In the week that Schola Ruthinensis headmaster Toby Belfield caused a storm over his views over his perceived deficiencies in the Welsh education system—and the role of education through the Welsh medium in particualr—so it was that the parents at Ysgol Llanfair DC broke cover regarding their own Welsh language issues.
Unlike its northern neighbour The Journal, you get the impression that the Denbighshire Free Press has to grub around to find its news. Often, it relies on two sources: the county council is a soft target; and general gossip, mongering & scandal on social media. Lazy journalism, in other words. This week, however, the Free Press had its main story handed to them on a plate. Even so, it had to rely on 'a backlash on social media' regarding Belfield's earlier letter in the Free Press.
So it was that the world expressed its ire at Belfield via the Free Press pages 1, 4, 5 and virtually all of the letters pages 22 and 23, with one letter from Abertawe/Swansea. As befits an area of relatively high numbers of Welsh speakers, every commneter bar one was 'shocked' or 'appalled'. The finest letter was from an Ysgol Brynhyfryd sixth former who said, inter alia,
And so to Ysgol Llanfair. The LEA wishes to merge it with Ysgol Pentrecleyn. Pentrecelyn is Welsh whereas Llanfair DC is bilingual. You sense that both the county council and Llanfair DC have been on the back foot on this. Pentrecelyn parents have stolen the headlines, fearing a downgrading of the Welsh language and culture should merger occur. There were threats of a defection to Welsh-medium Ysgol Penbarras.
This blog has already pointed out that the better performer of the two Vale primaries was Llanfair. Today, it was the turn of the parents to say so (in so many words). They staunchly defended their school's record, both generally and in fostering the Welsh language. They point out an Estyn report that apparently says Ysgol Llanfair offers a unique model of good practice in delivering bilingual education, its quality highly respected by local Welsh-speaking families (though clearly not those who live in Pentrecelyn). The letter refers not only to the lack of segregation but also a 25 year history of bilingualism.
So it was that the world expressed its ire at Belfield via the Free Press pages 1, 4, 5 and virtually all of the letters pages 22 and 23, with one letter from Abertawe/Swansea. As befits an area of relatively high numbers of Welsh speakers, every commneter bar one was 'shocked' or 'appalled'. The finest letter was from an Ysgol Brynhyfryd sixth former who said, inter alia,
'If your views are a reflection of private education in Wales, I pity those upon whom it has been inflicted'Further, she invited Belfield to walk across the road so that she and her peers may show him that 'we too have been equipped to take on the world'. Deg allan o ddeg iddi. You think and reason but what an advantage it is to express those thoughts in more than one language.
And so to Ysgol Llanfair. The LEA wishes to merge it with Ysgol Pentrecleyn. Pentrecelyn is Welsh whereas Llanfair DC is bilingual. You sense that both the county council and Llanfair DC have been on the back foot on this. Pentrecelyn parents have stolen the headlines, fearing a downgrading of the Welsh language and culture should merger occur. There were threats of a defection to Welsh-medium Ysgol Penbarras.
This blog has already pointed out that the better performer of the two Vale primaries was Llanfair. Today, it was the turn of the parents to say so (in so many words). They staunchly defended their school's record, both generally and in fostering the Welsh language. They point out an Estyn report that apparently says Ysgol Llanfair offers a unique model of good practice in delivering bilingual education, its quality highly respected by local Welsh-speaking families (though clearly not those who live in Pentrecelyn). The letter refers not only to the lack of segregation but also a 25 year history of bilingualism.
'Contrary to the suggestions that bilingualism threatens to dilute/downgrade Welsh language and culture, we believe the new school will equip every child with the linguistic and academic tools to participate in and strengthen Welsh society'Don't hold your breath that the Llanfair letter will get anything like the publicity achieved by Belfield's.