Welsh medium school staff specialise in language teaching. When your child starts in the Nursery, teachers will ensure that he or she understands everything. Children pick up Welsh without noticing – they are like sponges and absorb the language effortlessly! Upon leaving school your child will be equally fluent in Welsh and English.
In most cases, one language will help the other. Having two words for everything allows one to think more openly and creatively, which aids the process of learning. Being bilingual also helps with the learning of a third language at a later stage.
The school gives your child full support and will communicate with you in both Welsh and English. As a parent, the biggest help you can give your child is to encourage and praise them. Why not take the first steps to learning Welsh yourself? You can also help their progress by urging them to attend Welsh-medium activities and to watch Welsh-medium television programmes on S4C, and by providing them with Welsh-language books, CDs, DVDs and apps. Your child will soon learn Welsh songs and sentences – learn and sing with your child.
Your child’s homework will be explained fully and you can help with the skills, e.g. numeracy. Remember the school staff are there to help, so if there’s any problem, ask!
By the age of 3-4, your child will be able to translate for you. Research has shown that children who have to translate a task for their parents get a better understanding of the subject, as the process of translation actually reinforces the subject in the child’s mind.
Yes, some mixing may occur, but this is both normal and temporary. As the child increases his or her vocabulary in each language, this automatically disappears. Mixing and experimenting with words is a natural process of learning any language – it doesn’t mean that your child is confused.
In a designated Welsh medium school, your child will hear all terms in English as well as Welsh, so don’t worry about their English. In fact, if anything, this twofold method leads to better understanding of concepts.
There is no limit to the ability of small children to pick up languages; in some countries children are introduced to three, four or more languages.
Bilingual skills are becoming more and more important in national and local government, the Police Force, the Health Service, shops and many other services. Only Welsh medium schools make sure that your child will get all the advantages of speaking both languages fluently. Being fluent in both Welsh and English will give your child an enormous advantage when entering the job market. The Welsh Language Measure 2011, gave equal status to the Welsh and English language in Wales, and placed a duty on public bodies to provide services through the medium of Welsh and English. As a result, public bodies, private companies and voluntary organisations are looking for staff that can perform effectively in both languages.
Your child will develop friendships in school, and will be able to mix successfully with both English speaking and Welsh speaking friends. He or she will also be able to take part in social and cultural activities in both languages.
After primary education, pupils in Flintshire will transfer to Ysgol Maes Garmon – the Welsh medium comprehensive school in Mold. There is also an opportunity for those pupils who have missed out on Welsh medium primary education to attend Ysgol Maes Garmon, via the ‘Cynllun Trochi’ (Welsh Immersion Scheme). The school has an excellent reputation for academic achievement and pastoral care.
A copy of Flintshire County Council’s Welsh Language Policy for all Schools can be found on the council’s website (http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Schools/Welsh-Medium-School-Places.aspx).
Yes, and a copy of Flintshire’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2014-2017 can be found on the council’s website (http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Schools/Home.aspx).