Mudiad Meithrin’s response to the White paper on the Welsh Language Education Bill

Mudiad Meithrin’s objective is to create new Welsh speakers through the Welsh-medium childcare and education systems as well as through various parent support programmes which give every child the opportunity to become a confident Welsh speaker.

We offer a cautious welcome to the contents of the White Paper on the Welsh Language Education Bill and reaffirm our support for Welsh-medium education and the language immersion approach.

The principle of language outcomes for all pupils based on the internationally acknowledged B2 level is significant with the necessary strategic planning, investment and workforce planning in place.

However, Mudiad Meithrin has a number of concerns pertaining to the following:

• lack of adequate consideration given to the Early Years and the fact that the majority of children in Welsh-medium education begin their early childcare and education journey in a Cylch Meithrin.
• insufficient consideration is given to planning the Early Years workforce and the notable challenge we face in terms of recruitment and retention given inadequate pay across the sector.
• need to recognise the challenges facing new Cylchoedd Meithrin and Welsh-medium schools thereby accepting that a higher funding rate is needed to establish them.
• need for additional significant investment to support children in the English-medium sector to become confident Welsh speakers without undermining Welsh-medium childcare and education based on the language immersion approach.

We trust that Mudiad Meithrin and its wider community (Cylchoedd Meithrin and day nurseries) has an important contribution to make subject to receiving sufficient additional investment.
You can read our full response in the document below