POLISI IAITH
Er mai fel ysgol Gymraeg "draddodiadol" y diffinir Ysgol Gyfun Pantycelyn yn ôl polisi Awdurdod Addysg Sir Gaerfyrddin, eto, yn ôl Deddf Addysg l988, fe'i hystyrir yn ysgol "Gymraeg ei hiaith" yn unôl â nifer y pynciau a addysgir trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Er i'r ysgol gwmpasu disgyblion o gartrefi Cymraeg a chartrefi di-Gymraeg felly, fe addysgir y Gymraeg fel pwnc craidd, boed fel iaith gyntaf neu fel ail iaith, hyd at arholiadau TGAU.
Ers sefydlu'r Cwricwlwm Cenedlaethol yn y sector cynradd, beth bynnag, gwelwyd cynnydd sylweddol yn nifer y disgyblion sy'n gallu defnyddio'r iaith erbyn iddynt gyrraedd Blwyddyn 7 yn yr ysgol uwchradd. Polisi'r ysgol felly yw adeiladu ar ddwyieithrwydd y disgyblion er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn rhugl yn y ddwy iaith erbyn cyrraedd diwedd Blwyddyn 11. Er mwyn hyrwyddo'r polisi hwnnw fe'u dosberthir o flwyddyn 7 ymlaen i un o ddau ddosbarth Cymraeg Iaith Gyntaf neu i’r dosbarth sy’n dysgu Cymraeg fel ail iaith.
Yn wir, fe ystyrir dau o'r tri dosbarth bellach yn ddosbarthiadau "Cymraeg" i bob pwrpas. Fe anogir y disgyblion mwyaf rhugl i fanteisio ar y cyfle i gyfranogi o gymaint o gwricwlwm cyfrwng-Cymraeg ag sy'n bosibl er mwyn atgyfnerthu ac hyrwyddo'u cyraeddiadau yn yr iaith ymhellach.
Er mwyn hyrwyddo sgiliau dwyieithog ein hieuenctid ymhellach, mae’r Llywodraethwyr ar hyn o bryd yn ystyried datblygiadau pellach er mwyn dysgu pynciau eraill trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.
Er bod yr amryw lefelau hynny yn awgrymu disgwyliadau ieithyddol gwahanol beth bynnag, pwysleisir mai prif hyrddiad y polisi yw gwthio pob disgybl unigol yn radddol ar hyd y parhawd (continuum) ieithyddol nes cyrraedd lefel o ddwyieithrwydd gweithredol a'i alluoga i gyfranogi ac i gyfrannu ym mywyd dwyieithog naturiol y gymuned. Fe anogir holl staff yr ysgol i siarad cymaint o Gymraeg ag sy'n bosibl â'r disgyblion o fewn a thu allan i'r dosbarthiadau. Fe hyrwyddir y broses honno ymhellach drwy fabwysiadu strategaethau ieithyddol sydd yn sicrhau bod y Gymraeg yn rhan annatod o ddiwylliant, gweinyddiad a rheolaeth yr ysgol.
Gyda'r bwriad o sicrhau statws cwbl gyfartal i'r Gymraeg felly, gellir rhestru ymhlith y rheiny:
gosod arwyddion cwbl ddwyieithog drwy'r ysgol;
cynnal gwasanaethau dwyieithog;
sicrhau bod gweinyddiad yr ysgol mewn perthynas â'r cyhoedd a rhieni yn ddwyieithog o safbwynt dogfennau, llythyron, hysbysiadau, adroddiadau, ateb y ffôn ac ati.
According to the Carmarthenshire Education Authority policy, Ysgol Gyfun Pantycelyn is defined as a "traditional" Welsh School. However, the fact that a specific number of subjects are taught through the medium of Welsh makes it a "Welsh-speaking" school within the definition of the Education Act l988. This means that, despite encompassing pupils from Welsh-speaking and non-Welsh-speaking home backgrounds, the Welsh language is taught as a core subject either as a first-language or second-language, to all pupils.
Since establishing the National Curriculum in the primary sector, however, there has been a substantial increase in the number of pupils who are able to use the language by the time they reach Year 7 in the secondary school. The school policy, therefore, is to build upon the bilingualism of pupils in order to ensure that they are fluent in both languages by the time they reach the end of Year 11. In order to promote this policy, pupils are allocated from Year 7 onwards into either one of the two Welsh as first language classes or into the Welsh as a second language class.
Two of the three groups can, therefore, be looked upon as "Welsh" groups to a large extent. The most fluent pupils are encouraged to take advantage of partaking from as much of the Welsh-medium curriculum as possible in order to enforce and promote further levels of achievement in the language.
To further promote the bilingual skills of our young people, the Governors are currently looking at further developments in the teaching of other subjects through the medium of Welsh.
Despite the fact that these varying levels suggest differing linguistic expectations, it is emphasised that the main thrust of the policy is to push every individual pupil gradually along the linguistic continuum to reach an active level of bilingualism which will enable him/her to participate in and contribute to the natural bilingual life of the community. All school staff are encouraged to speak as much Welsh as possible with pupils both inside and outside classrooms.
Such a process is promoted further by adopting linguistic strategies which ensure that the Welsh language is an integral part of the culture, administration and management of the school.
With the intention of giving fully equal status to Welsh therefore, one can mention examples such as:
placing totally bilingual signs throughout the school;
holding bilingual assemblies;
ensuring that school administration in relation to the public and parents is bilingual in terms of documents, letters, notices, reports, answering the phone etc.