I have to admit that I missed the release of the Schools Census data a fortnight ago, but better late than later. It's only a provisional release, and the data isn't up on the StatsWales site as yet but, even so, they show that Welsh-medium provision continues to increase.
Primary Schools
2009
Welsh-medium (and dual stream) ... 59,559
Total pupils ... 258,314
WM percentage ... 23.06%2010
Welsh-medium (and dual stream) ... 59,880 (+ 321)
Total pupils ... 257,445 (- 869)
WM percentage ... 23.26%
Secondary Schools
2009
Welsh-medium (and bilingual) ... 41,916
Total pupils ... 205,412
WM percentage ... 20.40%2010
Welsh-medium (and bilingual) ... 43,432 (+ 1,516)
Total pupils ... 203,907 (- 1,505)
WM percentage ... 21.30%
Numbers in WM education are up in absolute terms, even though set against the general backdrop of an overall demographic fall in the numbers of children at school. More details should be available at the end of the month.
Of course the numbers would rise even more quickly if the number of places in WM schools were increased in line with parental demand.
6 comments:
a miserable increase nonetheless. As you say it's about supply and demand.
(Oh, and the needs of the Labour party of course-this overrides all other concerns)
Well at that rate we'll hit 50% around about 2140.
Perhaps it's time to start considering the Tories' Free Schools proposals. We already have the organisations in place, like Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin, who could take advantage of them immediately.
Of course things could and should move faster, but that shouldn't stop us celebrating every step in the right direction. It is hard to open new WM schools and every one that opens does so because of hard work in the face of opposition.
This year the primary school rise is smaller than usual, but with an overall drop of 869 the WM figure should have gone down by 200. Instead it went up by 321. The secondary school rise is in fact larger than usual.
Next year the primary increase should be bigger. Trowbridge and Caerau will open in Cardiff; Gabalfa will become a school in its own right; Y Wern will be enlarged. Panteg will open in Torfaen. Rhyd y Grug in Merthyr will move to a larger building at Ynysowen. Brynmawr in Blaenau Gwent will move to a new larger building at Nant y Glo ... and on top of that there are bound to be half a dozen temporary classrooms put up because schools are full.
WM pupil numbers are rising rapidly in Cardiff (6-7% per year) because the council is enthusiastic about meeting the demand. In that Cardiff is very much the exception rather than the rule.
We are never going to see increases like that in Bridgend, or RCT, or NPT, or Swansea under the current regimes.
Cardiff, Caerffili and Torfaen are increasing the provision of WM schools in their areas. What those councils all have in common is that they have Plaid Cymru councillors in their cabinets. Where Plaid has no influence the councils are usually at best indifferent, or at worst actively hostile to the Welsh language and Welsh medium education.
The lessons are perfectly clear, if you want more WM schools, vote Plaid.
"Cardiff, Caerffili and Torfaen are increasing the provision of WM schools in their areas. What those councils all have in common is that they have Plaid Cymru councillors in their cabinets. Where Plaid has no influence the councils are usually at best indifferent, or at worst actively hostile to the Welsh language and Welsh medium education.
The lessons are perfectly clear, if you want more WM schools, vote Plaid."
As a council candidate in Torfaen, I endorse this message.
in fact the issue is actually just Labour really isn't it on the whole. Cardiff is Libdem/Plaid, Caerphilly is Plaid, Vale and Monmouth are Tory. All very progressive. A bit of an anomaly in Torfaen granted. But, then in Labour dominions, WM Education stalls:- in RCT when Labour are in charge, WM stops, Carmarthen speaks for itself in the memory of Dr Alan. Merthyr and Blaenau Gwent, aside from new buildings are in a time warp, Port Talbot is a forgotten land, then we have the Cardiff West fiasco etc etc. If it weren't for Libdem Swansea, we would think that it was just Labour who actively work against WM education!!!!!
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