The Welsh Government has invested £8.8 million in late immersion centres.

These centres provide an intensive Welsh language learning programme for young learners who missed early Welsh language opportunities.

The programme allows learners with little or no Welsh to engage for up to 12 weeks while maintaining contact with their home school and curriculum.

The initiative has seen a rise in year one learners studying through the medium of Welsh.

The centres are considered crucial in creating new Welsh speakers.

Currently, 26 centres support primary school learners, and 16 support secondary school learners.

The funding has helped recruit late immersion teachers and enabled the creative use of technology to enhance learning experiences.

Cabinet secretary for education, Lynne Neagle, said: "Welsh belongs to us all and late immersion centres are helping to ensure our beautiful language continues to thrive.

"To date, over 4,000 learners have had the opportunity to benefit from late immersion programmes to develop their Welsh language skills since the grant became available in 2021."

The centres' success has attracted international attention, with academics from Quebec keen to learn from Wales' best practices.

Ms Neagle added: "I am incredibly proud of learners and schools across Wales, who are championing immersive learning and developing language skills, that will benefit young people for a lifetime."

The centres' role in developing effective Welsh language skills among learners who transfer from the English-medium sector was also acknowledged in a recent Estyn report.

In 2024, Cardiff welcomed its largest ever cohort of learners to its immersion centre in Ysgol Gynradd Groes Wen.