Moving to Wales, help needed with education

Janepig

Not disagreeing with what's been posted above re: the categorisation of welsh schools, but DD's school is a "designated" welsh school which means they only teach and speak welsh up until the age of 7. Then they introduce English as a subject but still do everything else in Welsh. Category A schools can apparently vary in the amount of welsh they teach, according to our local AM sometimes this can be as little as 50%.

Anyway, even though DD's school is "designated" there are still about 75% of parents who don't speak welsh (that out of nearly 400 pupils), and all letters etc.. that come home are bi-lingual. Whether that would be quite the same in north wales I wouldn't like to say.

Anyway, here's a link to some info about welsh education if you're moving into Wales. And just to re-iterate what others have said, children do pick it up really quickly, and just personally I don't find Welsh too difficult (although I'm by no means fluent) because it's pretty much phonic (I think that's the term I need!) in that you pronounce it as you see it - not like English!!!!!

Jxx

BruceyBonus

TurnaroundSue wrote: »

My son is now 14 and has just changed to an english comprehensive as he was really struggling with have all his lessons in welsh and also struggled and rebelled against the education system as he wasn't allowed to speak english at all, not even in break times - so consequently was put into detention everytime he was caught speaking english. This made him very unhappy for a long time and it got so bad that we had no choice but to move him to an english comp.

If that happened in England with children speaking Welsh, the school would probably end up sued for being racist!!

Fran

Children have no problem with a second language. The best thing you could do is take it up yourself, there are day or evening classes or the more intensive Wlpan courses. It's fun to learn at the same time as your children and you will learn the adult world and they will learn the child's world. Also as there is a lot of Welsh spoken in your area you will be happier if you can understand and converse in the language and you will feel better socially. It's also a way of meeting other people in a similar position to you. There is only advantage to be gained from learning Welsh as you have an extra string to your bow.

sb44

We moved to Anglesey when our daughter was 4 months old (and left there when she was 4 years old).

She started nursery school when she was two and a half, just half a day for 3 days a week. It was an english speaking school which also taught in welsh (which neither of us could speak). When we left she could count and say certain colours, days of the week etc in Welsh. They pick it up quite quickly at that age.

My sister in law is considering sending her son to a welsh speaking school next year (first year of secondary school) which my mother in law isn't happy with (we are all English, his dad his welsh). As she says if EVERYTHING is taught and spoken in welsh how on earth do you help your kids with their homework if it is all in welsh which it will be?

My husband says it is an insular language, you speak it in Wales, nowhere else unless you meet up with another native speaker when on holiday abroad.
Not as many welsh people can speak welsh as you think.

If you intend staying on the island the kids would need to learn the language to gain employment more easily. My brother in law is welsh but can only speak broken welsh and can't change jobs very easily because of that.

sb44

By the way, as soon as you arrive or before you go arrange to get Sky installed asap.

We couldn't get ours done for weeks and it did our heads in just having 4 channels (we couldn't get channel 5 there) when one was in welsh so we only really had 3!

inmypocketnottheirs

sb44 wrote: »

By the way, as soon as you arrive or before you go arrange to get Sky installed asap.

We couldn't get ours done for weeks and it did our heads in just having 4 channels (we couldn't get channel 5 there) when one was in welsh so we only really had 3!

I hear that they now transmit Pobol y Cwm with Polish subtitles!

BruceyBonus

sb44 wrote: »

By the way, as soon as you arrive or before you go arrange to get Sky installed asap.

We couldn't get ours done for weeks and it did our heads in just having 4 channels (we couldn't get channel 5 there) when one was in welsh so we only really had 3!

Or Freeview if you can get reception - you can get the "real" channel 4 in addition to S4C on Freeview.

WelshLamb

From my experience, non welsh speaking pupils are given 1:1 help with learning Welsh. As already mentioned, kids pick up languages really easily, and of course, you could go through it together by going to (free) welsh learing classes that are available widley on Anglesey especially.

In my daughter's school it is welsh speaking and throughly proud of being so, but they also have english speaking children. A particular girl started school with my daughter last year and she speaks so well now - at 4 years old of course they don't have extra help, they just pick it up natrually! even if it's a welsh medium school it's not like english is banned, my daughter has been learing to read welsh in her first year of school and will be learing english next term.

Anyway, all schools are inspected by Estyn which covers the acedemic sides as well as the languages used in the classroom. Have a read it's very usefull.

www.estyn.gov.uk/dynpages/rep_schools.asp?qProviderType=Primary+school&qLEA=Isle+of+Anglesey

perhaps you wouldn't mind posting which school will be in your catchment area or which area on anglesey you're moving to and we could share our opinions or information on nearby schools for you

greenface

we as a family are trying to speak and communicate in Welsh out of respect for being there every weekend in our caravan. It does go a long way in your approach to a foreign language i am even recognizing some bit words too

Lillys_mum

Thanks for all your words of wisdom and advice.

My husband has now agreed with me to stay where we are.

A big relief for me.

I love Anglesey but as a place to visit not to stay there.