Moving to Wales: Is Year 6 too old to switch to Welsh medium school?

[Londonwelshie]

We’re moving to Cardiff this summer from London with our kids. Really would love for my children to go to Welsh stream school as someone who grew up in wales and regrets not learning Welsh properly.

However our eldest is going into year 6 (August born). My concern is that they may struggle with the transition. We were thinking of them going to an immersion unit for year 6 and putting a mix of Welsh and English secondary school choices so that they can see how they feel on school place offer day.

Does anyone have experience of switching an older primary child to Welsh medium schooling?

Also if my child decides to choose English medium secondary education, would spending year 6 in a Welsh medium school have hindered their school progress?

My husband is not convinced and thinks it would be too much change for our eldest (to move home, countries and change language all at once)- they’ve only ever lived in London in the same home and school so they have not had experience of a big life change yet. They also only speak English. But my eldest is a very social child naturally and likes new experiences and people, so I personally think they would thrive.

Born and bred in Wales but I wouldn't have coped with Welsh medium schooling. The time to do it for your son, particularly as you don't speak Welsh fluently yourself, has long passed.

A proud Welsh lady. Yes your son would struggle not knowing the language. They speak Welsh fluently in year 6 to prepare them for the transition. Plus spaces in Welsh schools in Cardiff are like gold dust.

Thanks for answering - I think the immersion units are supposed to bridge the gap for children joining Welsh medium education at a later stage. But I have no experience of them and they weren’t a thing when I was growing up.

Would you also say the same for a 7 year old going in to year 3 (our second child)? Youngest would be starting reception so no concerns there

Fair enough - I hadn’t even thought about availability of spaces for the Welsh medium schools!

We were also considering independent schools such as Cathedral school but rather disappointed to see most don’t even offer Welsh as a second language choice after primary!

Spaces in any Cardiff Primary and Secondary school are in high demand. If you haven't applied yet, your more than likely going to get a space outside your catchment area.

Unless you decent to send them to an independent school. I would also ask your children if they would like to learn Welsh as it's not the easiest of languages to learn.

It's because it's an independent school. If you chose a state-funded school there is a legal requirement to teach Welsh up to GSCE level. Choices isn't it? Are you going to learn Welsh as well? You'll have ample opportunity to do so in the capital.

OP, I can't find figures for April 2026 yet, but last year's figures show that there were places available at all the Welsh medium primary schools in Cardiff except Melin Gruffydd, Treganna, Pencae and Ysgol y Wern.

If you want to see which secondary schools have places still vacant, figures dated March this year, and you can cope with a Reach newspaper site, Wales Online has all the figures here
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/hardest-secondary-schools-cardiff-those-33517175?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Immersion can be really effective and prepare children for admission to Welsh medium schools very well. What would really help your children would be seeing you also taking Welsh classes and joining groups for Welsh learners.
Details of courses here
https://learnwelsh.cymru/about-us/course-providers/cardiff-university/
and informal groups here
https://mentercaerdydd.cymru/event-digwyddiadau/grwpiau-anffurfiol-en

Yes I plan to learn Welsh too (very excited) but I imagine my progress will be much slower than the children’s

Thanks so much for this - will check out the cachment areas thought It’s looking like our plan will be led by places available rather than choice. I do plan to learn Welsh myself so thanks for the resource.

Great to hear! Pob lwc!

I grew up overseas and watched children come in to my class who didn't speak the language. My observation later in primary and early secondary was the first year it had a major impact on their academic progress, but after that their language skills caught up enough it was no longer a barrier. The major impact was because kids were thrown straight into full time lessons in a language they didn't speak and had only a limited number of lessons a week in so had to largely pick up by themselves, I'm assuming an immersion unit is designed to avoid this. I don't remember noticing it having the same impact on kids coming in earlier in primary. There is a lot of research on the long term benefits of being bilingual.
The only thing that would make me hesitate is there were already any challenges with schooling (e.g. dyslexia, neuro diversity)
You'd be adding significant additional challenge with the new language, you'd need to be sure it wouldn't be the straw that broke the camels back.

Hi! I wondered whether you took the plunge here? I was thinking of doing the same for my children and needed a boost of confidence that it would work out..!

Hi! Did you take the plunge and do this? Thinking about it myself as love the Welsh medium school ethos. My son is 8 and my daughter 5 so my son would need to catch up via immersion

I think year 3 and younger into an immersion unit first for a child who’s on board with the plan would be fine, possibly year 4 but it would be really tough for an older child. Apart from the language, friendships are more established by then too. Just moving schools would be enough imo.

We had a family relocate to our town for their dc to continue Welsh medium education as the oldest was in year 6. The difference was that they’d attended London Welsh primary school so the language wasn’t an issue. Moving from London to a small town in Wales was still tough for them though.

@Londonwelshie did your dc do any Welsh prior to the move and what did you decide in the end?

@Muchtoomuchtodo we decided on English medium in the end. We just thought with the big move and their older ages it would be too much change at the same time, plus the language gap would slow their ability to make new friendships when they need them the most.

Theyre starting tomorrow and really excited. But I will support them learning curriculum Welsh at school, and perhaps we will reconsider Welsh medium schools if the children want to try for secondary.