Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025

Welsh language education delivery plans

14 School Welsh language education delivery plans

(1) A school’s governing body must prepare a delivery plan in relation to the Welsh language (a “Welsh language education delivery plan”) that—

(a) sets out a language category for the school (taking into account the amount of Welsh language education provided by the school at the time);

(b) sets out the amount of Welsh language education provided by the school at the time the delivery plan is being prepared;

(c) explains how the governing body will ensure that the school fulfils the duty under section 10(6) (providing the amount of Welsh language education specified for the school’s language category);

(d) sets out the steps the governing body will take to promote late immersion education in accordance with section 23(3);

(e) sets out the governing body’s proposals—

(i) on the amount of Welsh language education it intends to provide in the school during the period for which the delivery plan has effect, and

(ii) for maintaining that amount of Welsh language education, and increasing the amount where this is reasonably practicable;

(f) sets out, if the school provides education to pupils under compulsory school age—

(i) the amount of Welsh language nursery education provided at the time the delivery plan is being prepared;

(ii) the governing body’s proposals on the amount of Welsh language nursery education it intends to provide during the period for which the delivery plan has effect;

(iii) the governing body’s proposals for maintaining that amount of Welsh language nursery education, and increasing the amount where this is reasonably practicable;

(g) sets out the governing body’s proposals, for the purpose of meeting the school’s Welsh language learning goal, on how it will—

(i) promote a Welsh language ethos and culture within the school;

(ii) promote use of the Welsh language within the school;

(iii) facilitate continuous improvement in the school’s Welsh language education;

(h) sets out, if the school is a “Primarily Welsh Language” or “Dual Language” category school, the governing body’s proposals on how it will assist parents who are not confident Welsh speakers—

(i) to support their children’s learning;

(ii) to support their children’s contribution to the school’s Welsh language ethos and culture;

(i) if it intends to increase the amount of Welsh language education provided with a view to changing the school’s language category (see section 17), sets out the governing body’s proposals on how it will prepare for the change.

(2) In preparing the Welsh language education delivery plan, the school’s governing body must—

(a) have regard to the local Welsh in education strategic plan of the local authority that maintains the school (see section 30);

(b) consult the following—

(i) the head teacher of the school (if that person is not a member of the governing body);

(ii) registered pupils of the school;

(iii) parents of registered pupils;

(iv) the staff of the school;

(v) the local authority that maintains the school;

(vi) any other persons specified by the Welsh Ministers in regulations.

(3) Each Welsh language education delivery plan has effect for a period of three school years, and—

(a) the period of the first delivery plan starts with the school year specified by the Welsh Ministers by regulations, and

(b) the period of each subsequent delivery plan starts with the school year that starts immediately after the previous delivery plan came to an end.

(4) The Welsh Ministers may by regulations—

(a) amend the duration of the period for which a Welsh language education delivery plan has effect;

(b) make provision about the form and content of a delivery plan.

(5) This section does not apply to a community special school (but see section 20).

15 Approval of Welsh language education delivery plans

(1) A school’s governing body must submit a draft of the Welsh language education delivery plan prepared under section 14 to the local authority that maintains the school.

(2) The draft must be submitted at least 9 months before the start of the period in which the Welsh language education delivery plan is to have effect.

(3) When submitting the draft, the governing body must provide a summary of the responses to the consultation conducted in accordance with section 14(2)(b).

(4) The local authority may—

(a) approve the Welsh language education delivery plan as it was submitted (including the language category specified within it),

(b) approve the delivery plan with modifications agreed with the governing body of the school, or

(c) reject the delivery plan and give a direction to the governing body to reconsider the delivery plan.

(5) Approval of a school’s Welsh language education delivery plan under subsection (4)(a) or (b) has the effect of designating, as the school’s language category, the language category set out in the delivery plan.

(6) If a local authority rejects a draft Welsh language education delivery plan, the direction given under subsection (4)(c) must—

(a) give reasons for the decision;

(b) specify by when the governing body must submit a further draft of the delivery plan to the local authority.

(7) Subsections (4) to (6) apply to a draft Welsh language education delivery plan submitted by a school’s governing body in response to a direction under subsection (4)(c) as they apply to a draft submitted under subsection (1).

(8) A school’s governing body must publish the approved Welsh language education delivery plan.

(9) A school’s governing body must take all reasonable steps to implement the proposals set out by virtue of section 14(1)(e),‍ (f), (g), (h) and (i) in the approved Welsh language education delivery plan.

16 Review and amendment of Welsh language education delivery plan

(1) A school’s governing body must review its Welsh language education delivery plan at least once before the end of the period for which it has effect.

(2) A school’s governing body may amend a Welsh language education delivery plan in accordance with this section (but see section 17 for further provision if the governing body intends to change the school’s language category).

(3) In reviewing or amending the Welsh language education delivery plan, the school’s governing body must have regard to the local Welsh in education strategic plan of the local authority that maintains the school (see section 30).

(4) A school’s governing body must submit a draft of the school’s amended Welsh language education delivery plan to the local authority that maintains the school.

(5) When submitting the draft, the school’s governing body must provide a summary of the amendments proposed and the reasons for them.

(6) The local authority may—

(a) approve the amended Welsh language education delivery plan as submitted,

(b) approve the amended delivery plan with modifications agreed with the governing body, or

(c) reject the amended delivery plan and give a direction to the governing body to reconsider.

(7) If a local authority rejects an amended Welsh language education delivery plan, the direction given under subsection (6)(c)—

(a) must give reasons for the decision;

(b) must specify by when the school’s governing body must—

(i) submit a further draft of the delivery plan to the local authority, or

(ii) notify the local authority that it no longer proposes to amend its delivery plan;

(c) may require the school’s governing body to consult the persons listed in section 14(2)(b), if such a consultation has not taken place.

(8) Subsections (5) to (7) apply to an amended Welsh language education delivery plan submitted in response to a direction under subsection (6)(c) in the same way as they apply to an amended delivery plan submitted under subsection (4).

(9) A school’s governing body must—

(a) publish the approved Welsh language education delivery plan, as amended;

(b) take all reasonable steps to implement the proposals set out by virtue of section 14(1)(e),‍ (f), (g), (h) and (i) in the approved Welsh language education delivery plan, as amended.

17 Amending 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).

18 Minimum amount of Welsh language education: temporary exemption

(1) This section applies where a school’s governing body—

(a) is preparing or amending the school’s first Welsh language education delivery plan, and

(b) considers 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” language category school (see section 10(2)(c)).

(2) The school’s draft Welsh language education delivery plan submitted to the local authority under section 15(1) or 16(4) must set out—

(a) the reasons why, in the opinion of the school’s governing body, it is not reasonably practicable for the school to provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education;

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

(c) a date by which the proposals referred to in paragraph (b) 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;

(d) information about the support the governing body considers is necessary to enable the school to provide the minimum amount of Welsh language education.

(3) If the local authority (in accordance with section 15 or 16) 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 end of the three-year period for which the first delivery plan has effec‍t;

(b) the school’s language category is deemed to be designated as the “Primarily English Language, partly Welsh” category for that period;

(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)(b) by the date set out in accordance with subsection (2)(c).

19 Minimum 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.