ninth year in succession. Like ourselves, West Wales Holiday Cottages recognise that many young people living in Ceredigion may experience difficulties in accessing training, support and social activities due to socio-economic issues. The bursary was extremely successful last year, with a young person gaining financial support to help them with their mobile beauty start up business.”

Councillor Wyn Thomas, Cabinet for Schools and Lifelong Learning, said: “I would like to encourage anyone aged between 11 and 25 who needs financial support to reach their goals to consider this fantastic opportunity. As with previous years, I hope that the bursary is a success again this year, and that it will benefit young people in Ceredigion.”

Lisa Stopher, Managing Director at West Wales Holiday Cottages said, “West Wales Holiday Cottages are delighted to be supporting the bursary once again in partnership with Ceredigion Youth Service. We recognise that many young people can face barriers when accessing opportunities, training and resources, and we hope this bursary will continue to make a positive difference by giving young people the support they need to pursue their goals and aspirations.”

Do you need financial support to reach your goals? Would you benefit from having financial support to help you with training or equipment that is required for your chosen vocation? Are you looking for support to start your own enterprise? Are you a member of a community group and looking for financial support to purchase resources or equipment?

The closing date for applications is midnight on 19 July 2026. If you’re interested, contact Gwion Bowen on 07790 812939 or e-mail [email protected] for an application form.

Education

Ashmole & Co fund future accountants with financial donation to primary school

Published

5 days ago

May 20, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

CARMARTHENSHIRE’S would-be mathematicians are being given a major boost in their careers thanks to an Ashmole & Co donation to Ysgol Llandybie Primary School.

The donation, funded by the company’s Ammanford office, will help with the annual purchase of the online MyMaths resource which uses the online resource to help pupils and parents with the teaching of maths at home as well as allowing teachers to set tasks and provide them with tutorials to show them the mathematical concepts being taught.
The programme can assist in all areas of mathematics from shape to space, and from data to financial literacy.

Laura Craddock, Partner in Ashmole & Co’s Ammanford office, said, “We are always keen
to offer our support locally. We are more than happy to help fund the online resource
MyMaths to help train the local accountants of the future from a young age.”

Llandybie Primary School Head Teacher, Rhian Pritchard, said, “We are keen to continue
using online resources to enhance our pupils’ learning experience but they come at an extra
cost. We are grateful to Ashmole and Co for the donation which will enable us to continue
the provision of online maths learning.”