A Conwy secondary school has become the first in north Wales to earn the silver Siarter Iaith Cymraeg Campus Award.
Ysgol Aberconwy earned the accolade as recognition for encouraging and promoting the use of the Welsh language among its pupils and in their day-to-day lives.
The Welsh Government introduced the Siarter Iaith Cymraeg Campus Award at the Urdd Eisteddfod earlier this year.
The award has been available for primary schools since 2014, but only from September will it also become attainable for secondary schools at the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels.
Ysgol Aberconwy marked this achievement with a Welsh Language open day on June 25.
The school displayed the initiatives and efforts made to improve and promote the Welsh language and ethos in the school over recent years.
Meinir Thomson and Heledd Morgan from the Welsh Government presented the Silver Award during this event.
On the same day, Year 12 student, Angharad Brookes, was presented with her prize for winning the nationwide Siarter Iaith Uwchradd logo design competition, earning another achievement for the school.
Cllr Julie Fallon, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for education, congratulated the school.
She said: "I’m delighted that Ysgol Aberconwy has achieved this award.
"It’s a reflection of the hard work of everyone at the school to help young people benefit by increasing their use of Welsh."
In her capacity as the deputy head of Welsh at Ysgol Aberconwy and Siarter Iaith Cymraeg Campus Uwchradd co-ordinator, Luned Davies Parry celebrated the school's work.
She said: "It’s been a privilege to be piloting the new Siarter Iaith Cymraeg Campus Uwchradd Award for Conwy schools.
"We opened our doors to our neighbouring secondary schools, secondary schools from further afield, our cluster primary schools and to outside agencies like the Urdd, Menter Iaith, Mudiad Meithrin to name but a few. We have showcased all we have done to raise the profile of Cymraeg at Ysgol Aberconwy and gave a tour of the school!”
The school has a number of initiatives to promote Welsh, including the 'Gwobrau Iaith Adrannol/Departmental Language Awards', an annual School Eisteddfod in March, and 'Y Caban', a designated space for students to take part in Welsh activities beyond the classroom.
Looking to the future, the headteacher, Ian Gerrard said: "We’re really proud of this award, which builds on the Bronze award we gained in September 2023.
"We’re now putting plans in place to work towards the Gold Award!"
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