Methryr Tydfil playgroup helps boost Welsh language in community
Ms Phillips from Penydarren said she was from over the valley and there "are no Welsh speakers in our village"."I am a massive fan of the language and am slightly embarrassed I don't speak Welsh," she said."We went to the Eisteddfod, the sports bit, a couple of weeks ago, it is such a beautiful language. It was lovely to hear, especially my girls speaking in Cymraeg [Welsh]."
Myfanwy Harman said when she first set up the group it was "hard"."It was difficult to build up that relationship and trust, and show parents you don't need to be afraid of the language."Now we have established that and shown that Welsh is for everyone."Ms Harman said the playgroup had helped changed attitudes towards the Welsh language."When we first opened here we had a few occasions when people walked past and shouted over to us things like 'oh we don't speak Welsh here', but as time has gone on they see that they do, and they can."This term all the children from the Gurnos Cylch Meithrin have gone on to full-time Welsh-medium education, giving the playgroup cause to celebrate, said Ms Phillips."Having the opportunity in areas like the Gurnos to introduce our language is fantastic and very much needed in Merthyr."I think we get a little bit forgotten sometimes when it comes to the Welsh language and our culture."The Gurnos gets massive press coverage for the wrong reasons a lot of the time and this is the stuff we don't see, which is the vital stuff."
Louisa Jones who is from Cornwall, but now lives in Gurnos with both her children attending Cylch Meithrin, said: "My little girl and boy were born here and are Welsh, as someone who is Cornish, our language unfortunately died. "It is so important we don't lose Welsh."With her children both speaking Welsh, Ms Jones felt that she wanted to learn the language."It is really inspirational, so much so that I am now learning Welsh and am volunteering here so that I can be in an environment where I can hear lots of Welsh."Learning Welsh has helped Ms Jones feel part of the Gurnos community."I have always felt a bit of an outsider in this community, but a big thing for me is having a shared culture with my community and having some Welsh language means something."I feel much more a part of my community by having this shared culture and heritage."
It is not just parents that are learning Welsh on the estate, Ola Pala is a nursery assistant at Cylch Meithrin, having moved to Merthyr from Poland when she was seven.Working as a nursery assistant has helped her improve her Welsh."Welsh is a hard language to learn and I am still learning, I learnt it when I was in school but I am learning more here because there is Welsh everywhere."It really is important for me, because I want to help the children."
Katie Phillips lives in Merthyr and is a former pupil at the Welsh primary school Ysgol Santes Tudful and went to Ysgol Rhydywaun, a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in the Cynon Valley.She now works for the Welsh language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and said she felt attitudes towards the Welsh language were changing."There's more of a demand for people learn Welsh and for their children to speak Welsh," she said."I think people like my parents wish they could have had the opportunity when they were younger, but didn't so we have a bit of a lost generation."The growth of the Welsh language on the Gurnos estate is being welcomed locally.Lis Mclean, who runs Canolfan Soar which is home to a number of local Welsh language organisations, said: "I think the Welsh language is incredibly important to people in Merthyr."When you watch someone learning Welsh you see them change, they have a certain pride in themselves."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Sun
A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Record number get into 1st choice uni, plus how UCAS Clearing works
A-LEVEL students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are opening their results this morning on a day tinged with excitement and nerves. Last year in the UK, 27.8 per cent earned top grades of A or A*, up from 27.2 per cent in 2023. The majority of schools have opened their doors from 8am to 11am - but it's advisable to check your school's website or social media. It can, however, take up to 24 hours for places to be confirmed at certain universities. Many students who don't meet the required Ucas points for their top choices will then face a frantic race for places through clearing until October 20. Follow ALL of the latest updates below.... 5 minutes ago By Ethan Singh Phillipson pledges to close attainment gap Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has said she will not 'stand by and accept the entrenched inequalities' that blight the life chances of many young people. The government's plans for turning around the attainment gap between white working-class children and their peers will be set out in the autumn. Pupils who are receiving their A-level and level 3 vocational and technical qualification results were in Year 8 when schools closed because of the pandemic. This cohort of school and college leavers received their GCSE results in 2023, the first year that grading was returned to pre-pandemic levels in England. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators returned to pre-pandemic grading in 2024, a year later than in England. 17 minutes ago By Ethan Singh Clarkson speaks out Jeremy Clarkson has penned a tweet to students who may not have achieved what they wanted this morning. He wrote: "If your A level results are disappointing, don't worry. "I got a C and two Us and here I am today, installing lights for a helicopter landing pad in my garden." Clarkson has sought to reassure A-level teens with an annual tweet about how his life worked out despite getting poor grades. 28 minutes ago By Ethan Singh Students opening results Thousands of students across the country have began opening their results. Months of hard work have now come down to this nail-biting moment as teenagers look to see what they have achieved. Record numbers have secured their first-choice university places this year, according to UCAS. Students receive their A-level results at The Latimers Arts College in Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire. Picture date: Thursday August 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire By Douglas Simpson What if students don't get into their first choice university? Prospective undergraduates who don't get into their first choice of university can use clearing to get onto other courses. Clearing matches applicants to university places that are yet to be filled and is available to students who do not meet the conditions of their offer on A-level results day. Students who did not receive any offers can also use clearing to find a place at university. Any students who may have changed their minds about what to study and those who applied outside the normal application window can use clearing as well. Today, 07:45 By Douglas Simpson Record number of students could be successful in securing university places For many students, receiving their exam results today will also bring confirmation of university places. For others, their grades will help them progress to an apprenticeship or work. Last week, Jo Saxton, head of Ucas, suggested a record number of 18-year-olds could be successful in securing their first-choice university on results day. British universities are keen to recruit UK students because there is more "uncertainty" around international students, she suggested. Today, 06:39 By Douglas Simpson What grades can students expect ? Last year, 27.8% of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, this was the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside of the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. Only 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades in 2019 - the last year exams were taken before the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top A-level grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Today, 06:22 By Douglas Simpson What time will grades be released? School and college leavers will receive their A-level and AS grades today with students eagerly awaiting their results. Most will be able to find out what they've achieved from 8am. Schools will usually stay open until around 11am for anyone arriving later.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
A-level results: Record number of UK students accepted onto university courses
A record number of students have been accepted onto university or college courses as 18-year-olds celebrate A-level results day. Hundreds of thousands of pupils across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland discovered their A-level and AS-level results on Thursday morning, with many finding out if they secured a place on a course. New Ucas data shows 255,130 UK 18-year-olds have been accepted into university or college, compared to 243,650 in 2024, marking a rise of almost 5 per cent (4.7 per cent). Overall, the figures show 82 per cent of those holding an offer who received their decision on Thursday morning have been placed on their first choice, the same proportion as last year. In total, Ucas said 439,180 applicants have been accepted, marking an increase of more than 3 per cent (3.1 per cent) on 425,860 last year – the highest number of placed students on results day on record. There has also been an increase in the number of 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland gaining a place, it added. It comes after 27.8 per cent of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade in 2024, up from 27.2 per cent the previous year, marking the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. In 2019 – the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic – 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. The pandemic led to an increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson described exam results day as 'a time for celebration' for young people across the country. She said: 'Whether A-Levels, T-Levels or technical and vocational qualifications, I wish everyone the very best of luck, and offer my heartfelt thanks to the fantastic teachers, staff and parents who've supported them to this milestone. 'Every young person should have the opportunity to achieve and thrive. This government won't stand by and accept the entrenched inequalities that continue to blight the life chances of too many young people, especially those from white working class backgrounds who have long been overlooked. 'We're already taking decisive action and making encouraging progress. With great options from degree apprenticeships and high-quality technical qualifications to traditional university routes, we are giving young people the tools they need to get great jobs, fill talent gaps, and help drive economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
A-level results day 2025: UK students to learn exam grades as scramble for university places get underway
Hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are today waking up to their long-awaited A-level results to help them decide whether to progress to university, an apprenticeship or work. More than a quarter of entries this summer are expected to score top grades but leaders have warned of 'stark' divides in results between different UK regions. Last year, 27.8% of UK A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade – the highest proportion outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22. This cohort of school and college leavers received their GCSE results in 2023 – the first year that grading was returned to pre-pandemic levels in England.
