Consultation Document
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Department for Education and Children Future Primary Education Provision for Children Residing in the Rhydcymerau Area CONSULTATION DOCUMENT 1 Foreword As part of its statutory obligation to keep the number and type of school places under review, the County Council has adopted a wide-ranging programme designed to improve school buildings and enhance opportunities for learning. The strategy reflects the vision and policies established by the County Council which embraces the requirement to deliver services, to clear standards – covering both cost and quality – by the most economic and effective means. In our drive to continually improve on the services made available to all learners, we must maximise the finite resources available to the Council, and continue to work in partnership with all those who have a contribution to make to the process of learning and the well being of both children and their families. Schools of the future will need to serve as a focus for a wide range of services dedicated to serving the needs of the community through a joined up approach. Carmarthenshire is blessed with many very able teachers but the continuing changes to the curriculum places a heavy demand on their skills to meet the wide ranging demands of all children. Although the processes of learning, and skills of teaching, are extremely important, deep subject knowledge on the part of the teacher is essential if learners with their various gifts in different areas are to discover and develop their talents to the full. Schools designed to meet current demands are expected to provide a broad and balanced curriculum through high quality and inspirational teaching. In the planning of new provision it will be important to ensure that our schools are properly equipped to enhance opportunities for social inclusion, sustainable development, equal opportunities and bilingualism. In practical terms we need to ensure that provision reflects the changing patterns of population, with schools based in the right location with accommodation and facilities fit to serve the needs of all learners in the twenty first century. Consultation will follow the guidelines established by the Welsh Government and will involve identified interested parties. The information set out in this document is intended to clarify the proposals for your school and support the consultation process. Robert A Sully Director – Department for Education & Children 2 Contents Page No. Subject 1. Introduction 4 2. Summary Proposal 4 3. Detailed Proposal 5 4. Why is Change Being Considered? 7 5. Options Considered 12 6. Conclusion 14 7. Consultation Process 14 8. Appendix A – General Information 17 9. Appendix B – Response Sheet 23 3 1. Introduction The Authority has a legal responsibility to review the number and type of schools it has in the area and whether or not it is making the best use of the resources and facilities to deliver the opportunities that children deserve. As part of this process the Council has published its vision on how it sees the future for all of the primary schools in the County and this includes consulting on the future shape of education in the Rhydcymerau area. The proposals for change included in this document are in line with that long-term objective. This document seeks to stimulate the process of consultation by explaining the Authority’s preferred option for the future provision of primary education for the pupils of Rhydcymerau Primary school. The document also highlights why other options considered are not the preferred option as well as offering an opportunity for consultees to put forward any comments, observations or alternative proposals they wish to be considered. Consultation on this proposal will follow the guidelines established by the Welsh Government and will involve identified interested parties. It is intended that the formal changes be implemented as from the end of the summer term 2012 with the transitional arrangements applying as indicated below. The main purpose of this document and the consultation meetings, which will be held in Rhydcymerau Primary on the 20 th October 2011, is to provide information and to gather the views of identified interested parties. You may wish to make use of the attached sheet included in Appendix B of this document for any response. 2. Summary Proposal 2.1 Summary Proposal Whilst care should be taken to read in full the detail provided below of the Authority’s Proposal the following provides a brief summary of the main points:- (i) as of the beginning of the autumn Term 2012 the present catchment area of Rhydcymerau will be included with the existing catchment area of Llansawel Primary School. (ii) that as from autumn term 2011, transitional arrangements apply in respect of those pupils who are on the register of Rhydcymerau Primary as at January 2011, to attend Llansawel Primary School or nearby suitable school as agreed by the LA. 4 3. Detailed Proposal In spite of its best endeavours, Rhydcymerau Primary school has found itself facing no pupil numbers on roll as at September 2011 and with no apparent prospect of reversing that trend based on the current pupil projections. Officers of the Authority have met with the school during the early part of the spring term and discussed the options for addressing the situation. That process has led to the Authority adopting the following proposal as its preferred option for the future provision of primary education in the area:- 3.1 Catchment Area 3.1.1 Primary That as from 1 September 2012, the catchment area of Rhydcymerau be re-designated and included within the existing catchment area of Llansawel Primary School. 3.1.2 Secondary It is not proposed to change the arrangements in respect of Secondary education. 3.2 Transitional Arrangements To assist the process of change the Authority following discussion with the Governing Body has made the following arrangements:- (i) Pupils who were registered at Rhydcymerau Primary School as at January 2011 and who also reside within the catchment area of the current Rhydcymerau Primary to be provided with the option of attending Llansawel Primary School or nearest suitable school as agreed by the LA; subject to parental preference. (ii) that the Authority meets the cost of conveying those pupils specified above for the period of time they remain and continue to reside within the catchment area. (iii) that it is not proposed to change the arrangements in respect of Secondary education. 5 3.3 Transport Except for the special provision made for those pupils specified in 3.2 above assistance with home to school transport will be provided in accordance with the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy as will exist at the time. The current policy states that pupils will qualify for assistance if they are of statutory school age and reside over two miles from the school. The policy also allows for applicants who do not qualify for assistance with the provision of transport under the Council’s policy to have the individual circumstances of their case considered. This would include an appeal on the grounds of safety. 3.4 Transport Impact Assessment As there are no pupils attending or forecast to attend the school, there will be a nil effect on travel times and distances. 3.5 Community Impact Assessment The primary school is located on a sloping site on the edge of the rural village of Rhydcymerau some 5 miles from the town of Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire. The school serves the village and immediate rural area which are neither prosperous or economically disadvantaged. Rhydcymerau and the surrounding village sit within the Wards of Llanybydder (2543) and Cynwyl Gaeo (1554) with a combined population of 4097. Cynwyl Gaeo ward is ranked 61 out of 112 within Carmarthenshire for deprivation with Llanybydder ranking 81 out of 112 (1 being most deprived) an average total of 59% of the combined Ward’s population can speak, read and write through the Medium of Welsh. As no pupils currently attend the school and the community do not utilise the school’s facilities it can be proven that the community will not be disadvantaged by this proposal. Rhydcymerau school does not offer after school clubs but it does provide a breakfast club. The village school has contributed greatly over the years to support and nurture the pupils and sense of community for the area. 3.6 Welsh Language Impact Assessment The Authority is satisfied that the education provision is comparable at the designated school, there is no change in secondary provision and all pupils from the community registered at the school have already moved to other schools. 6 3.7 Redundant Buildings Should a proposal be adopted which would lead to the school building no longer being used then the County Council Policy, approved on the 12 April 2006, in relation to buildings not being required for educational purposes, will apply. In essence this allows the community to make a case to the council for the retention of the building as a community resource. 3.8 Financial Funding for pupils attending another Carmarthenshire school as a result of this proposal will be provided in accordance with the Council’s Fair Funding Scheme. Any savings arising from the re-organisation proposal or disposal of assets will be re-invested in the Modernising Educational Programme (MEP). 3.9 Timing of Implementation Any change will be implemented as from 1 September 2012. Accordingly the Authority’s proposal is therefore that any changes to the current arrangements be implemented as from the end of the summer term 2012. 3.10 Process Details of the process which would apply to any proposed re-organisation, are given in Section 7 below. 4. Why is Change Being Considered? In considering future provision in the area there are a number of factors in relation to the current situation, which need to be considered.