The only Welsh medium school outside Wales

Well bugger me, I never knew there was a Welsh medium school outside Wales - in England no less (London, of course)! It's called Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain (Welsh London School) and was founded in 1958. It remains the only Welsh medium school outside Wales and it's situated on Shakespeare Avenue in North London. "For those who campaigned to establish the school in the 1950s, and for the many parents and supporters who have worked to keep Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain open during the subsequent 47 years, it is an immensely important institution that allows children in London to be educated within a totally Welsh environment", says the website. Indeed!

Amazingly though, the school is self-financing: the Assembly has so far refused to finance the school because it is in London and The Department for Education will not give the school Voluntary Aided status, because it teaches the Welsh curriculum!

Also in London is the Dreigiau Back group which is a Welsh medium playgroup for South London families. The group was established in November 2004 in response to families with young children that live too far from Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain in North London. It does, however, have close ties with the school.