Legislation – Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025

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Introduction

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

35 Regulations

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

52 Publication

53 Sending documents

54 Regulations under this Act

55 Consequential and transitional provision etc.

56 Coming into force

57 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 TYPES OF WELSH LANGUAGE USER AND COMMON REFERENCE LEVELS

SCHEDULE 2 NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING WELSH

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PART 3WELSH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

Welsh language education delivery plans

19Minimum amount of Welsh language education: further exemption

(1)

This section applies where a governing body of a school that is exempted in accordance with section 18(3)(a)—

(a)

is preparing the school’s second Welsh language education delivery plan, and

(b)

remains of the view that it is not reasonably practicable for the school to provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education required for a “Primarily English Language, partly Welsh” category school.

(2)

The second Welsh language education delivery plan submitted to the local authority under section 15(1) must set out—

(a)

why the proposals referred to in section 18(2)(b) were not implemented, or why those proposals did not succeed;

(b)

why, in the opinion of the governing body, providing the minimum amount of Welsh language education is still not reasonably practicable for the school;

(c)

the governing body’s further proposals for ensuring that the school can provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education (at least);

(d)

the date by which the proposals referred to in paragraph (c) will be implemented, such a date being no later than the end of the three-year period for which the draft delivery plan has effect;

(e)

information about the support that the governing body considers necessary for the school to be able to provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education.

(3)

If the local authority (in accordance with section 15) approves a Welsh language education delivery plan for a school that sets out the matters referred to in subsection (2)—

(a)

the school’s governing body is exempt from the requirement to provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education until the date set out in the delivery plan in accordance with subsection (2)(d);

(b)

the school’s language category is deemed to be designated as the “Primarily English Language, partly Welsh” category until the date set out in the delivery plan in accordance with subsection (2)(d);

(c)

the school’s governing body must take all reasonable steps to implement the proposals set out in the delivery plan in accordance with subsection (2)(c), by the date set out in accordance with subsection (2)(d);

(d)

the local authority must provide the following to the Welsh Ministers—

(i)

the reasons why the school’s delivery plan was approved;

(ii)

information about any support offered to the school’s governing body.

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I1S. 19 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 56(4)(5)