Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member – Councillor Beca Brown

To consider a report on the above.

To accept the report and to note the observations.

The Cabinet Member for Education and officers from the Education Department were welcomed to the meeting.

Submitted - the report of the Cabinet Member for Education, at the committee's request, presenting background information about the vision of the immersion education system, along with providing answers to the questions of the scrutinisers received in advance about the arrangements for the immersion education provision in Gwynedd.

The Cabinet Member set out the context by noting that the two schemes in the Bangor area, namely the Bangor Catchment Area Foundation Phase Immersion Project and the Years 5 and 6 Learners' Support Pack to encourage them to choose a Welsh-medium Education route as they transfer to secondary school in the Bangor catchment area, were important and far-reaching pieces of work for the children of that area.  She expressed her admiration of the work in the language centres and officially thanked the staff for the work.

A short video was shown to the members, giving a taster of the ABERWLA Scheme.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations. 

It was enquired on what basis the conclusion was reached that it was beneficial not to immerse children early, and it was suggested that bringing the children who were being immersed back to the mother school for one day per week undid the immersion that took place in the language centre for the other four days.

In response, it was noted:-

·         That the headteacher in the ABERWLA video mentioned the clear advantages of having children returning to the mother school for one day per week.

·         The pandemic had highlighted the importance of well-being as children had gone through long periods of not being able to mix with their peers.  It was concluded that it would be a good idea for the children being immersed to have an opportunity to catch up with their peers at the schools for one day per week, and the immersion occurred in a different context to an extent in the mother school, and increasingly thereafter as the child went through the system.

·         Secondary school headteachers now reported that it was easier to persuade parents to send their children to immersion centres as those children maintained some contact with their peers.

·         The fifth day at the mother school was a new project and, as well as advantages in the context of well-being, there were also educational advantages.

·         The relationship between school staff and staff of the centres who visited the mother school on a weekly basis had strengthened further as a result of sharing immersion practices, sharing resources and discussing how to overcome any challenges the children faced back at school.

·         Visits to the mother school varied with some teachers requesting staff of the centre to remain in class to support the activity.  This encouraged a discussion on gathering effective immersion methods and there were also situations where children received one-to-one attention, or in a small group, and that other children also benefited from the experience.

·         Despite the advantages,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6