Public Input Sought on Expanding Welsh-Medium Schools in Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• Cardiff Council has launched a public engagement exercise on the future of Welsh-medium secondary education.
• Invites residents, families, education professionals to share views on provision development.
• Amid debate over demand, especially in south Cardiff, and calls for a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school.
• Designed to gather early feedback before formal proposals; part of Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2022–2032.
• Aligns with Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025.
• Cllr Sarah Merry, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, urges wide participation to shape sustainable, inclusive provision.
• Welsh-medium education vital for supporting Welsh language and bilingual learners.
• Growing interest; schools report high demand over recent years.
• Builds on 2025 campaign by Ysgol De Caerdydd symposium at Gwersyll yr Urdd, Cardiff Bay.
• Campaigners claim case “proved” for new south Cardiff school; council cited falling birth rates previously.
• Speakers like Emily Pemberton highlighted travel distances from Grangetown, Butetown; Dr Siôn Llewelyn Jones noted barriers for disadvantaged learners.
• Council investments: Ysgol Hamadryad (Butetown), Ysgol Glan Morfa (Splott); secondary places increased over decade, sufficient medium-term.
• Feedback via drop-in sessions, online events, website; closes 26 March 2026.
• WESP aims for bilingual Cardiff, aligning with Cymraeg 2050; targets 25-29% Year 1 learners in Welsh-medium by 2032 (from 18%).​
• Interventions include new schools, immersion units, dual-language models like Plasdŵr.​

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) February 16, 2026 – Cardiff Council has initiated a crucial public consultation on the future trajectory of Welsh-medium secondary education, seeking input from residents, families, and professionals to guide sustainable development amid rising demand.

What Triggered This Consultation on Welsh-Medium Education?

The consultation emerges from ongoing debates about school place demand, particularly in south Cardiff areas like Butetown and Grangetown. As reported by Nation.Cymru, it follows intensified discussions last year when campaign group Ysgol De Caerdydd organised a symposium in May 2025 at Gwersyll yr Urdd in Cardiff Bay. There, academics, students, and community representatives presented evidence on barriers to Welsh-medium education access for families.

Campaigners asserted that the case for a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school in south Cardiff had been “proved.” Emily Pemberton, who chaired the symposium, shared personal experiences of lengthy daily journeys during her schooling from areas like Grangetown and Butetown. Academic Dr Siôn Llewelyn Jones warned of economic and social barriers limiting access, especially for disadvantaged learners. Cardiff Council had previously ruled out the new school, citing falling birth rates and the need for sustained primary demand growth to ensure viability.

Who Is Leading the Consultation Effort?

Cardiff’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry, emphasised the importance of broad participation. As quoted by Nation.Cymru, Cllr Sarah Merry stated: “Decisions about education affect families and communities right across Cardiff.” She added: “That’s why we want as many people as possible to come forward and share their views on the future of Welsh-medium education. This is a chance to tell us what’s important to you and help shape how provision develops in a way that is sustainable, inclusive and supports the Welsh language.”

Council officials describe the engagement as early feedback gathering from parents, carers, learners, school staff, and the community before formal proposals emerge. It underscores Welsh-medium education’s “vital role” in bolstering the Welsh language and fostering confident bilingualism among youth.

What Is Cardiff Council’s Stance on Current Provision?

The council defends its investments, highlighting new Welsh-medium and dual-language primaries like Ysgol Hamadryad in Butetown and Ysgol Glan Morfa in Splott. Numbers in Welsh-medium secondaries have risen significantly over the past decade, with “sufficient places available in the medium term.” This consultation integrates into the broader Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2022–2032, compliant with the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025.

From Cardiff Council’s earlier WESP draft, as covered in Cardiff Newsroom, Cllr Sarah Merry outlined ambitions for a “bilingual Cardiff where the Welsh language is a vibrant living language.” The plan targets Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 goals, aiming for 25-29% of Year 1 learners in Welsh-medium by 2032, up from 18%. It includes interventions like expanding immersion units, which aid families transitioning from English-medium or new to Cardiff.​

Cllr Sarah Merry noted: “We have already taken great strides forward in this area opening new Welsh medium schools across the city and making more pupil places available in existing schools.” She stressed strategic planning amid population projections showing initial pupil number falls until 2024, ensuring school viability.​

How Can Residents Participate in the Consultation?

Residents can contribute through drop-in sessions, online events, or the council’s website, with feedback closing on 26 March 2026. This public input will inform temporary measures for 2027/28 Welsh-medium secondary entrants and long-term planning.

What Are the Broader Goals of Welsh-Medium Expansion?

Interest in Welsh-medium schooling has surged steadily, with high demand reported across several Cardiff schools. The WESP envisions every young person hearing, speaking, and enjoying Welsh, embedding it in the capital’s fabric. Future models include dual-language classes, inspired by Basque successes, as in the new Plasdŵr school—one form entry in Welsh, one dual.

Cllr Sarah Merry remarked: “Bearing in mind population projections and the likely fall in numbers of pupils entering schools over the next few years we need to think strategically about how we get the best possible use out of all the places which are currently available across the city and the extra places we have planned to come online soon.” The strategy promotes bilingual benefits, urging parents to choose Welsh-medium confidently.​

Why Is Demand Concentrated in South Cardiff?

South Cardiff faces particular pressure, with travel burdens cited at the 2025 symposium. Families from Butetown and Grangetown endure long commutes, exacerbating access issues. Campaigners like Ysgol De Caerdydd push for local provision to mitigate this. Council responses emphasise primary investments as feeders for secondaries, projecting surplus places city-wide to nurture growth.

What Challenges Does the Council Face?

Falling birth rates and pupil projections demand cautious expansion to maintain financial viability for all schools. While secondary places suffice medium-term, sustaining primary demand is key for new secondaries. Barriers persist for some families, as Dr Siôn Llewelyn Jones highlighted, including socioeconomic factors. The immersion unit proves effective but requires promotion.

This consultation marks a pivotal moment for Cardiff’s educational landscape, balancing growth with pragmatism. As Cllr Sarah Merry affirmed in Cardiff Newsroom: “Our plan reflects our ambition that every young person has the opportunity to hear, speak and enjoy Welsh.” Public voices will shape whether south Cardiff gains that fourth school or alternative solutions prevail.​