Welsh-education plan must be realistic

RE the growth of Welsh-medium education in Cardiff.

RhAG has noted the call of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg for 10 two-form-entry schools to be opened over the next five years. Ten schools with 60 in each year would involve an increase of 600 pupils.

The highest recent level of admissions in Cardiff has been in the region of 750 pupils and the annual increase has been between 5% and 7%, ie, about 40 extra pupils in each year, over five years, would indicate an increase of 200 pupils, bringing the total demand for admissions to 950.

It is therefore difficult to justify a call for 10 two-form-entry schools to be opened over the next five years and that without suggesting where the schools would be required.

RhAG finds it difficult to look so far into the future and can see an established need for no more than six additional streams (30 pupils) by 2020, ie, 180 extra places.

RhAG is able to identify where these schools would be required, five in new-build areas identified by the LDP and one at the centre of an area of established high demand, and a sixth to serve an area recently developed.

The new areas where schools will be required are Plasdwr (ie near Rhydlafar), in the Lisvane/ Pontprennau gap, on the site of the old BBC on Llantrisant Road, and for the new development at Ely Mill. The area of recent development is Trowbridge/New St Mellons, which does not yet have a new WM school. In the north central area of Cardiff, this year there were four WM schools fully subscribed with 66 pupils unable to find a place. The Mynydd Bychan school needs to have a second stream to open in September 2018, to meet this established demand.

All these proposals have been put to the education department and are under consideration.

Michael Jones RhAG Caerdydd (Parents for Welsh Medium Education)