Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for 2019/20.

Councillor Paul Rowlinson was elected Chair of this Committee for 2019/20.

To elect a Vice-chairman for 2019/20.

Councillor Elwyn Jones was elected Vice-chair of this Committee for 2019/20.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Councillors:-  Huw Wyn Jones, Mair Rowlands, Gareth Williams;

David Healey (ATL);

Councillor Cemlyn Rees Williams (Cabinet Member for Education).

To receive any declarations of personal interest.

No declarations of personal interest were received from any members present.

To note any items that are a mater of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

None to note.

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 21st March, 2019 be signed as a true record  (attached).

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 21 March, 2019 as a true record, subject to adding a reference to looking at the possibility of cooperating with counties in the West under item 8 - Twf Scheme Application for North Wales.

Cabinet Member – Councillor Cemlyn Williams

To consider a report on the above  (attached).

*10.30am – 11.30am

Submitted – the report of the Cabinet Member for Education detailing the implementation and impact of the Secondary Sector Language Strategy.

The Head of Education and officers elaborated on the contents of the report, and also responded to questions / observations from members.

Because of the evident intertwining between the Secondary Sector Language Strategy and the Gwynedd Primary Schools Welsh Language Charter, the Primary Schools Language Charter was also scrutinised before summarising the main conclusions of the discussions on both items at the end.

Cabinet Member – Councillor Cemlyn Williams

To consider a report on the above  (attached).

*11.30am – 12.30pm

*estimated times

An informal session will be held for members at the close of the meeting. 

Submitted – the report of the Cabinet Member for Education detailing the implementation and impact of the Gwynedd Primary Schools Welsh Language Charter.

The Head of Education and officers elaborated on the contents of the report, and also responded to questions / observations from members.

The main conclusions and recommendations that arose from the discussion on the Secondary Sector Language Strategy and the Primary Schools Welsh Language Charter were summarised as follows:- 

·         There was a clear message from members to keep a foot on the pedal and continue with the flurry of activity etc, providing support to ensure that this is undertaken.  This is specifically to ensure that the Language Charter has status, as part of the new curriculum (although there is some concern that it will run alongside, rather than being integral to it) and also to ensure that the Language Charter has status as part of every school's plans. 

·         There was also a message regarding sharing good practice, ensuring that this happens in primary and secondary schools in general, and also that good practice needs to be identified in new interest areas, where we perhaps need to focus more on the social website side, the web, television programmes etc.

·         There was also a message regarding the work that is dependent on all staff in our schools and strong encouragement to try and spread the message beyond school boundaries, with parents and society in general.

·         In terms of data, there was better understanding amongst members of the data submitted to this meeting, but perhaps there was room to consider revisiting the original baseline and update committee members in due course when the Government's study of the field is mature.

·         Specifically, in terms of the Secondary Sector Language Strategy, there was room to consider extending the questionnaire for older young people (16-18 age group) to see if there were any lessons to be learnt, and having learnt lessons, adapting the help and support and intervention offered. 

·         There was also room to press for working with pupils to encourage more bilingualism and for that to happen continuously within our schools, encouraging pupils to follow courses specifically through the medium of Welsh.    Also, support for teachers should be ensured, for youth workers and all who are involved in promoting the Language Charter to assist with the Strategy in secondary and the primary Language Charter.

·         It will be necessary to look outside the committee on how members can get a taste of the psychology of language training.

·         It will be necessary at an informal meeting of the committee to give attention to a few other matters that arose during the discussion, but were not directly associated with the two areas in question, namely the need to keep an eye on what is happening in terms of developments with school language categories, lack of Welsh language textbooks/materials for school pupils and a shortage of students leading to redundancies at Bangor University's School of Education.