A consultation has started on plans to establish a third Welsh medium primary school in Merthyr Tydfil, with the formal consultation period running from Monday, October 19 until Sunday, November 29.
Proposal for Northern County Borough
Merthyr Tydfil Council is carrying out the consultation on a proposal to establish a third Welsh medium primary school for children aged 3-11 years in the north of the county borough. The proposal forms part of the council’s long-term strategy for developing Welsh medium education and supporting Welsh Government’s ambition of creating one million Welsh speakers by 2050 through the Cymraeg 2050 programme.
The council says that its Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) sets out a commitment to increasing participation in Welsh medium education and ensuring that sufficient Welsh medium places are available to meet current and future demand. As part of these commitments, the council says it has set ambitious targets to increase the proportion of learners accessing Welsh medium education and to strengthen Welsh medium educational pathways across the county borough.
Growth of Safle’r Gurnos
Safle’r Gurnos was established in April 2022 as a Welsh medium seedling provision operating as a satellite of Ysgol Gymraeg Santes Tudful. It was deliberately created as part of a planned approach to supporting Welsh medium growth within the northern part of the county borough and expanding access to Welsh medium education.
Alongside the seedling school, a Cylch Meithrin was set up to provide a Welsh medium pathway from early years provision into primary education. The council says these have supported learner progression and helped create increased opportunities for children and families to access Welsh medium education from an early age.
Next Stage in Development
Following the establishment of the co-located Cylch Meithrin in January 2023, Safle’r Gurnos has grown steadily and has become an important part of the council’s wider Welsh medium education strategy helping to inform future planning for Welsh medium school places, the authority says.
This latest proposal which is out for consultation represents the next planned stage in the development of Welsh medium education within Merthyr Tydfil. The council proposes to formally establish a third Welsh medium primary school, building upon the success of the Safle’r Gurnos seedling provision and providing a clear pathway towards a fully established Welsh medium primary school supported by permanent accommodation, dedicated governance arrangements and a distinct school identity.
