<p>Welsh-medium Schools</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 8 February 2017.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 2:11, 8 February 2017

I think one of the answers of the Cabinet Secretary earlier about the sort of education system she’s looking at developing in Wales will in itself ensure that teachers want to teach in Wales and will find that teaching in Wales is a very attractive career option. We know that about a third of all teachers in Wales do speak Welsh, so there is some headroom at the moment. But I recognise that the more fundamental point you’re making is that we do need more teachers who are able to teach through the medium of Welsh. You will see that some of the funding that we’ve agreed through our budget negotiations will help achieve that in terms of investment in the workforce, but also investment in the workforce for early years as well. The Government’s childcare offer will also contribute to that. But, let me say this: it is important that we look—and the strategic plan that I’ll be publishing later this year for the future of the Welsh language will be a comprehensive plan that will include both the ambitions in terms of the headline numbers, but also a number of different elements that will enable us to achieve that. Workforce planning is a key part of that and a key element of that. And whilst, yes, we will focus in on teachers, we will also be focusing in on teaching support and childcare workers as well.