“We have already had one parent that we know of refused a place in Bryn due to 54 requests for only 30 places. Hendy is full also, where are you going to provide provision for parents who want or NEED to educate their children in English medium?”
Minutes:
“We have already had one parent that we know of refused a place in Bryn due to 54 requests for only 30 places. Hendy is full also, where are you going to provide provision for parents who want or NEED to educate their children in English medium?”
Response by Councillor G.O. Jones, Executive Board Member for Education & Children:-
“In the school admissions round for September 2016 a total of 54 applications were received for Bryn school compared with the Admissions Number of 30.
Of the 54 applications only 8 were from children residing in the Bryn school catchment area. 7 were on behalf of children residing in the Llangennech schools catchment area.
Places were offered to 30 children, up to the published Admissions Number, in accordance with the criteria published in the document “Admission to School – Information for Parents 2016/2017”.
The admissions process continues and it will be a number of weeks yet before the final position is known.
If this pattern continues into future years it is likely that places at Bryn school could be available for children residing in the Llangennech catchment area, but places cannot be guaranteed, as is the position at all other schools across the county.
However, it is the Local Authority’s intention that all current pupils remain at Llangennech school and that in the future local pupils attend the village school, receiving their education principally through the medium of Welsh. It is important to note that the proposal will not affect current pupils at the school and pupils receiving their education through the medium of English will continue to do so until they leave for secondary school. The school will continue to provide sufficient support for current pupils through the medium in which they currently receive their education.
Should the proposal be implemented sufficient support will be provided to all new pupils studying through the medium of Welsh. It is important to note that all teachers are expected to differentiate all pieces of work based on the needs of the pupil. The schools currently offer a range of support to pupils and parents from non-Welsh speaking families and are committed to increasing provision as necessary to meet the future needs of families. “Athrawon Gymraeg a Ddwyieithrwydd”, specialist Welsh language development teachers, who provide support to schools around the county, and currently attend the schools twice a week, will continue to support the school to offer addition assistance to children as required.
All pupils with additional learning needs receive specific support identified in individual plans based on their personal circumstances. All necessary support will continue to be provided for each individual currently attending the Llangennech schools through the medium in which they currently receive their education. Should the proposal be implemented, all future pupils will receive this support mainly through the medium of Welsh. In the majority of cases an additional learning need is not a barrier to learning two languages. It is our experience that the vast majority of pupils with a wide range of additional learning needs and abilities are successful in all of our schools irrespective of the language of instruction. It is acknowledged, however, that in a small number of cases the specific needs of individual children require provision that it is difficult to meet in an inclusive mainstream setting. For these few children specific provision is made in a school that is able to meet the child’s needs. Whilst the preference of the local authority is that children attend their local school for a small number of children with particular needs this is not always possible. Where a child has specific needs identified by professional practitioners and a particular school is identified that can meet the needs of the child that is not the local school the Council’s transport policies provide that the child may be eligible for transport to and from school.”