Agenda item

The Board considered a report and received a presentation on a proposal to discontinue Llangennech Infant School and Llangennech Junior School and establish Llangennech Community Primary School.

Following the retirement of the headteacher of Llangennech Infant School at the end of the summer term 2013 a soft federation was established with the headteacher of Llangennech Junior School.  On 24^th September, 2014 the Governing Bodies of both school resolved to purse a formal federation as from April, 2015.

The Local Authority currently offered full time learning provision for 4-11 year old through the medium of Welsh and English at the federated Llangennech Infants and Junior Schools.  As part of the new 3-11 primary school which would include nursery provision, it was proposed to change the current linguistic categories of Llanngennech Infant School (Dual Stream (DS)) and Llangennech Junior School (Dual Stream (DS)) to a new Welsh Medium (WM) language category school which would increase the provision of Welsh medium education in Carmarthenshire and would ensure that bilingualism was increased in the Llangennech area.  It would ensure linguistic continuity from the nursery sector along the key stages to the secondary sector so that every pupil would become fluent and confident in Welsh and English, as detailed in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2014-17.

As a result of a small extension to the consultation period, the pre-election period and the high number of responses received during the consultation period, the dates for the proposal had changed.  This was in order to ensure that sufficient time was allowed for people to express their views and that the school holiday period did not impede on the process.  It was therefore proposed:-

(i)    to discontinue Llangennech Infant School on 31^st August, 2017;

(ii)   to discontinue Llangennech Junior School on 31^st August, 2017;

(iii)  as from 1^st September, 2017, to establish a new 3-11 Welsh Medium (WM) language category Community Primary School with nursery provision (hereinafter called Llangennech Community Primary School) on the existing sites and buildings of the current Llangennech Infants and Junior Schools.  The current capacity of both schools would remain unchanged but would be reviewed and adjusted accordingly should the demand arise in the future.

In accordance with the Executive Board’s instructions at the meeting held on 4^th January, 2016 (minute no. 15 refers) a formal consultation exercise was undertaken from 25^th January to 18^th March, 2016, the results of which were appended to the report.

If the decision was made to proceed with a Statutory Notice, it would be published the week beginning 5^th September, 2016.  If approved, following the end of Statutory Notice period, an objection report summarising any objections received by stakeholders would be presented to the Education & Children Scrutiny Committee, Executive Board and ultimately to Council for determination.

In accordance with CPR 11.1 Councillor D.M. Cundy asked, should the dual stream system be abandoned in Llangennech, the local English medium schools in Bynea, Bryn and Hendy will be under severe pressure for places from September this year with the newly completed developments and proposed new builds in the area, combined with the added influx of children from Llangennech requiring English medium education, what is the plan and the budget allocated for the inevitable upgrades needed to these schools in the next few years?

The Executive Board Member explained that the Authority’s school organisational proposals take into account future housing developments in view of the demand that they can produce for school places. The objective of the proposals for Llangennech School is that local children attend that school in the future. The Council does not intend that any local child should seek a school place outside Llangennech. The Council will continue to monitor the demand for places at Hendy School with particular regard to new housing developments being built in the locality.  The MEP includes provision for investment at Hendy to expand and modernise the school and it should be possible to align this investment with the need to increase capacity, should that need arise.  The residential development in Pontardulais is a matter for the City and County of Swansea.           

In accordance with CPR 11.1 Councillor J.S. Edmunds asked the Executive Board Member for Education & Children whether the Executive Board would consider allowing the status quo to remain at Llangennech and avoid the detrimental effect that the proposals are having on the community of Llangennech and adopt greater strategic thinking for the remaining 9 months of the administration to avoid the current position being mirrored in other areas of Carmarthenshire. 

The Executive Board Member for Education & Children reminded Councillor Edmunds that the process is very democratic and several consultation periods are undertaken before a final decision is made by Full Council.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

7.1     that the observations received following the initial consultation         period and the Authority’s responses thereto be noted;      

7.2     that the publication of a statutory notice to implement the        proposal be approved.