Attitudes to the Welsh language continue to dominate local news. We hear that after today's cabinet that Denbighshire is to press ahead with plans to merge Ysgolion Llanfair DC a Phentrecelyn to a bilingual school, thus pleasing the majority of total parents affected (whose children attend Ysgol Llanfair) but deeply upsetting a minority (whose children attend Pentrecelyn). This is developing into a "no-win" situation.
No one refers to the quality of education at Llanfair when compared to Pentrecelyn. No one dares to mention that the humble Denbighshire council tax payer will as a result enjoy better value for money with the reduction in capacity, revenue and staff costs associated with a merger.
This afternoon, there was talk of a Pentrecleyn-led judicial review. Indeed, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said,
Meanwhile, updating the original May 13th Belfield post, it seems that the Daily Post's poll on whether Belfield was right or wrong has settled down to become much more balanced at almost 50:50. Of course, this represents a regional rather than local view with, for example, only 20 per cent of residents in Flintshire & Wrexham council areas able to speak some Welsh and the majority of readers likely to be from along the anglicised coastal strip.
Finally, Cymdeithas commented on the Belfield story in May by saying that in a Yougov survey 63 per cent of us wanted our children to leave school able to communicate in Welsh:
A Cardiff University blogpost on Cymdeithas' recent Yougov language preference survey suggests that:
No one refers to the quality of education at Llanfair when compared to Pentrecelyn. No one dares to mention that the humble Denbighshire council tax payer will as a result enjoy better value for money with the reduction in capacity, revenue and staff costs associated with a merger.
Llanfair and Pentrecelyn primary key statistics, with Ysgolion Rhos Street a Phenbarras for comparison
This afternoon, there was talk of a Pentrecleyn-led judicial review. Indeed, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said,
"Felly, rydyn ni'n cefnogi'r rhieni yn eu hymdrech i geisio am adolygiad barnwrol, a byddwn ni'n ceisio codi arian tuag at eu costau cyfreithiol"In addition to Rhys Ifans, expect former Pentrecelyn headmaster Rhys Meirion to help lead the charge.
"Mae 63% o bobl Cymru eisiau gweld cwricwlwm addysg sy'n sicrhau bod pob disgybl yn gadael yr ysgol gyda'r gallu i gyfathrebu'n Gymraeg yn effeithiol"
- 56 per cent of respondents (not 63 per cent) felt schools should enable children to communicate effectively in Welsh (with 33 per cent disagreeing and the remainder unsure); yet
- When asked whether respondents supported or opposed English-language schools teaching some subjects in Welsh, 42 per cent supported and 48 per cent opposed (with the remainder undecided). Of Welsh speakers, 60 per cent (not 63 per cent) of Welsh speakers supported the idea but, interestingly, a hefty 33 per cent did not. Unsurprisingly, 39 per cent of non-Welsh speakers supported but 51 per cent were against.
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Education