Agenda item

The Committee considered a proposal to discontinue Llanmiloe Primary, Tremoilet Voluntary Controlled and Laugharne Voluntary Controlled Primary (VCP) Schools and create a new area school. If approved by the Executive Board, formal consultation on the proposal would be initiated during the Summer Term 2016. The Committee was informed that should a decision to consult be approved by the Executive Board, this would be followed by the submission of a report to both the Education & Children Scrutiny Committee and the Executive Board at the end of the statutory consultation period.

Members were informed that the Authority had a legal responsibility to review the number and type of schools it had in an area and whether or not it was making the best use of resources and facilities to deliver the opportunities that children deserved. In recent years, rural schools such as Tremoilet, Llanmiloe and Laugharne primary schools had witnessed a decrease in pupil numbers and based on current data available, no significant change in this trend was anticipated. Declining pupil numbers across the schools would cause further educational and financial challenges, in particular, maintaining appropriate pupil teacher staffing ratios to provide an effective curriculum for all learners. A range of ‘soft federation’ arrangements had existed between the three schools over a period of time and had enabled and highlighted the benefits of greater levels of collaboration between schools. However, they had also highlighted the challenges and fragility of such models and these findings had reinforced the need for a more formalised approach and sustainable resolution to serve the longer term educational needs of this area. Head teacher recruitment was also a challenge for small schools as Llanmiloe and Tremoilet.

Members noted that it was the Education & Children Department’s view that the current arrangements did not represent a sound, stable educational model or the best use of resources. In addition, the Department considered that with no prospect of there being a significant increase in pupil numbers in the area for the foreseeable future, coupled with on-going challenges two of the schools faced to secure permanent senior leadership, it was not viable to sustain current arrangements.

The Committee also noted that following a review of Carmarthenshire’s Early Years Provision, it had been identified that the Tremoilet / Llanmiloe and Laugharne geographical area was currently unable to offer the Foundation Phase Early Years Learning Entitlement. However, if the proposal was approved, this provision would be available to children in this area.

The following issues were discussed during consideration of the report:

The Committee’s Church in Wales’ representative stated that the local diocese was concerned about the serious challenges faced by the schools in question and was of the view that stability in the area was needed and that the proposal was to be welcomed. 

It was suggested that it was essential that children were provided with the best start to their education and the proposal to offer the Foundation Phase Early Years Learning entitlement should also be welcomed.

Clarification was sought as to who was paying for the 21 pupils currently residing in the catchment area but travelling to Ysgol Griffith Jones (St. Clears) in order to receive a Welsh-medium education. The School Modernisation Manager informed the Committee that the Local Authority was funding the transport of these pupils to St. Clears as they had won an appeal to be transported to a Welsh-medium school, as this provision was not available to them in their current catchment area. He reminded the Committee that language category of the new area VC school would be Dual-Stream.

The Committee UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

8.1       The report be received.

8.2       It be recommended to the Executive Board that officers initiate a formal consultation process on the proposal during the Summer Term 2016.

8.3       A report be submitted to the Education & Children Scrutiny Committee and the Executive Board at the end of the statutory consultation period.