Abstract

In August 2016, the Welsh Government launched its vision to reach 1 million Welsh speakers by the year 2050. The education system is central to this long-term and ambitious project and there is a recognition of the need to increase significantly the number of people receiving Welsh-medium education if the target is to be achieved. This paper considers a number of overarching findings that emerged from an independent evaluation (2012– 16) of the first national strategy for Welsh-medium education, launched in 2010. The evaluation drew on mixed methods, including qualitative research in thirty schools across six areas of Wales; focus groups with learners and parents; stakeholder interviews; a Wales-wide survey of head teachers, eliciting 331 completed responses; and separate focused studies on specific aspects of the Welsh-medium education system. Among the key findings were the need to strengthen planning arrangements – locally and nationally – and for local authorities to take greater ownership of Welsh in education strategic plans. The paper also reflects on the infrastructure and capacity required to support growth in Welsh-medium education. One key recurring theme is the need for robust interventions and implementation by policy-makers in supporting proposals to create 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050.

How to Cite:

Duggan, B. & Thomas, H., (2017) “Tuag at y Miliwn o Siaradwyr Cymraeg: Gwersi o'r Gwerthusiad o'r Strategaeth Addysg Cyfrwng Cymraeg”, Wales Journal of Education 19(2), 99-117. doi: https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.19.2.6