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A private school head has caused controversy after claiming students with the Welsh language “forced upon them” will become “educationally weaker” than their English peers.

Toby Belfield - principal of Ruthin School, said the Welsh education system is not “fit for purpose” sparking a fierce backlash on social media.

In a letter written in response to a parent’s suggestion that all schools in Wales should be Welsh medium, Mr Belfield writes: “Part of the problem with forcing young people to learn both English and Welsh (arguably, both to a substandard level), is that young people in Wales will continue to be educationally weaker than their peers in England and abroad.

“Pupils that have Welsh as their first language are less likely to enter top-ranking universities throughout the UK.

“This might not be a problem for some narrow-minded people that wish our Welsh children to remain forever in Wales - going to Welsh universities and gaining employment only in Wales.

“But we owe our children much more - and in a global society, our Welsh young people should have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with young people in England and throughout the world.”

Mr Belfield questions why the Welsh education system is “one of the weakest in the world” and suggests it’s down to the necessity for young people in some schools to learn Welsh.

“It’s about time Welsh parents opened their minds to opportunities for their children outside Wales - and, in order to achieve this, the educational system in Wales needs to be at least as robust as the English one, with English as the first language,” he says.

“Tradition and heritage are important - but much more important is to ensure that we do not reduce the opportunities available for Welsh children, by forcing a Welsh education system on them that is not fit for purpose.

Mr Belfield said he based his opinions on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings - a survey of the educational achievement of 15-year-olds and assesses mathematics, science and reading skills.

It found Wales's performance was “significantly below” the OECD average.

Speaking to the Daily Post, he said: “My criticism is mainly levied at the Welsh Government and the education system, I am not being critical of any of our Welsh schools or their headteachers, I am critical of anyone who says all schools should be Welsh medium.”

Mr Belfield said it was “difficult” for a head to appoint teachers for certain subjects, particularly high-level physics teachers.

“If the mandate was that they all had to be bilingual, then we would further reduce the pool of high quality teachers,” he said.

“Welsh heads in the secondary sector have their options limited in the way that English heads don’t and that’s not in the best interests of students.

“At Ruthin School, we have tripled our intake of local Welsh children whose parents don’t want them taught in a confused education system.

“Our results are among the best in the UK, let alone in Wales.

“I am not anti-Welsh in any way but choice should not be limited.”

But Ruthin county councillor, Huw Hilditch-Roberts said: “I am calling for an apology for the poor judgement and unfortunate prejudice from Mr Belfield.

“The tone and use of language has upset many Welsh parents.

“If he wishes to criticise the education system in Wales, that’s his prerogative and own personal opinion and should have do so without insulting and accusing Welsh parents of putting their children at a disadvantage for wanting to speak in our mother tongue.

“Rather than sweeping accusations, he should look at the stats.”

Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s education spokesperson, Ffred Ffransis said: “Mr Belfield’s strange ideas are almost as anachronistic as the idea that there should still be private schools in Wales in the 21st century.

“Every objective study shows that children who are fluent in Welsh perform better educationally. It seems he hasn’t read the two independent reviews of teaching Welsh in English-medium schools which point to the major advantages which come with bilingualism. He should go back to school to be re-educated. We will be asking the Education Minister to review the existence of private schools like the one he runs.”