Welsh medium vs English medium primary schools, Cardiff

[Calon79]

Me and my little one will be moving to Cardiff early part of this year from London.

He's 4 and has started reception Sept 2020. I'm a Welsh speaker and have brought him up bilingually, although he understands it completely he doesn't speak the language, apart from a few words.

Ideally I would like him to go to a Welsh medium school, but:

1. Not sure if this is an option to go from English medium to Welsh medium
2. Worried that he might fall behind as he's already young in his year...

Anyone have any experience of this or have any wisdom to share?

So I can't speak to your specific context but I worked in a Gaelscoil (Irish medium school). Comparing it to English medium schools I've been in, the kids weren't behind imo. Here schooling in Irish is helpful because they get additional points for sitting State exams in Irish - I'm not sure if anything like that is factoring into the choice for you?

I think it’s more that he will have completed his first year (Reception) in an English medium school in London then if put into a Welsh medium school in Wales for year 1, starting Sept 2021, I worry that he would have missed out on the Welsh speaking reception year so might find it difficult to catch-up with the year...

All the English schools still do a certain amount of welsh - for example in DS2 online learning his numeracy tasks are broken down into days and the days are in welsh. Sometimes the teacher comments in welsh etc. They do also do welsh as a proper subject but welsh phrases are used in everyday chat, they normally have a couple of phrases of the week that you must say in welsh not English etc.

Just thought you’d like to know that the English schools are completely non-welsh in case that helps you with your decision.

Sorry *aren’t completely non-welsh

At that age, if you speak Welsh to him at home, I'm fairly certain he won't be behind.

I was WM and DD is currently being taught through WM. Unless there are significant problems with learning the language I'd choose it every time.

I don't think at 4 it will be a problem. He already has an advantage because you speak Welsh. Go for it and pob lwc!

There are so many Welsh resources available that if you start doing more in Welsh with him at home now, you’ll be amazed how quickly he picks it up.

Welsh songs, games, TV etc.

Do you know which part of Cardiff you’ll move to? Our 2 are in Welsh medium education and I would definitely encourage you to consider it as a definite option.

He is four and bilingual ! He will be absolutely fine.

He’ll be fine! I know of 3 people who have moved their children at year one and year two, from English school to Welsh, and those were families where no Welsh was spoken at home at all (one was a family that moved from london). By the end of the first term they were fluently bilingual.

My nephew and niece both started their schooling at an English medium welsh primary and then moved to a welsh medium school in their village. They both caught up with welsh really quickly and went on to a welsh medium secondary.

To be honest a lot of children in Welsh schools in Cardiff do not come from Welsh speaking homes and have parents with. So I really don't think he would be behind his peers with you using bilingualism at home. Maybe in somewhere like North Wales but definately not in Cardiff! Some children even go from year 6 in English medium to Welsh secondary with use of an immersion unit.

*sorry have parents with only a basic level of Welsh from their own education

Thank you all for your reassuring comments. Like a few of you have mentioned at his age he should be ok with the transition, so I will opt for Welsh medium if I can – would be fantastic to hear him speak it fluently :O) It's not been easy, keeping up the Welsh at home in London, sometimes I just want to revert to English to be fully understood (although I suspect that this is a selective hearing problem).