Question to the Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration from Councillor T Thomas
Will the Cabinet Member make a statement on the take up of Welsh A Levels across schools in the County Borough.
Question to the Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help from Councillor A Hussain
The number of people living with hearing loss in Wales is 575,500 and this number is rising as the population ages and we live longer. I don’t have the number of people we have with hearing loss here in Bridgend County.
Action on Hearing Loss Cymru in their recent report have recommended that, I quote “Local Authorities should review their provision and access arrangements for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, ensuring they are meeting their duties under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act. Particular attention should be given to:
· the first point of contact/access,
· the assessment process,
· the system for issuing assistive equipment and
· the provision of information/advice/guidance throughout.”
Keeping in mind the above recommendation suggested by Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, Could the Cabinet Member let the Council know how we are supporting people with hearing loss here in our County?
Minutes:
Question to the Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration from Cllr T Thomas
‘Will the Cabinet Member make a statement on the take-up of Welsh A Levels across schools in the County Borough?’
Response
Welsh (1st Language) A level
In 2017, 10 students from Bridgend schools sat an A level in Welsh 1st Language. Across Wales, in 2017, 214 students sat an A level in Welsh 1st Language. Therefore, 5% of all A level Welsh 1st Language entries from schools across Wales in 2017 came from Bridgend. This represents a similar entry to 2016 compared to a 13% decline across Wales since 2015.
The percentage of Bridgend pupils achieving A*-E grades matches the all-Wales average. The percentage of Bridgend pupils achieving A*-C grades was above the all-Wales average in 2015 but below in 2016 and 2017. The number of students sitting A level Welsh 1st Language in 2018 will at least match the number of entries in 2016.
Across Wales, the numbers of pupils studying A level Welsh 1st Language fell from 280 in 2015 to 214 in 2017. Similarly, the numbers of pupils studying AS level Welsh 1st Language fell from 280 in 2014 to 218 in 2017.
2. Welsh (2nd Language) A level
In 2017, 29 students from Bridgend schools sat an A level in Welsh 2nd Language. Across Wales, in 2017, 242 students sat an A level in Welsh 2nd Language. Therefore, 12% of all A level Welsh 2nd Language entries from schools across Wales in 2017 came from Bridgend. This represents a 4% increase from 2016.
The percentage of Bridgend pupils achieving A*-C grades was well above the all-Wales average. The percentage of Bridgend pupils achieving A*-E grades was just below the all-Wales average. Only one student failed to secure a ‘pass’. The number of students sitting A level Welsh 2nd Language in 2018 will at least match the number of entries in 2015 and 2016.
Across Wales, the numbers of pupils studying A level Welsh fell from 272 in 2015 to 242 in 2017. Similarly, the numbers of pupils studying AS level Welsh 2nd Language fell from 354 in 2014 to 298 in 2017.
Welsh Government has decided to discontinue short course GCSE Welsh 2nd Language and now all students in key stage 4 study full course GCSE Welsh 2nd Language. There are therefore large numbers studying Welsh up to GCSE but this is not translating into numbers for A level. Schools in Bridgend are reporting that, if anything, the numbers opting for AS Welsh 2nd Language have declined since full course GCSE Welsh was made compulsory.
3. Curriculum offer
Welsh 2nd Language at AS and A level is timetabled within the collaborative timetable option blocks in the common curriculum offer that is accessible to all students across Bridgend.
Welsh 2nd Language AS/A levels are currently delivered by Bryntirion Comprehensive School but is also available at Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School and Penybont Sixth Form College (at Pencoed Comprehensive School).
In addition to the 16 students at Bryntirion Comprehensive School, there are small numbers of students studying A/AS level Welsh at Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School and at Pencoed Comprehensive School.
The link to Welsh (1st Language) A level in the online common Bridgend prospectus is listed below:
https://www.bridgendpathways.co.uk/en/course?courseid=140
The link to Welsh (2nd Language) A level in the online common Bridgend prospectus is listed below:
https://www.bridgendpathways.co.uk/en/course?courseid=139
4. Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP)
Bridgend’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) fully promotes the increased development of the Welsh language from child care through early years, primary and secondary. The WESP is fully aligned with Welsh Government policy and Bridgend’s WESP has been thoroughly scrutinised by Welsh Government to ensure it is compliant and sufficiently robust to support Welsh Government’s ambition to ensure there are 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050.
There is also a regional Welsh-medium plan being developed by Central South Consortium and supported by a Welsh Education Officer. The plan is there to help support Welsh Government’s ambition of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050. There is specific work on additional learning needs (ALN) provision and the partnership work among the Welsh-medium schools in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Bridgend.
Through careful monitoring, the Council is looking to see strong retention in Welsh-medium settings and addressing any issues that may hinder this. Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) has specifically increased the range of Welsh-medium ALN provision as a result of feedback from the monitoring. Teaching staff are going on sabbaticals in order to improve their Welsh language skills and making an impact on their return adding to the Welsh-medium resource in our schools.
5. 21st Century Schools Programme
BCBC is currently looking to expand Welsh-medium provision in early years and primary settings including new provision in child care and increasing WM provision in primary schools. Consideration is being given to further expansion of the sector as part of Bridgend’s 21st Century Schools Programme plans.
6. Further promotion of Welsh language
Siarter Iaith is being adopted by a number of schools across the primary sector. It is a charter mark which recognises the prevalence, encouragement and development of Welsh language skills right across the school – not just in the teaching of the subject.
All of Bridgend’s Welsh-medium primary schools have achieved the Siarter Iaith threshold and a number of English-medium schools are setting out to achieve it. This approach will feature more strongly in the future in the Team Bridgend cluster plans.
Supplementary question by Cllr T Thomas
With regards to Welsh A level take up, what are the authority doing to promote an active offer? This would include planning of provision, timetabling, workforce planning including professional development/training, but what I am particularly interested in in this context is general promotion work with Year 11 pupils and career opportunities.
Response (by the Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration)
As the relevant Cabinet Member, I can confirm that Bridgend CBC is fully committed to the statutory provision of the Welsh Language. He was proud to say that it was the Labour controlled Glamorgan County Council that set up the first Welsh medium secondary school, at Rhydfelin, and of Bridgend’s Welsh medium secondary at Llangynwyd. He had a strong interest in language and culture he added.
When students embark on their A Levels, Welsh is no longer compulsory and students make choices. He agreed with the Councillor that a recent headline in the Glamorgan Gazette was wrong and misleading when it said that students in Porthcawl could not study Welsh. It is because we are putting resources into a common Sixth Form timetable across all our schools that students from Porthcawl are able to study Welsh, by combining with groups from Cynffig and Bryntirion.
As we develop our 16+ strategy, this investment will benefit Welsh as well as other “A” Level subjects which might otherwise be unviable. What we have done so far has enabled Welsh Language “A” level numbers in Bridgend to resist the downward trend in many other counties of Wales.
It is concerning that across Wales, and across the UK, there is a downward trend in the take-up of all modern languages, and he further agreed with the Councillor that it would be good policy to work with Year 11 students to convince them of the value of studying language and culture in general, including of course the language and culture of Wales. Unfortunately, this was not helped by the idea of Brexit, as Brexit would lead to insularity and a mentality which is unaware of the value of both mainstream languages and minority languages such as Welsh, Catalan, and the languages and cultures of other European regions.
Studying any language makes it easier to study yet another language, and it’s therefore a very positive aim for Wales to be a bilingual country; and also, it follows that the best way to achieve a million Welsh speakers is not just to rely on schools, but to promote interest across society in languages and culture per se, to enable society to go forward to compete in the jobs markets in Wales, the UK, Europe and across the globe.
The Corporate Director – Education and Family Support reiterated paragraph 6 of the initial response, that communication through the welsh language was promoted in all schools within the County Borough, and this was emphasised not just to pupils being taught there, but with their parents and guardians also.
He further referred to paragraph 4 of the initial response and the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) which also advocated for welsh speakers.
Question to the Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help from Cllr A Hussain
‘The number of people living with hearing loss in Wales is 575,500 and this number is rising as the population ages and we live longer. I don’t have the number of people we have with hearing loss here in Bridgend County.
Action on Hearing Loss Cymru in their recent report have recommended that, I quote “Local Authorities should review their provision and access arrangements for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, ensuring they are meeting their duties under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act. Particular attention should be given to:
· the first point of contact/access,
· the assessment process,
· the system for issuing assistive equipment and
· the provision of information/advice/guidance throughout.”
Keeping in mind the above recommendation suggested by Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, Could the Cabinet Member let the Council know how we are supporting people with hearing loss here in our County?’
Response
Adult Social Care have a Sensory Team based in the Community Resource Team, with Specialist Social Workers, an Assistant Social Worker, Rehabilitation Officers and Sensory Assistants. The team work with individuals living with sensory loss which includes people who have a vision loss, people who are culturally deaf (D), acquired deaf (d) or have hearing loss, as well as people who have a combined vision and hearing loss (deafblind).
The aim is to ensure that adults and children with sensory loss are supported to lead as full and independent a life as possible.
In the order in which the question is asked:
The first point of contact/ access- All queries/referrals regarding sensory loss for adults come through the Common Access Point. Contact can be made through email, letter, fax and mobile text. We are also testing “Signvideo”, this is a platform that gives deaf people, using BSL, access to the Common Access Point enabling them to make telephone calls confidently to hearing people through fully qualified interpreters. SignVideo calls can be made via a videophone, laptop, PC, smartphone or tablet. All individuals are asked about their preferred method of communication and this is recorded within WCCIS. Appropriate information, or some advice or assistance is all that may be required to deal with a query. If a specialist assessment is required then this can be arranged to take place at an individual’s home and / or in Trem y Mor Resource Centre in Bettws.
The assessment process - The Team can undertake a number of different assessments depending on the circumstance of the individual. Assessment of need is undertaken, with the same assessment tool, as any other member of the public. The way in which we communicate may differ and may include interpreters for different types of sign language as well as spoken language. There have been times where both a sign language and a spoken language interpreter have been required at the same time to assist in an assessment. The important point is that the individual is given all opportunity to explain their circumstance and challenges to their independence.
If a specialist assessment is required then this can be undertaken. There is a range of specialist equipment available to help people with sensory loss to remain independent. Some of the equipment may be provided as part of the specialist assessment or rehabilitation training. Within Trem y Mor there is a Sensory Resource Room with equipment on display and available for demonstration as well as information and advice on where to purchase specialist items.
The team work closely with the Audiology Clinic in the Princess of Wales Hospital and receive referrals for people who need support to maintain their independence. The Specialist Social Worker for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing regularly holds sessions within Trem y Mor for those people referred, to identify equipment/ skills training to maintain that person’s independence.
Provision of information and advice (throughout) - We have a duty to maintain registers of people living in Bridgend who have a sensory loss. Registration is voluntary but these registers help us to develop and plan services. We can give information about registering as severely sight impaired (blind), sight impaired (partially sighted), Deaf and hard of hearing or Deafblind. We also explain about any entitlements relating to registration.
The Team can provide catalogues of equipment and advice on the items that can be purchased that will support that individual’s independence. The team maintains lists of support groups within the Bridgend area that people can access for socialising/ support/ information and advice. Action On Hearing Loss hold a “Hub” monthly in Pencoed, the Team support this by a team member attending to be on hand to accept referrals, provide information and advice.
Bridgend has a Service Level Agreement with Sense Cymru which provides an outreach service which supports people who are D/deaf or have hearing loss and who may have additional needs such as mental health, physical disability or learning difficulties. The Service supports individuals to achieve positive outcomes through promoting independence, engagement and participation in the local community whilst promoting or maintaining independence within their own home. This is aided by individualised communication methods, encouraging appropriate social interaction, increasing confidence and knowledge, assisting individuals to develop skills and techniques to manage daily living, improving opportunities for individuals to engage in activities such as education, work, training, health and leisure and provide relevant information in appropriate formats and sign posting. This service also visits Deaf Club twice a month where they can signpost individuals onto other services and/or provide advice and information. To our knowledge this is a unique service, not replicated anywhere else in Wales.
Another Service Level agreement provides a Communicator Guide service. This supports people in Bridgend who have a dual sensory loss, to enable participation and engagement within their communities and promote or maintain an individual’s independence within their home.
Communicator Guides ensure that people are better supported to lead fulfilled lives and achieve well-being through facilitating communication support and access to the community, providing escorting and guiding techniques and provision of accessible and relevant information in appropriate formats.
In communications with the Director of Action on Hearing Loss, Bridgend is positively identified for its responsiveness to people who are D/deaf or have hearing loss.
Supplementary question by Cllr A Hussain
Thank you for your detailed response and I am pleased to note that Bridgend has some of the more specialist service provision in Wales. The use of sign video at the Common Access Point is superb, as is initial access to emails and texts.
Could the Cabinet Member let the Council know, how long the waiting list is for a specialist assessment (i.e. how many days/weeks/months might someone wait) and what is the process of assessment.
Response
The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help confirmed that he would take this further question away, and in turn, respond to all Members outside of the meeting.