Deg Ysgol Gymraeg newydd i Gaerdydd

Mae'r galw am addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg yn uwch nag erioed. Mae mwy a mwy o rieni, o bob cefndir, yn dymuno gweld eu plant yn tyfu'n oedolion sy'n gallu siarad Cymraeg. Ond ar hyn o bryd, mae darpariaeth addysg Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd yn hollol annigonol. Mae teuluoedd ar draws y ddinas yn cael eu troi i ffwrdd o addysg Gymraeg gan fod ysgolion yn orlawn. Mae rhai o'r plant o'r cefndiroedd mwyaf difreintiedig yn cael eu cau allan o'n hiaith a'r holl gyfleoedd mae hi'n eu cynnig. Ac mae'r Cyngor yn methu â chyflawni ei rôl i gyfrannu at gyrraedd y nod cenedlaethol o greu miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050.

Mae'n rhaid i hyn newid.

Dyma pam mae Cell Caerdydd Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg yn galw am sefydlu 10 ysgol gynradd Gymraeg newydd yng Nghaerdydd.

Pwy sydd eisiau 10 ysgol?

Lansiwyd yr ymgyrch gan Gell Caerdydd yn 2016. Ers hynny, mae'r ymgyrch wedi cael cefnogaeth gan bobl ar draws y brifddinas, gan gynnwys nifer o enwogion ac academyddion. Ym mis Gorffennaf 2017, cyflwynwyd deiseb gyda dros 2000 o lofnodion arni i Gyngor Caerdydd yn galw ar y Cyngor i ymrwymo i agor 10 ysgol gynradd Gymraeg newydd. Ar ôl cyflwyno'r ddeiseb, cynhaliwyd cyfarfod gydag arweinydd y Cyngor, Huw Thomas, i drafod y camau nesaf ac i bwyso ar y Cyngor i edrych o ddifri ar agor deg o ysgolion Cymraeg newydd ar draws Caerdydd. Ym mis Hydref 2017, cynhaliwyd rali fawr 'Addysg Gymraeg i bawb – 10 ysgol newydd i Gaerdydd' yng nghanol y ddinas.

Rydym wedi ennill cefnogaeth gan unigolion a theuluoedd o bob rhan o Gaerdydd, o bob cefndir cymdeithasol ac ieithyddol – mae pobl Caerdydd yn cytuno gyda ni bod hawl gan bob plentyn sy'n tyfu lan yn ein prifddinas i ddysgu ein hiaith genedlaethol.

Pam 10 ysgol?

Er mwyn cyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050, mae'n hanfodol bod cynghorau sir yn cynyddu eu darpariaeth o addysg Gymraeg nawr, a fel dinas fwyaf Cymru, mae gan Gaerdydd rôl allweddol i'w chwarae os ydym am gyrraedd y nod.

Mae'n rhaid i Gaerdydd sicrhau cynnydd dramatig a chyflym yn nifer y disgyblion sy'n mynd i ysgol Gymraeg, er mwyn cyfrannu at greu miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050. Rydyn ni wedi cynnal ymchwil ystadegol sy'n dangos faint o blant Caerdydd ddylai fod yn mynd i addysg Gymraeg er mwyn gwneud cyfraniad Caerdydd at y targed:

Yn 2014, dim ond 15.1% o blant saith oed Caerdydd oedd yn cael addysg drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae'n eglur bod agor nifer sylweddol o ysgolion Cymraeg newydd yn hanfodol felly er mwyn cyfrannu tuag at darged Caerdydd.

Ble fydd y 10 ysgol?

Mae prinder lle mewn ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg ar draws Caerdydd. Dyma rai o'r ardaloedd rydyn ni'n credu y dylai’r Cyngor eu blaenoriaethu ar gyfer agor ysgolion Cymraeg newydd erbyn 2022.

Fel rhan o'r datblygiadau tai mawr yn y ddinas, mae 800 o dai newydd yn cael eu codi ar hyn o bryd ar dir Melin Trelái. Mae Ysgol Gymraeg Treganna yn cydffinio â'r datblygiad newydd, ond mae'r ysgol honno'n orlawn yn barod ac yn gwrthod plant ers sawl blwyddyn. Ar gyfer mis Medi 2018, fe wrthodwyd 13 o blant rhag cael lle yn Ysgol Treganna, gyda thros cant o geisiadau. Bydd rhaid agor ysgol Gymraeg newydd yma felly er mwyn i blant y datblygiad newydd gael addysg Gymraeg.
 

Yn ogystal â'r uchod, mae ardaloedd eraill ledled y ddinas lle bydd angen agor rhagor o ysgolion Cymraeg ar ôl rhoi sylw i'r ardaloedd uchod. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys Trelái, Glanyrafon a Rhiwbeina, yn ogystal â'r datblygiadau tai newydd, lle mae'n hanfodol sicrhau mai ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg sy'n cael eu hagor er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl ifanc cymunedau newydd Caerdydd yn dod yn rhugl yn y Gymraeg.

Os oes gennych unrhyw sylwadau am yr ymgyrch, neu os gallwch helpu mewn unrhyw ffordd, gallwch gysylltu â Chell Caerdydd drwy Owen Howell, Swyddog Maes y De: de@cymdeithas.cymru
 

Ten new Welsh-medium schools for Cardiff

Demand for Welsh-medium education is higher than ever. More and more parents, from all walks of life, want to see their children grow into adults who can speak Welsh. But at present, Welsh-medium education provision in Cardiff is totally inadequate. Families across the city are turned away from Welsh education as schools are oversubscribed. Some of the children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are being shut out of our language and all the opportunities it offers. And the Council is failing to fulfil its role in contributing to achieving the national goal of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

This has to change.

This is why Cymdeithas yr Iaith's Cardiff Cell is calling for the establishment of 10 new Welsh-medium primary schools in Cardiff.

Who wants 10 schools?

The campaign was launched by the Cardiff Cell in 2016. Since then, the campaign has been supported by people across the capital, including many high profile figures and academics. In July 2017 a petition was presented to Cardiff Council with over 2000 signatures calling on the Council to commit to open 10 new Welsh-medium primary schools. After submitting the petition, a meeting was held with the Council leader, Huw Thomas, to discuss the next steps and to press the Council to look seriously at opening ten new Welsh-medium schools across Cardiff. In October 2017, a large rally calling for 'Welsh-medium education for all - 10 new schools for Cardiff' was held in the city centre.

We have received support from individuals and families from all across Cardiff, from all social and linguistic backgrounds – the people of Cardiff agree with us that every child who grows up in our capital has the right to learn our national language.
 

Why 10 schools?

To reach a million Welsh speakers by 2050, it is essential that county councils increase their provision of Welsh-medium education now, and as the largest city in Wales, Cardiff has a key role to play if we are to achieve that aim.

Cardiff must ensure a dramatic and rapid increase in the number of pupils attending a Welsh-medium school in order to contribute to the achievement of a million Welsh speakers by 2050. We have carried out statistical research that shows how many Cardiff children should go to Welsh-medium education in order to fulfil Cardiff's contribution to the target:
 

In 2014, only 15.1% of Cardiff's seven-year-olds were educated through the medium of Welsh. It is clear that opening a significant number of new Welsh-medium schools is therefore essential in order to contribute towards the targets for Cardiff.

Where will the 10 schools be?

There is a serious lack of places in Welsh-medium schools across Cardiff. Here are some areas the Council should prioritise for opening new Welsh-medium schools by 2022.
 

1. Heath

There is no Welsh-medium school in the Heath ward. Children in Heath are expected to travel to Ysgol y Mynydd Bychan in Gabalfa or to Ysgol y Wern in Llanisien. For September 2018, 11 children have been turned away by Ysgol y Mynydd Bychan, and 13 children from Ysgol y Wern.

2. Llysfaen

There is no Welsh-medium school in the area. The children of Lisvane are expected to travel to Ysgol y Wern in Llanisien, which is oversubscribed as noted above. As part of the developments for Cardiff's expansion, a significant number of new houses are coming to the north of Cardiff, to the east of Lisvane; 4,500 houses will be built in the whole development, so one school will not be enough in the long-term, but one school is needed in the area urgently.

3. Plasdŵr

One of the biggest developments of all is Plasdŵr in the west of the city (to the west of Pentrebaen and Fairwater). The development will eventually include seven thousand new houses. It is expected that four primary schools will open as part of the development. This is a great opportunity for the Council to demonstrate its commitment to giving the language to every child in the city by making these four schools Welsh-medium schools, creating a community in our capital city where every young person speaks Welsh.
 

4. Plasnewydd / Penylan

There are no Welsh-medium schools in these two wards, while there are over ten English-medium classes and the pressures on them are significant. A Welsh-medium school in this area needs to be opened urgently to give local families the opportunity to access Welsh-medium education.

5. Llandaf

There is one Welsh-medium school in Llandaf, Ysgol Pencae, which is oversubscribed and has had to refuse pupils for many years. There is no room to expand on the site. For 2018, 7 children were rejected by Ysgol Pencae. Large housing developments will come to Llandaf when the BBC headquarters move to the city centre, meaning the demand will increase further.
 

6. Cyncoed

There is no Welsh-medium school in Cyncoed, while there are eight English-medium classes. At the moment, Cyncoed children must travel to Ysgol y Berllan Deg in Llanedeyrn for Welsh-medium education. A Welsh-medium school is needed in this area so that Welsh-medium education is available locally for Cyncoed children.
 

7. Whitchurch

Ysgol Melin Gruffydd in Whitchurch is a two form entry school, which has been turning children away for several years due to high demand. For September 2018, 6 children were refused a place at Ysgol Melin Gruffydd. A new Welsh-medium school is needed therefore to serve the Whitchurch area.
 

8. Radur

A Welsh-medium school is needed in this area to serve the Radur, Tongwynlais and Rhydlafar area. There is no Welsh-medium school in the area at the moment. Local children are expected to travel to Ysgol Coed y Gof in Pentrebaen (3 miles from Radur), Ysgol Gwaelod y Garth or Ysgol Melin Gruffydd in Whitchurch, which is full. For September 2018, 6 children have been refused a place at Ysgol Melin Gruffydd.
 

9. St Mellons

At present, the children of St Mellons are expected to travel to Ysgol Pen y Pil in Trowbridge or Ysgol Bro Eirwg in Rumney, schools already under pressure. With the substantial housing developments coming to the area, a Welsh-medium school is needed in St Mellons.

10. Ely Mill

As part of the city's major developments there are currently 800 new houses being built on the Ely Mill land. Ysgol Treganna is very close to this development, but that school is already oversubscribed with children being turned away every year. For September 2018, 13 children were refused places at Ysgol Treganna, with over 100 applications made altogether. A new Welsh-medium school will be needed here so that children from the new development are educated through the medium of Welsh.

As well as the above areas, there are other areas across the city where more Welsh-medium schools will need to be opened once these areas have been addressed. These include Ely, Riverside and Rhiwbina, as well as further schools opened on new housing developments, where it is vital that Welsh-medium schools are opened in order to ensure that the young people of Cardiff's new communities become fluent in Welsh.

Is you have any comments about this campaign, or if you can help us in any way, please contact Cell Caerdydd via Owen Howell: de@cymdeithas.cymru