Resource to support self-evaluation of Welsh

The aim is for leaders to use these questions alongside the national resource: evaluation and improvement (NR:EI) as they self-evaluate to ensure that the development of the Welsh language within each school is specifically addressed.

The resource is divided into three areas aligned with the areas of the national resource, namely leadership, learning and teaching and curriculum and wellbeing, equity and inclusion. The relevant discussion questions already included in the national resource have been included.

Under each field, there are additional discussion questions to motivate leaders to consider a number of specific areas in relation to Welsh including:

• Linguistic context
• Vision and strategic planning
• Workforce development
• Curriculum design
• Pedagogy
• Learner progress
• Informal use of Welsh
• Equity in terms of access to the language

The resources already available to support leaders in these areas are identified. Following a period of piloting the resource and receiving feedback, we will publish more materials to support the self-evaluation process.

Leadership: how effective is leadership?

NR:EI component: strategic vision

Discussion question: how well does the school’s vision influence its work?

1. How well does the school's vision and strategy take development of Welsh into account?
   • How effective is the school's use of support from the local authorities / other schools / consortia / partnerships to make progress?
   • To what extent is Welsh and Welsh culture reflected within school policies and procedures?
2. How well does the school understand its linguistic context including the learners, community and workforce?
   • How good is school leaders' understanding of the linguistic journey?
   • How good is leaders' understanding of the school's linguistic demographic and its place in the community?
   • How good is the school's understanding of the linguistic patterns of the workforce?

Useful links:

• Cymraeg 2050: Welsh language strategy
• Welsh in Education Strategic Plans
• School categories according to Welsh-medium provision
• Bilingual teaching methods: a quick reference guide for educators (Bangor University)
• Welsh language in Wales (Census 2021)
• School Workforce Annual Census

NR:EI component: staffing and resources

Discussion question: how well does leadership support staff and use resources effectively?

3. How well are the leaders ensuring that the school promotes Welsh and Welsh culture in a positive way for learners?
   • How do we measure progress in Welsh and ensure that the school's appraisal is a fair reflection of where the school is at?

Useful links:

• Evaluating Welsh Language Provision (EAS)
• Leadership Vision and Ethos for Welsh (YouTube, EAS)
• Planning for developing Welsh language provision: mandatory element of Curriculum for Wales

NR:EI component: staffing and resources

Discussion question: how well does leadership support staff and use resources effectively?

4. What needs to be done to develop the workforce to enable the school to be moved along the continuum of school categories according to Welsh-medium provision?
   • How well is the school identifying the development needs of the workforce to improve teaching and learning and to move the workforce forward to deliver more of the curriculum through the medium of Welsh?
     • How well does the school identify workforce development needs through the school development plan?
     • To what extent does the school understand the linguistic patterns of the workforce?
     • To what extent does the school make effective use of data for the workforce (e.g. use of the SWAC)?
   • To what extent do recruitment arrangements promote the development of the Welsh language?
   • To what extent does the school use staff expertise to teach and fill gaps / develop subject expertise?
   • To what extent is the school planning intently for staff development in line with the professional standard regarding the development of Welsh language skills?
     • To what extent does the school plan for staff professional learning for the development of Welsh and the effective modelling of the language for learners, e.g. pedagogy, language, promotion of informal use, linguistic accuracy?
     • How effectively does the school use professional learning funding to support the development of the Welsh language e.g. use of the professional learning grant and the school improvement grant?
   • How effectively does the school share good practice with partners?

Useful links:

• Welsh Language Learning Courses (learnwelsh.cymru)
• Developing the Welsh language within your school
• Planning for the development of the Welsh language skills of the workforce
• Planning Welsh language development for practitioners (Central South Consortium: Joint Education Service)

Learning and teaching: how effective is learning and teaching?

NR:EI component: pedagogy

Discussion question: how well does teaching develop learners through a range of suitable processes to realise the four purposes of the curriculum?

Curriculum: how effective is the school curriculum?

NR:EI component: establishing a vision (learning leadership and managing change)

Discussion question: how well do school leaders, staff, learners and the wider school community understand the expectations, purposes and principles of the new curriculum for Wales?

1. How well do learners understand and use Welsh?
   • How well do all staff and learners promote the language and cultures of Wales in line with the expectation of the four purposes?
   • How effective is planning for the development of the Welsh language across the curriculum?
   • How effectively does the school develop Welsh as a subject?
   • How effectively has the school planned for learners' progress in Welsh?
   • How effectively and intently does the school design its pedagogy to support the development of the Welsh language?
   • How effectively does the school plan for the informal use of Welsh?
     • To what extent has the local authority included developments for informal use of Welsh in their WESP? How well does the school's workforce engage with this target?
     • How do you engage with existing frameworks, resources and support available, such as the Siarter Iaith, to develop Welsh in your school?
     • How have you engaged with governors, parents and the wider community and external partners on the Siarter Iaith?
     • How have you integrated the Siarter Iaith to provide added value to the Welsh curriculum? How do you use Welsh experiences across the curriculum?
     • How effective is the school in encouraging learners to use Welsh outside of class?

Useful links:

• Welsh framework in English medium education
• Resources to support the Welsh framework in English medium education
• Developing a vision for curriculum design in Wales for Wales
• Siarter Iaith
• Learning methods (academia.edu)
• Translanguaging
• Ein llais ni
• Talk pedagogy: Welsh and pedagogy (access to Teams channel required)
• Effective second language teaching approaches and methods

Wellbeing, equity and inclusion: how effective is the school's provision for supporting wellbeing, equity and inclusion?

NR:EI component: attitudes and relationships

Discussion question: how well does the school develop healthy attitudes and behaviours?

1. How well does the school promote positive attitudes towards the use of Welsh?
   • How effective is the school in encouraging learners to use Welsh inside and outside the classroom?
   • How effectively does the school's Welsh ethos affect learners' attitudes towards Welsh?

NR:EI component: equity

Discussion question: how well does the school’s approach ensure equity for learners?

1. How well does the school ensure learners' access to education and experiences in Welsh and consider learners' perspectives in decisions that affect them?

Useful links:

• Siarter Iaith