Ceredigion’s plan to increase the number of children receiving their education in Welsh to 80 per cent of the population is making progress.

The three-year plan for improving uptake of Welsh medium education was approved by Ceredigion County Council in March this year after being “called-in”.

The Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2017-20 was “challenged on targets and specific aspects of the plan” challenge advisor Silyn Roberts said at a meeting of the language committee.

He updated councillors on the progress made since then and actions taken to get more seven-year-olds taught in Welsh, including a focus underway in the Aberystwyth area to promote access.

The loss of a WESP officer there, due to a lack of funding, was unfortunate the committee heard.

The consultation on providing a Welsh language foundation phase Ysgol Bro Pedr in Lampeter was highlighted as another area of positive progress.

Officers continued to focus on meeting a target in English schools that 40 per cent of the curriculum will be in Welsh, the committee was told.

The percentage of Year 9 pupils receiving education in first language Welsh was 64 per cent, below the target of 66 per cent but the increasing numbers choosing to attend Ysgol Penweddig in Aberystwyth was a positive change, the committee heard.

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