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Welsh for Adults

Early Insights

We inspected two Learn Welsh providers and The National Centre for Learning Welsh this year.

Teaching and learning

Teaching in the sector focusses on ensuring that learning experiences are inclusive, positive and effective in producing active Welsh speakers.

What’s going well

  • Nearly all learners who attended residential provision were skilfully immersed in the Welsh language and culture by their tutors. As a result of tutors’ careful planning to meet specific needs and interests, learners made rapid and significant progress in speaking Welsh in a short period of time.
  • The two Learn Welsh providers inspected offered a wide range of courses at different levels, in-person, and online. They delivered valuable provision for learners who wish to use Welsh in the workplace.
  • Tutors knew their learners well and encouraged them skilfully to use their language skills in their communities and workplaces. As a result, many learners continued to learn on higher level courses.
  • The National Centre for Learning Welsh plays a proactive and valuable role in assuring the quality of teaching and learning throughout the sector. It provides beneficial training opportunities for staff across the sector.

What needs to improve

  • A very few tutors did not use questions well, or provide learners with enough time to think, to create language independently.

Well-being, care, support and guidance

Care, support and guidance was excellent in both Learn Welsh providers inspected this year. The support and guidance provided contribute positively to learners’ well-being and enjoyment of their courses. The National Centre for Learning Welsh, which funds and quality ensures the work of Learn Welsh providers, supports this work usefully through appropriate scrutiny and professional development opportunities for staff.

What’s going well

  • Nearly all learners enjoyed learning Welsh and were highly motivated to use their new linguistic skills.
  • Tutors and learners together created a welcoming learning community which enabled learners to reach out of if they need support and advice.
  • Tutors responded effectively to individual learners’ needs to assist them to fulfil their learning goals.
  • Learners were encouraged to play a full part in their learning community and, as a result, their opinions are listened to and acted upon appropriately.
  • Learners on residential courses received very high levels of support before and during their courses. As a result, most learners stated that they wish to return and follow further courses in the future.

What needs to improve

  • None to report

Leading and improving

The National Centre for Learning Welsh provides highly effective leadership to the sector, which is reflected in the shared vision and clear focus of Learn Welsh providers. Together, they offer a high quality service that focuses on producing active Welsh speakers, in accordance with Welsh Government policies.

What’s going well

  • The National Centre for Learning Welsh has embedded an effective culture of continuous improvement across the Learn Welsh sector. This is reflected in the increasing numbers of learners and the high standards that many of them attain.
  • The National Centre strives proactively to increase participation from all groups in society and ensure that courses are accessible. Most learners either receive reductions in fees or do not pay for their course.
  • Overall, leaders and managers in Learn Welsh providers had high expectations of themselves and learners. They were effective in creating provision that meets the needs of their learners, which enabled them to become active Welsh speakers whatever their level.
  • The sector under the leadership of the National Centre has evolved to become a facilitator and influencer in valuable initiatives and partnerships to increase the use of the Welsh language and the number of fluent speakers.

What needs to improve

  • In one Learn Welsh provider, managers did not monitor and track the progress of groups and cohorts of learners over time in sufficient detail to support them to refine provision. In addition, they did not always identify and develop areas for improvement in sufficient detail, for example specific aspects of teaching and learning.

Overview of recommendations from inspections

The National Centre for Learning Welsh was inspected and two recommendations were given:

  • Continue to extend and share the Welsh Learning sector’s expertise in terms of pedagogy and second language acquisition to other relevant sectors to support the Welsh Government’s aim of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050
  • Continue to innovate by facilitating language planning activities that integrate new and reluctant speakers in initiatives to normalize the use of the Welsh language in their communities and at work

Two other providers were inspected, with the following recommendations:

  • Strengthen strategic planning processes to plan the provision more purposefully
  • Sharpen the teaching and learning evaluation processes to prioritise strengths and areas for improvement
  • Strengthen processes for monitoring and tracking the progress of groups and cohorts of learners over time in order to meet learners’ needs increasingly effectively
  • Establishing procedures to allow ‘y Nant’ tutors to share information nationally about the progress and achievement of learners who have followed the provider’s intensive courses, in order to support them to learn Welsh continuously
  • Extend the professional learning offer to include regular opportunities for tutors to observe very effective practices