Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPS)
Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPS)
The National Assembly for Wales’ Children, Young People and Education
Committee undertook an inquiry into Welsh in Education Strategic Plans
(WESPs). The
report
(PDF, 1MB) on the Committee’s inquiry was published on 9 December 2015. The
Welsh Government’s response
(PDF, 293KB) to the Committee’s report was published on 17 February 2016.
The School
Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 aimed to build upon the
previous non-statutory Welsh in Education Strategic Plans by placing them on a
statutory footing. The Act placed a duty upon local authorities to
consult on, produce and publish a WESP to be submitted for approval of, and
monitoring by, Welsh Ministers. The Act provided for Welsh Ministers to
make regulations about WESPs including provisions relating to consultation.
The terms of reference for this inquiry were to consider:
- Whether
Welsh in Education Strategic Plans are contributing to the outcomes and
targets set out in the Welsh Government’s overarching Welsh Medium
Education Strategic Plan;
- Whether
WESPs are (or have the potential) to deliver the required change at a
local authority level (for example delivering provision to meet any
increased demand for Welsh medium education);
- Arrangements
for target setting; monitoring; reviewing; reporting; approving; and
ensuring compliance with delivering the requirements for WESPs (and the
role of the local authority and the Welsh Government in this regard);
- Whether
WESPs evidence the effective interaction between the Welsh Government’s
Welsh-medium education strategy and other relevant policies and
legislation (for example school transport policy; 21st Century Schools
programme; A living language: a language for living – Moving forward
policy statement; Flying Start; planning policy);
- Whether the outcomes of WESPs deliver equal outcomes for all pupils (for example primary/secondary pupils; children from low income households).
Evidence from the Public
The Committee has published the consultation responses for this
inquiry.
Business type: Committee Inquiry
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
First published: 08/05/2015
Documents
- Report by the Children, Young People and Education Committee – Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPS)
- Executive Summary PDF 444 KB
Consultations
- Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPS) (completed)