Legislation – Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025

PART 1
PROMOTION AND FACILITATION OF USE OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE

1 Welsh language strategy targets: at least a million Welsh speakers and increase in use

2 Reporting on targets in the Welsh language strategy

3 Calculating the number of Welsh speakers

4 Reviewing the Welsh language standards

PART 2
DESCRIBING WELSH LANGUAGE ABILITY

5 Types of Welsh language user and common reference levels

6 Code to describe Welsh language ability

7 Publishing and reviewing the Code

PART 3
WELSH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

8 Overview and interpretation

9 School language categories

10 Minimum amount of provision of Welsh language education for each language category‍

11 Welsh language learning goals for each language category

12 Assessing progress towards meeting Welsh language learning goals

13 Regulations on school language categories

14 School Welsh language education delivery plans

15 Approval of Welsh language education delivery plans

16 Review and amendment of Welsh language education delivery plan

17 Amending Welsh language education delivery plan to change school language category

18 Minimum amount of Welsh language education: temporary exemption

19 Minimum amount of Welsh language education: further exemption

20 Community special schools: plans and language category designation

21 Welsh language nursery education delivery plans

22 Register of school language categories

23 Late immersion education in Welsh

PART 4
PLANNING WELSH LANGUAGE EDUCATION AND LEARNING WELSH

24 National Framework for Welsh Language Education and Learning Welsh

25 National Framework: further provision on the education workforce

26 Implementing the National Framework

27 National Framework: further provision about content, review and amendment

28 Consultation and publication of the National Framework

29 Reporting on the National Framework

30 Local Welsh in education strategic plans

31 Period of local Welsh in education strategic plans

32 Approval of local Welsh in education strategic plans

33 Publication and implementation of local Welsh in education strategic plans

34 Review and amendment of local Welsh in education strategic plans

36 Amendments to the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013

37 Interpretation

PART 5
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING WELSH

39 Facilitating and supporting lifelong Welsh language learning

40 Additional functions

41 Promoting equality of opportunity

42 Promoting innovation and continuous improvement

43 Promoting collaboration in relation to learning Welsh

44 Promoting co-ordination in relation to learning Welsh

45 Application of Welsh language standards

46 Strategic plan

47 Annual report

PART 6
GENERAL

48 Directions and guidance

49 Repeal of provisions in the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013

50 Education Acts

51 Interpretation‍

53 Sending documents

54 Regulations under this Act

55 Consequential and transitional provision etc.

56 Coming into force

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 TYPES OF WELSH LANGUAGE USER AND COMMON REFERENCE LEVELS

SCHEDULE 2 NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING WELSH

Which version?
Latest available (Revised)
Original (As enacted)

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, Section 17.

Changes to Legislation

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PART 3WELSH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

Welsh language education delivery plans

17Amending Welsh language education delivery plan to change school language category

(1)

This section applies where a school’s governing body proposes an amendment to the school’s Welsh language education delivery plan for the purpose of changing the school’s language category.

(2)

A school’s language category may not be changed—

(a)

from a “Dual Language” category to a “Primarily English Language, partly Welsh” language category;

(b)

from a “Primarily Welsh Language” category to a “Dual Language” category or a “Primarily English Language, partly Welsh” language category.

(3)

The school’s governing body must consult the persons listed in section 14(2)(b) before submitting an amended delivery plan in draft to the local authority under section 16(4).