Wales to expand its number of Welsh-speaking nurseries

Wales is increasing its number of Welsh medium childcare settings, with £33m of funding from the Welsh Government.

The funding boost announced by deputy minister for health and social services, Julie Morgan, is part of a £60m capital investment programme in the childcare sector, which will pay for 115 new or re-developed childcare settings.

The programme will support the 30 hours ‘free’ childcare offer for three and four-year-olds of working parents, which is currently being rolled out across Wales.

Julie Morgan said: “The investment we’re making will ensure the Childcare Offer is available to parents across Wales by ensuring there is sufficient childcare in the right areas, with a specific focus on developing new provision in areas that currently lack childcare services, in particular rural and disadvantaged areas.

“The investment will also support the growth and sustainability of the childcare sector across Wales, helping to create high-quality jobs in the sector.”

Of the projects approved, nearly 47 per cent of the grants being awarded, which equates to £33m, is being allocated to Welsh medium childcare settings. It is hoped this will help the Welsh Government achieve its aim of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 as set out in its ‘Cymraeg 2050’ strategy.

Minister for the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan, said: “Expanding Welsh-medium provision in the early years as an access point for Welsh-medium education is a vital part of the vision set out in Cymraeg 2050. I’m delighted that the Welsh Government are making a significant investment in the sector.

“This will allow existing Welsh-medium settings to expand the range services they can offer as well as provide facilities for new settings, enabling greater numbers of children to start their Welsh language journey.”

The funding was welcomed by Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru, who said: "We are pleased that the Welsh Government has listened to NDNA Cymru’s recommendation for grants to support private and voluntary sector childcare providers like day nurseries, enabling them to continue to provide flexibility and parental choice.

“NDNA Cymru has worked hard to secure support for nurseries in Wales through 100 per cent Business Rate relief which comes in from April and the need to align the funding of Foundation Phase with the Childcare Offer."

U-turn on plans to make English compulsory in Welsh medium nurseries

The Welsh Government recently did a U-turn on its plans to make English mandatory in Welsh medium nurseries, after criticism from parents, teachers and Mudiad Meithrin, the voluntary movement specialising in early years Welsh language education.

The proposal in their White Paper would have seen English spoken in Welsh medium nurseries from the age of three. Currently, English is introduced at the age of seven in Welsh medium schools.

Critics claimed that this policy would prevent young children being fully immersed in the Welsh language.

Sian Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru shadow education secretary said: “I am pleased to see that the Welsh Government has now listened to public opinion and has made a u-turn in regards to the plans to make English a compulsory element of the new curriculum in schools, cylchoedd meithrin and other childcare settings.”

However she added: "The fact that such a clause has been included in the first place raises serious questions about the credibility and integrity of this Government’s Education Department and its Education Minister. This mess is a sign of a lack of basic understanding learning within government about the necessities of minority language teaching."