Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025 (“the 2025 Act”) contributes towards the goal of achieving a million Welsh speakers by 2050 by putting measures in place that aim to ensure that all pupils, by the time they cease to be of compulsory school age, are independent Welsh language users, at least.
In summary, the 2025 Act:
- will require the Welsh language strategy to include a target of at least a million Welsh speakers by 2050, as well as other targets relating to the use of the Welsh language, including in the workplace and socially;
will establish a standard approach to describing Welsh language ability based on the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; - sets out three statutory language categories for schools (“Primarily Welsh language”, “Dual Language”, and “Primarily English language, partly Welsh”), and provides for the designation of those language categories, along with requirements relating to the minimum amount of Welsh language education provided and Welsh language learning goals, for each category;
- will link the linguistic planning undertaken at a national level (by placing a duty on the Welsh Ministers to prepare a National Framework for Welsh Language Education and Learning Welsh), at local authority level (by placing a duty on local authorities to prepare local Welsh in education strategic plans), and at school level (by placing a duty on schools to prepare Welsh language education delivery plans);
- will establish a National Institute for Learning Welsh as a new body, responsible for supporting people (of all ages) to learn Welsh.
The Explanatory Notes to the 2025 Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force
Section 56(1) provides that section 1(1)(a) and section 1(4) (for the purposes of section 1(1)(a)) and Part 6 (except section 49) come into force on the day after the day the 2025 Act receives Royal Assent – in other words, 8 July 2025.
Section 56(2) provides that sections 1(5) and 5 and Schedule 1 come into force two months after the 2025 Act receives Royal Assent, on 7 September 2025.
Section 56 also provides that Part 5 and Schedule 2 in relation to the National Institute for Learning Welsh come into force on 1 August 2027.
All other provisions come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by Welsh statutory instrument.
Subordinate legislation made under the Act
[To be added when made]
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Bill was introduced to the Senedd on 15 July 2024 by Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and the Welsh Language. It was passed by the Senedd on 13 May 2025 and received Royal Assent on 7 July 2025.
More information about the 2025 Act is provided on the Senedd website including a record of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.
An Explanatory Memorandum was originally prepared for consideration by the Senedd alongside the Bill. This has now been revised and updated to reflect the final form of the 2025 Act.