Welsh language school dilemma

Welshlassie · 15 January 2009 at 10:23AM

My ds is 17 months old, I would love him to go to a Welsh school, we have a new (opened 4 years ago) one up the road, however it is oversubscribed and as of next September they are opening another new school which will initially be based in the grounds of a notroious (sp?) primary school in a deprived area for the next few years, the catchment areas will be changing and we will now fall into the new school catchment, even though the other (preferred) Welsh school is the same distance away.

Under no circumstances do I want him to go to this school (if that makes me sound a snob so be it). My DH is a bit concerned about him going to a Welsh school full stop as neither of us speak Welsh, although my mother is fluent. DH is concerned DS may struggle to learn in Welsh even though 90% of the school population is from English speaking homes and we wouldn't be able to help him. I don't think this will be a problem as the schools are set up for the majority of the pupils to come from similar homes to ours and I would like to learn Welsh as well.

We have looked at a CoW school that has good Estyn reports, but the only area it falls down on is Welsh and I really want him to have some Welsh eductaion even if it is only as a secondary language.

We are a bit stuck, whatever school he goes to he will have to travel to as the area we live in is reasonably new (12 years old) and no school as been built yet (although land has been ear marked for the last 12 years).

What do we do?

Mojisola · 15 January 2009 at 10:27AM

Start Welsh classes yourself so that your son has a little bit of the language before he starts school. Get your mother to talk to him in Welsh.

Other than that - could you move into the catchment area of your preferred school?

Welshlassie · 15 January 2009 at 10:30AM

Mojisola wrote: »

Start Welsh classes yourself so that your son has a little bit of the language before he starts school. Get your mother to talk to him in Welsh.

Other than that - could you move into the catchment area of your preferred school?

Thanks. Mum does speak to him in Welsh when she remembers.

When we moved where we are now (3 years ago) we were in the catchment of the preferred school, and bought this house as our forever house. With the market the way it is presently I really don't want to move.

I'm looking at Welsh classes, but the times of them are awkward andI will have to wait for new term to see if any better times of classes become available.

clairec79 · 15 January 2009 at 10:45AM

My kids go to a Welsh school, neither dh or I speak Welsh (well remember a tiny bit from school), it hasn't been an issue (aside from the 8 year old thinking all adults are a bit twp if they can't speak Welsh as it's 'easy')

Does he go to a Meithrin? Or is there a Ti a Fi class around you could take him to? which would introduce you both to some Welsh.

All letters etc are sent home in both languages - the teachers will talk English to you (unless they taught you as a child, then they use Welsh) and Welsh to your child - if we see them in the supermarket they chat to the kids in Welsh and use English when addressing us, we can both now understand what is being said but can't reply

Not sure what to do about the schools though, although the one school may not be as oversubscribed with the new one opening up and you could still ask to go there - no guarantee though

Janepig · 15 January 2009 at 11:05AM

Is it a designated welsh school or a category A do you know? Designated welsh schools do all their teaching through the medium of welsh until the children are 7 and only then do they introduce English. Category A schools are slightly more bilingual, although some are more bilingual than others!

DD goes to a designated welsh school and although DH and his family speak welsh, the main language at home is English, but because they are immersed in it in school, after year 1 they are not allowed to use English at all, or woe betide them :rolleyes:, her welsh is fantastic. She uses words even me and DH have never heard of!!! But as some have said, you'll find most of the parents at welsh schools don't speak welsh, all the letters home are in Welsh and English, and the staff will speak to you in English too.

You might also find that welsh classes for parents are organised via the school, so you may find that more convenient for you. I also agree that you might want to see if there are any Cylch Meithrin/Ti a Fi groups for you to go to (with Ti a Fi you stay with them, Cylch Meithrin is usually from 2 or 2 and a half, depending on the group, and you leave them there for a few hours). If there's one quite near to the school you want your son to go to then you'll find that you'll get to know other parents and children who will be going to that school too (it's what I'm doing with my DS at the moment).

On the down side, I don't particularly enjoy school concerts because I can't follow whats going on, although it's just nice to see the children singing, etc... You may also find helping with homework a bit of a struggle, although if you have some knowledge of welsh then at least in the early years that will help - I'm still managing to cope with the homework DD brings home!!!

Jxx

Welshlassie · 15 January 2009 at 11:05AM

clairec79 wrote: »

Does he go to a Meithrin? Or is there a Ti a Fi class around you could take him to? which would introduce you both to some Welsh.

What are these? DH is a SAHD so it would be him taking DS to anyting as I work full time.

Thanks for your comments, I didn't think it would be a problem, but DH is still concerned as he didn't do very well in school and is worried DH will be the same, although he is showing very intelligent tendancies to date.

Janepig · 15 January 2009 at 11:29AM

Welshlassie wrote: »

What are these? DH is a SAHD so it would be him taking DS to anyting as I work full time.

Thanks for your comments, I didn't think it would be a problem, but DH is still concerned as he didn't do very well in school and is worried DH will be the same, although he is showing very intelligent tendancies to date.

I don't know if this helps, but here's a link to the location of some Meithinfa in Cardiff, I don't know if any of them are anywhere near you, and here's a link to the Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin website.

The Ti a Fi group that DS used to go to had mums and dads there with their children (and grandparents too), in fact, when DD went, DH used to take her.

What you can also do to get your little boy used to hearing welsh, is to watch the children's programmes on Cyw on S4C every morning. They include stuff like Bob the Builder, Noddy, and Fireman Sam, but in welsh.

Jxx

clairec79 · 15 January 2009 at 1:33PM

Meithrin is a Welsh Medium playgroup

Ti a Fi is the parent and toddler group.

You don't NEED to go (My eldest didn't but the younger two did and I think it helped them - but then maybe the elder sister was the help)

If your child really doesn't seem to pick it up then you can always switch to an English school later (someone in one of my kids class did that after he couldn't cope after a year)

panpipe · 15 January 2009 at 2:10PM

@ Janepig - I thought the Category A schools were the 'all in Welsh' ones? At least mine was when I was at primary and they didn't start teaching English until Year 3.

To the OP - I second all the suggestions about the Meithrin and Ti a Fi (although I still call it Mam a'i Phlentyn - Mother and her Child - but they changed the name as it wasn't PC any more!). Many Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin nurseries are - unofficially or not - connected to a primary school, so it could be an idea to research which Meithrin is nearest your preferred Welsh school. When it gets to their last term at nursery, some of them organise a week of half-days at the primary school so the children can get used to the environment and meet the teacher.

I'm sure you will both pick up Welsh once your little one starts in that environment!

Can you still apply to the Welsh school, and emphasise the point that you moved there specifically for the school?

Janepig · 15 January 2009 at 2:33PM

panpipe wrote: »

@ Janepig - I thought the Category A schools were the 'all in Welsh' ones? At least mine was when I was at primary and they didn't start teaching English until Year 3.

I assume things might have changed since then. I was unsure of the differences, but I've been to two meetings at DD's school about changes to the entry procedures, with our local AM in attendance, which is where I found out that DD's school is known as a "designated" welsh school and only teaches in welsh until age 7, whereas my nearest "welsh" school is a category A, where the bulk of teaching is in welsh, but not all. And as our local AM said, the percentage of welsh taught is not always as much as it's made out to be. In fact I found out that the category A school nearest to me had their 2007 christmas concert in English which I thought was rather puzzling.

OP, you should be able to check any local meithrinfa on the Estyn and/or CSIW websites too.

Jxx

panpipe · 15 January 2009 at 2:57PM

Janepig wrote: »

I assume things might have changed since then. I was unsure of the differences, but I've been to two meetings at DD's school about changes to the entry procedures, with our local AM in attendance, which is where I found out that DD's school is known as a "designated" welsh school and only teaches in welsh until age 7, whereas my nearest "welsh" school is a category A, where the bulk of teaching is in welsh, but not all. And as our local AM said, the percentage of welsh taught is not always as much as it's made out to be. In fact I found out that the category A school nearest to me had their 2007 christmas concert in English which I thought was rather puzzling.

Jxx

Thanks for that - things probably have changed, it was a long time ago!

Welsh language school dilemma

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