Gwynedd schools succeed in the Siarter Iaith awards

Date: 18/07/2025

Cyngor Gwynedd is pleased to congratulate nine local schools that have won the Welsh ‘Siarter Iaith’ (Welsh Language Charter) Award demonstrating their commitment to promoting the Welsh language and increasing its social use in Wales no matter what their linguistic background.

The ‘Siarter Iaith’ was originally developed by Cyngor Gwynedd in 2013, with the aim of encouraging children and young people to use Welsh naturally at school and in the community. The framework has now been adopted nationally by the Welsh Government and is being implemented across the country in line with the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP).

 

The aim of the Charter is to:

• Raise awareness of the importance of the Welsh language as a social language.

• Inspire students to use Welsh naturally, not only during lessons but also in the corridors, in the playground, and at home.

• Develop a whole-school ethos where Welsh is a living language, including staff, parents, and the wider community.

 

The Charter operates through a three-stage awarding system (Bronze, Silver and Gold), which assesses the progress and commitment of schools to promote the language strategically and practically. The gold award reflects excellent work in creating an environment where the Welsh language is used naturally by pupils and staff, with the silver and bronze recognising ongoing efforts to strengthen the use of the Welsh language.

 The successful primary schools are:

 

Gold Award

  • Ysgol Abererch
  • Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn, Bethesda
  • Ysgol Rhosgadfan
  • Ysgol Pentreuchaf

 

Silver Award

  • Ysgol Treferthyr
  • Ysgol Eifion Wyn

 

Bronze Award

  • Ysgol Talsarnau
  • Ysgol yr Hendre

 

Ysgol Uwchradd Eifionydd received the Silver Award – the first secondary school in the county to be validated under the new framework introduced in September 2024.

Catrin Roberts, Ysgol Eifionydd Siarter Iaith Co-ordinator said:

"Ysgol Eifionydd is proud to be the first secondary school in Gwynedd to receive the silver award. This displays the strong position of the Welsh language in the Porthmadog catchment area. Onwards for the gold!"

Annwen Hughes, Head of Ysgol Abererch added:

“Everyone at the school is extremely proud to have achieved the Gold Award of the Siarter Iaith for the work being done here to promote the Welsh language. ‘Cyfle i bawb lwyddo’ (Opportunity for all to succeed) is the school's motto, and ensuring that every pupil can fully access all aspects of Welsh culture by speaking the language every day is a central part of this.


“A group of pupils, the Dreigiau Bach (‘Little Dragons’), have been shaping their own Siarter Iaith priorities for several years now, and this helps them see the value and purpose of the work, as well as giving them the opportunity to think about effective ways of promoting the language. They monitor its implementation and report to the governors on their progress and successes.

“Activities such as playtime Dreigiau groups, bedtime story sessions, and nursery rhyme projects have been valuable and effective. The entire school community understands the goal and their role in achieving it!”

Councillor Dewi Jones, Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet Member for Education, said:

"A Welsh Gwynedd is one of the Council’s priorities, and we endeavour to promote the growth of the Welsh language in all parts of the county. We want to ensure that every child in Gwynedd can use Welsh confidently in school and in their social life.

“I wish to congratulate all schools on their achievement. This reflects the ongoing commitment of Gwynedd schools in ensuring that the Welsh language thrives and remains central to pupils' lives. The Siarter Iaith is much more than a school project — it is an important step towards ensuring a sustainable future for the Welsh language as a core part of our children's daily lives.”

For further information about the Siarter Iaith visit: hwb.gov.wales/siarter-iaith