Young People 11-18

Secondary Schools

Welsh-medium primaries feed into Welsh-medium secondary schools, where your child will study and sit exams in Welsh. There are over 50 designated Welsh-medium secondary schools in Wales. Go to My Local School to find out which ones are in your area.

Welsh language schools provision does vary from area to area - from fully Welsh-medium schools to bilingual schools. Get in touch with your local council to find about the secondary education choices in your area. Don't worry if your Welsh-medium school is not within walking distance - there is transport support available as a rule. 

For more information and answers to common questions you can download the Welsh Government's Handbook to Welsh-medium Education or take a look at the Facebook page Cymraeg for Kids.

If you want to support your child at school but are unsure of your Welsh or do not speak it at all there are some handy tips for you here. 

There's also plenty of general information available about the education system in Wales.

Preparing for Exams

Qualifications Wales is the new body which is developing a new qualifications system in Wales - its website explains the changes and how they will affect exams including GCSE and AS and A levels. 

The Welsh Joint Education Committee or WJEC is the body responsible for setting and marking exams in Wales. Their website includes digital education resources to help your child prepare for exams. Another very handy website for resources for pupils of all ages is the digital learning platform Hwb. 

Outside school

Welsh isn't just for school. It's important to use the language outside the classroom, to help build your child’s confidence, and a number of organisations offer children opportunities to do just that easily. 

The Urdd youth movement organises different activities, including sport and drama, residential camps, theatre and foreign trips. Download their new Fy Ardal app which allows you to search what's on in your area. 

Another good place to look for Welsh-language activities is the website of your local Menter Iaith language initiative or at your local council. 

Continuing with Welsh-medium education

Here are some of the  benefits of proceeding your child’s education through the medium of Welsh:
• Linguistic progression makes the change from primary to secondary much easier for the learner
• Research shows that the valuable skills learned at primary school are quickly lost if the medium of instruction is changed
• Children’s bilingual skills develop best if used daily, and Welsh medium or bilingual education gives a child a daily opportunity to develop his/her language skills, becoming increasingly fluent and confident.

For more information go to GOV.WALES.