Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025

Prospective

39 Facilitating and supporting lifelong Welsh language learning E+W

(1) The Learning Welsh Institute’s objective is to support people to learn Welsh, and facilitate their progress, so that more people (of all ages) are learning the language.

(2) To meet this objective, the Learning Welsh Institute must—

(a) provide strategic leadership and direction to Welsh language learning providers;

(b) provide, or facilitate the provision of, Welsh language learning materials;

(c) plan the development of the education workforce for the purpose of improving Welsh language teaching methods;

(d) make arrangements to provide opportunities to learn Welsh—

(i) to the education workforce,

(ii) in the workplace, and

(iii) to people over compulsory school age;

(e) make arrangements to improve levels of ability in Welsh—

(i) amongst the education workforce,

(ii) in the workplace, and

(iii) amongst learners over compulsory school age;

(f) design and develop the provision of Welsh language learning to learners over compulsory school age, or facilitate such design and development;

(g) develop and maintain a national curriculum for Welsh language learning for learners over compulsory school age;

(h) collect and publish data, at least once every 12 months, on Welsh learners over compulsory school age.

(3) In exercising its functions under subsection (2)(c), (d)(i) and (e)(i) the Learning Welsh Institute must have regard to the assessment included in the National Framework for Welsh Language Education and Learning Welsh by virtue of section 25(2)(a) (assessment of number of education practitioners needed in local authorities).

(4) The Learning Welsh Institute may also—

(a) co-ordinate and commission research on teaching or learning Welsh;

(b) give advice to any person on teaching or learning Welsh;

(c) give financial assistance to any‍ person in relation to teaching or learning Welsh;

(d) do anything else, related to supporting people to learn Welsh and facilitating their progress, if it considers it appropriate to meet a target set by the National Framework for Welsh Language Education and Learning Welsh under section 24(8).

(5) For the purpose of meeting the different needs of people over compulsory school age who are learning (or wish to learn) Welsh, the Welsh language learning provision designed and developed in accordance with subsection (2)(f) must—

(a) include a variety of learning levels and activities;

(b) include a variety of learning settings and methods of study;

(c) be organised in such a way as to facilitate the progression of learners through the different‍ learning levels.

(6) The national curriculum for Welsh language learning referred to in subsection (2)(g) and the learning levels referred to in subsection (5)(a) and (c) must be based on—

(a) the common reference levels set out in the Table in Schedule 1, and

(b) the Code prepared by the Welsh Ministers under section 6.

(7) In this Par‍t—

• “compulsory school age” (“oedran ysgol gorfodol”) has the meaning given by section 8 of the Education Act 1996;

• “Welsh language learning provider” (“darparwr dysgu Cymraeg”) means a person funded by the Learning Welsh Institute to provide Welsh language teaching, to people over compulsory school age.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 39 in force at 1.8.2027, see s. 56(3)