Welsh Language Education: white paper

We are consulting on proposals that will form the basis of a Welsh Language Education Bill. The Bill will take steps to enable all pupils in Wales to become confident Welsh speakers through the statutory education system. The main proposals include:

• Reflecting the target of a million Welsh speakers in law
• Creating a single Welsh language skills continuum to describe skill levels so that learners, teachers, parents and employers have a common understanding of the journey towards learning Welsh
• Establishing a statutory system of categorising maintained schools according to language-medium
• Over time, enhance Welsh language provision in maintained schools that are not already designated Welsh-medium schools
• A requirement for the Welsh Ministers to create a statutory National Plan for the acquisition and learning of Welsh, and review it in each Senedd term
• Reform how local authorities plan Welsh language provision in schools in order to meet targets set by the Welsh Ministers
• Requirements on local authorities to proactively promote Welsh-medium education, including late immersion provision; and
• Providing specialist support for schools with Welsh language learning