Agenda item

The Committee considered a report detailing a proposal to review primary education provision in the Mynyddygarreg and Gwenllian areas.

The Authority has a legal responsibility to review the number and type of schools it has in an area and whether it is making the best use of resources and facilities to deliver the opportunities that children deserve.

Ysgol Gynradd Mynyddygarreg is a Welsh medium community primary school located in the village of Mynyddygarreg with capacity for 55 pupils between 4-11 years. In recent years pupil numbers have remained consistent but are still well below capacity. January 2020 figures showed that there were 36 pupils at the school with 19 surplus places, or 35%. Welsh Government advises Local Authorities to review their provision where there are more than 10% surplus places in an area. Based on current projections, it was estimated that pupil figures will remain well below capacity for the foreseeable future. Additionally, the condition of the school building was poor and the school has been in deficit since 2016/17 and remains with a deficit of £48,265 going into the 2020/21 financial year. Their original funding allocation for 2020/21 was £172k.

From an educational perspective having such a small number of pupils and mixed age classes makes it extremely difficult for the school to deliver the breadth and depth of curricular and social experiences which pupils of this age require to fully develop.  The culmination of these unavoidable facts presented a school model which does not represent a sound, stable educational model for best use of resources. With no prospect of there being a significant increase in pupil numbers for the foreseeable future, consideration was required regarding the sustainability of the school.

Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian is a Welsh medium 3-11 community primary school situated in Kidwelly. In recent years, pupil numbers have remained consistent and slightly below the school’s capacity of 140. However, based on current pupil projections, pupil numbers were expected to increase and the school was expected to be close to capacity by 2025 and this trend was likely to continue for the foreseeable future. As a result, the Local Authority is developing a scheme to provide a new school with facilities fit for the 21st Century on a new site.

The project would re-locate Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian from its current site to a new site which was within the current catchment area of Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian. The new school will provide a Welsh Government standard primary school building with capacity to accommodate 240 pupils (210 + 30 nursery places) between the ages of 3-11 years old and ensure that the school is able to deliver the full curriculum in a modern, safe and inspiring learning environment with enhanced outside areas. This proposed investment will address the poor building condition and lack of adequate space and provision in the existing school by providing a category A school with sufficient places for current and projected demand. As a result of the ongoing challenges that both schools face, it was not possible to sustain current arrangements.

It was therefore proposed:-

-       To discontinue Ysgol Gynradd Mynyddygarreg as from 31^st August, 2021;

-       From 1st September, 2021 all pupils will be registered at Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian, operating on both sites (Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian and the former Ysgol Gynradd Mynyddygarreg) increasing its capacity to 178 + 17 nursery places;

-       Re-designate Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian’s catchment area to include that of the former Ysgol GynraddMynyddygarreg’s catchment area as of 1st September, 2021;

-       Relocate Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian to a new site and increase its capacity to 210 + 30 nursery places as of September 2023, when occupation of the new school was proposed.

The following question was asked in relation to the report:-

·         Asked whether any debt owed by a school will be deleted as soon as the new school is built, the Executive Board Member for Education & Children explained that on 31^st August, 2021 any deficit held by either of the two schools will transfer to the Authority.

RESOLVED

15.1    that the proposal to review primary education provision in the Mynyddygarreg and Gwenllian areas, as detailed in the report, be           endorsed;

15.2    that it be recommended to the Executive Board that a formal     consultation process be initiated.