Swansea: New mums worry as Welsh language schools fill up

"We do want our children to go to a Welsh school, but if there's not room for them... where are they going to go?" says Bethan Packer, with her daughter, Georgia

New mothers in Swansea fear there will be no room for their children in the local Welsh language school.

Bethan Packer will register 11-week-old Georgia for the nursery class in her nearest school soon.

Both she and her sister Carys Williams worry about convincing their non-Welsh speaking partners that a Welsh medium school is the right choice.

The Welsh government said it plans to increase the number of Welsh learners in education in Swansea.

Swansea council will discuss proposals soon to increase the number of pupils in Welsh language schools, but it said resources were a challenge.

Bethan, 29, from Loughor, said the situation was a worry.

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"I've heard one mother couldn't get her child in the local school here even though she lived in the catchment area and her child was two," she said.

Carys, 31, who has a nine-week-old son, Teilo, has already looked at other options further from their home.

"It's definitely a worry very early on and earlier than I ever expected to have to think about it," says Carys Williams

Campaigners described years of campaigning for the future of Welsh language education as "a story of frustration and lack of action".

There were more than 480 children - excluding the nursery class - on Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin's register in Gorseinon last September and it is within 5% of being overcrowded.

Two other schools - Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bryn-y-môr in Brynmill and Llwynderw in Mumbles - are also within 10% of being over capacity.

"It's definitely a worry very early on and earlier than I ever expected to have to think about it," said Carys Williams.

"It's stressful, anxiety-inducing."

Bethan added: "There are plans for new estates to be built in the Loughor and Gorseinon areas - with our local [Welsh] school being already oversubscribed, it's a worry.

"We do want our children to go to a Welsh school… but if there's not room for them because of the new houses being built, where are they going to go?

"Having to convince our non-Welsh speaking partners that this is the right choice for our children because then they are saying 'well, there are other options in the area, English schools'," Bethan said.

"The development of Welsh medium education is crucial so that we can satisfy the demand," says campaigner Heini Gruffudd

"We're having to convince them then, to say 'no, this is the right choice' because the Welsh education is very important to us as Welsh speakers."

In 2022, school inspectors Estyn published recommendations to strengthen Welsh-medium provision in the city.

There were calls by Welsh language campaigners Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg at the time for more Welsh primary schools.

Last week, Swansea council published proposals and investment priorities for education in the area for the next nine years.

It recognised the need to increase the numbers of Welsh language pupils and said that four areas, including Gorseinon, have been identified as "deficient".

But campaigners said they raised concerns with the council about those areas years ago.

"Our experience of Swansea council in the past was one of frustration, of not taking action when needed," said Heini Gruffudd, chairman of Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg in Swansea.

"We know that there are four schools which are overcapacity in Swansea. We knew this about eight years ago and in those eight years nothing has been done about that situation."

Two schools, Ysgol Tirdeunaw and Ysgol Tan y Lan, have been rebuilt on a new site to accept more children but Mr Gruffudd said new schools were needed.

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Robert Smith, Swansea's cabinet member for education and learning, said: "I feel frustrated at the pace at which we have been able to deliver the programme over the years.

"What needs to be recognised is the proposals that we have is going to enable us to deliver a lot more.

"Resources are finite. We need the resources from the Welsh government. But more importantly, Welsh government needs funding from central government."

A Welsh government spokesperson said its plan was to increase the percentage of learners in Welsh medium education from 15% to up to 23 to 27% in the next 10 years.

This would include new Welsh language schools and increasing capacity where there is high demand, and Loughor and Gorseinon were identified as expansion areas.

The spokesperson said Swansea council, like all other Welsh counties, was preparing nine-year plans for schools to be submitted to the Welsh government, which should include their language commitment.

"Our ambition is that all learners in Wales have the opportunity to become Welsh speakers wherever, and in whatever school they learn," they added.

"Last year we consulted on proposals that will form the basis of a Welsh Education Bill.

"The bill will take steps to enable all pupils in Wales to become confident Welsh speakers. We will report on the conclusions of the consultation soon."

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