Siarad Cymraeg? (From Penarth Times)

Siarad Cymraeg?

THE NUMBER of parents opting for Welsh language education in Penarth is on the up - and the trend looks set to continue.

Almost 300 pupils are now registered at Ysgol Pen-y-Garth and head teacher Iona Edwards believes parents are coming to realise the very real benefits of a bilingual education.

Mrs Edwards said: "I think parents are very aware now that speaking Welsh is highly desirable in many fields of employment in Wales, particularly in government organisations.

"At a young age picking up another language is second nature to children.

"Research shows that mastering a second language early on helps when children go on to study other foreign languages."

When the first Welsh language primary opened in Penarth in 1972 there were 170 pupils on the books.

Mrs Edwards said: "In the early days many of the pupils came from Welsh speaking homes.

"That is no longer the case. Today only 16 percent of our intake have a Welsh-speaking parent.

"But by the time they reach Year 6, when you look at the results it is no longer possible to tell which pupils have Welsh speaking parents."

Ioan Williams, aged 10, said: "English is still my strongest language but there is not much in it now.