Hiya, dunno if anyone can help me at all? My four year old starts school after xmas, we live in wales so he has the choice of going in the english or welsh stream. I speak limited welsh, but my oh speaks it fluently, as does his side of the family, and he speaks it to ollie. however in the welsh class, no english is spoken at all, and they will be bringing welsh books etc home. I'm worried he'd struggle, but that's where all his friends are. My oh isn't great at reading (that's usually my department), and he works irregular hours, so the helping will be mostly down to me. I just don't know what to do, as I really want him to be able to speak the welsh properly. Any advice at all would be great ladies!!!

Hi rach,
Not really got any advice but what if you sent your little man to the English school and maybe get him enrolled into a welsh learning language class(if there is one near you) Maybe you could go too and learn together.
I wouldnt worry too much about choosing a school because thats where his friends are, we have moved around sooo much in the last 4 years and my kids soon made lots of new friends and we still keep in touch with their old ones. Kids are pretty resilliant (excuse spelling!!) and do settle quite quick.
xxxxx

Hiya hun, sent you an email!
Think we are going to put ol in the welsh. Been speaking to lot's of people in the same situation and theor kids have coped alright, they are like sponges at this age, so I'm sure he will learn fast, he can understand it, just needs to speak it!

Hi rach I live in Wales but my boys will be going to our local primary which is english. None of our family speak welsh fluently so i just dont feel it'll be of any benefit for them to go to the welsh school. If you want to learn more why dont you go to a night class or something yourself? Like others have said though kids pick things up so easilly when they are little i doubt he'll have any problems. Good luck xxx

hi rach doh i should come over here more often we have had this same battle with the desicion cos we also live in wales as u know and like ureselves we dont speak welsh but want jack to go to a welsh speakin school , i went up there last week to see them and they were really reassuring , they said by the time jack is 5 he will be fluent in welsh and he wont lose his english cos he still gets it at home , he also said where homework is concerned that they dont get difficult homework till there about 7 by which point u can google the info they need in english and they can translate to welsh , so we have enrolled him there now cos i think he will get the best of both worlds and be fluent in 2 languages at 5 which i have never been .....hope this helps if im not too late replying xxxxxxxxxx

Thanks ladies,
hi chuffed baby, haven't seen you in here for a bit, u ok?
Teachers have said the same to us, that he will just pick it up, as most of his friends are in the welsh too. He can under stand most of what is said, it is just the speaking. I think ol will have a good advantage speaking welsh, obviously living in wales, he is likely to be getting a job here or working with other welsh speakers. Pretty much made up my mind now. also the teachers said they should only really do welsh if it is is carried on at home aswell. So I think if me nor steven spoke welsh I'd be more inclined to put him in the english stream. Did you say you say you lived in Ruthin? Not sure how big Ruthin is, but do you know someone called Becky Lloyd. she's a trainee solictor?

hi rach yea i always forget about this forum , and i do spend an awful lot of time on the computer without new forums lol.....yea i do live in ruthin its only a small town but i dont think i know someone called becky lloyd , then again i am a bit dizzy at the mo pregnancy brain and all that lol...............i think the same about the kids speaking welsh for there future jobs etc hope your well xxxx