Frequently Asked Questions 

Where is Canolfan Iaith Conwy? 

• Canolfan Iaith Conwy is situated in Ysgol Dyffryn yr Enfys, Dolgarrog. 

• The pupils share the school facilities, the centre is completely self-sufficent.

How does it work?

•  Pupils aged between 7—11 may attend the centre for a term. 

•  Pupils follow a bespoke structured course and develop oral fluency as well as acquiring reading and writing skills. 

What are the benefits of learning Welsh?

•  Research and experience of teachers in many countries have proved that immersion teaching of a second language is more effective. 

•  The teacher pupil ratio is very generous. 1 teacher and 1 classroom assistant to 12 pupils. 

•  Good resources combined with the family atmosphere created means that the experiences offered are second to none. 

•  Staff at the Centre are experienced and acknowledged specialists in their field.

How long will they be at the Centre? 

• An application for a place is made by the home school and access is on a full term basis.

How do you deal with the curriculum as a whole? 

• The emphasis is on learning to speak, read and write in Welsh. However, Numeracy is taught daily in accordance with the levels of the Curriculum. The pupils also experience other aspects of the Curriculum through science, technology and environmental studies. 

What level of proficiency would you expect a child to achieve in one term? 

• With a positive attitude within a happy environment, each child will have sufficient mastery of the language to enable them to fully integrate into the work and life of the school and the community. 

How will my child travel to the Centre? 

• Transport is provided free of charge by Conwy County Council, from home to the Centre using school transport contractors. The taxi company will contact you directly with the arrangements. Our staff will greet the pupils on arrival and ensure they are safely in the taxi at the end of the day. 

Do the children have school dinners? 

Children are welcome to have a school dinner or bring a packed lunch. 

How can I help my child? 

• be positive and supportive 

• encourage your child to speak Welsh with neighbours and friends 

• keep in touch with the teachers at the centre

What the pupils are saying...

•  "I will be able to speak to my friends at school in Welsh." 

• "I'll be able to understand what's going on." 

• “I can speak Welsh to people in the village and they are surprised that I can." 

• "I can read Welsh books, and enjoy the story." 

• "I can write stories in Welsh."

•  "I enjoyed acting the characters in the village of Llanfairgogogoch." 

• "I've enjoyed watching Welsh videos." 

What the parents say...

• "They've been delighted. I'm so glad we made the decision to send them."

•  "Our children have had an amazing experience at the language centre. They began their journey to learn Welsh knowing very little, and after 10 weeks of the  immersion learning, they have developed far beyond our expectations. The teachers have been very encouraging, and we will all miss the centre very much." 

• "My child was worried at first but after a few days he couldn't wait to meet his new friends and to play games in Welsh."