ISLE OF ANGLESEY COUNTY COUNCIL Report to: The Executive Date: 17 December 2020 Subject: Report on the findings of the Statutory Consultation in the Llangefni Area - Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir Portfolio Holder(s): Councillor R. Meirion Jones Head of Service / Rhys H Hughes Director: Director of Education, Skills and Young People Report Author: Carol Sorahan E-mail: [email protected] Local Members: Councillor Bob Parry Councillor Dylan Rees Councillor Nicola Roberts A –Recommendation/s and reason/s It is recommended that the Executive agree to : Build a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir and leave Ysgol Bodffordd as it is”. (See section 7.4 of Appendix 1 – Llangefni Area Consultation Report -Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir) Authorise officers to implement the decision as soon as possible and to note that its implementation is outside the expectations of the School Organisation Code (011/2018) Authorise officers to re-publish the Impact Assessment on the proposal as part of assessing the proposal's ongoing impact on equality, the Welsh language and the community. Background Between 6 February 2020 and 20 March 2020, a statutory consultation on the future of the two schools in question was held. Officials were authorised to carry out the consultation after the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and Executive considered the 'proposal paper' in January 2020. The consultation closed on the last day of school before the first lockdown period, as a result of the global pandemic that transformed education provision for a time. It is important to note that the Council has received a letter from the Welsh Government (School Organisation and Admissions Branch) stating that Welsh Government Ministers are giving the Council an extension until 19 March 2021 to publish any proposal. The Council has operated in accordance with the School Organisation Code 2018 throughout the pandemic period. As part of that consultation, the Council's original proposal to “Re-locate and extend Ysgol Corn Hir to a different site to accommodate pupils from Ysgol Bodffordd, close Ysgol Bodffordd and review the catchment areas of Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir” along with a number of other proposals were considered in detail. Some examples of other proposals were : Federating Ysgol Bodffordd with Ysgol Corn Hir; Providing Nursery and Year 0-1 classes at Ysgol Bodffordd and Years 2-6 at Ysgol Corn Hir for both schools; Building an additional floor at Ysgol Bodffordd. 1 There were 823 online responses and paper responses to the consultation. Responses were also received from the Governors, Head teachers, Staff and children of both schools along with other responses from organisations and individuals. (Detailed analysis of the responses can be seen in section 5 of Appendix 1 - Llangefni Area Consultation Report -Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir). The significant feedback from the majority of stakeholders associated with the two schools notes that they: Agree with the (original) proposal that the Ysgol Corn Hir building is too small, and that a new school needs to be built; Agree that a new school is needed for Corn Hir, but they question why should this be done at the expense of closing Ysgol Bodffordd? As part of the process, other educational models were also received by stakeholders, and they were assessed by officers against the criteria and drivers of the current school modernisation strategy in preparing the consultation report. (See section 6.4 of Appendix 1 - Llangefni Area Consultation Report - Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir). Examples of the type of other educational models presented were: To build a new school for Ysgol Bodffordd in Bodffordd. This would ensure the continued growth of the school and the community as the population grows; A new school for Ysgol Corn Hir - modernisation / extension of Ysgol Bodffordd with one additional classroom (for 30 additional pupils) or two additional classrooms (for 60 additional pupils); To build a new Ysgol Bodffordd in Bodffordd with Ysgol Corn Hir merging with it on that site at Bodffordd; To build a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir and leave Ysgol Bodffordd as it is. Why has the proposal changed? All responses were considered and a comprehensive analysis of their weaknesses and strengths was made against the drivers of the school modernisation strategy which include: improving educational standards; ensuring that school buildings are fit for purpose; ensuring sufficient capacity in the Llangefni area for the future: maintaining and improving Welsh-medium provision and; increasing the community use of school buildings. The other reasonable alternative, proposed by stakeholders to “Build a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir and leave Ysgol Bodffordd as it is” is believed to be the most appropriate way forward. The Council believes that this other reasonable alternative to build a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir and leave Ysgol Bodffordd as it is, meets most of the key challenges faced by Ysgol Bodffordd, as discussed below and in section 6.5 of Appendix 1 - Llangefni Area Consultation Report - Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir. This would therefore equate to a partial implementation of the original proposal, i.e. provide a new building for Ysgol Corn Hir, but it does not mean closing Ysgol Bodffordd and moving the pupils of Ysgol Bodffordd to the new school building. Reasons Standards at Ysgol Bodffordd - Ysgol Bodffordd’s category has improved from Amber in 2015 to Yellow (B) in 2019. 2 Curriculum Delivery - Ysgol Bodffordd is in a strong position to collaborate with other schools in the local area to deliver the curriculum. The Welsh Language - With 60 pupils at Ysgol Bodffordd (85%) and 138 pupils at Ysgol Corn Hir (61%) speaking Welsh at home, (PLASC 2019) Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir have the potential to sustain further develop the existing Welsh-medium provision. Capacity – the other reasonable alternative meets the capacity needs under consideration as part of the original proposal and therefore meets the expected future increase in pupil numbers. Travel arrangements – This other reasonable alternative is unlikely to change pupils’ current travel arrangements. Pupils from Bodffordd, who at present walk or cycle to school, are likely to be able to continue to do so, without probable changes to the carbon footprint. Bodffordd Community Centre – There will be no change. As a result, the community centre at Ysgol Bodffordd can continue to be used as at present. School Organisation Code (2018) - Ysgol Bodffordd is identified in the Code as a Rural School, and as a result the Council has followed a more detailed set of procedures and requirements in formulating this other reasonable alternative. B – What other options did you consider and why did you reject them and/or opt for this option? See section 6.2 Appendix 1 – Llangefni Area Consultation Report -Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir which states what reasonable alternatives were considered by the Council as part of the consultation. Also section 6.4 Appendix 1 – Llangefni Area Consultation Report -Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir the Council’s consideration of other reasonable alternatives presented by stakeholders during the consultation. C – Why is this a decision for the Executive? The Executive is responsible for school organisation matters. CH – Is this decision consistent with policy approved by the full Council? Yes. It is in keeping and consistent with the Anglesey School Modernisation strategy 2018 (adopted by the Executive in October 2018) and Annual Delivery Document 2019/20 (adopted by Full Council). D – Is this decision within the budget approved by the Council? Yes – as part of the School Modernisation Programme Band ‘A’. New school building for Ysgol Corn Hir The cost of building a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir is estimated at around £9-10m. If the proposal is approved, it will be funded 50/50 by the Council and the Welsh Government through the 21st Century Schools 'Band A' programme. If the current Ysgol Corn Hir building is sold, it is assumed that this could contribute approximately £160,000 towards the Council's contribution to costs. The Council's contribution to the project is funded through unsupported borrowing. The annual repayments are estimated to cost around £208,000. 3 Building a new school for Ysgol Corn Hir will mean that the Council will need to add £36,000 to the schools budget, as the running costs of the new building will be around £36,000 higher. This is due to increased rates and cleaning costs for the new building. If the Council did nothing, it is assumed that Ysgol Corn Hir and Ysgol Bodffordd would be over capacity, and therefore the Council would have to pay to transport pupils to schools with surplus places. This proposal creates additional capacity in the area, so pupils will not have to be transported out of the catchment area, and as a result the Council would avoid around £90,000 of transport costs, that it would have had to incur in the future if it did nothing. Therefore, the annual net cost to the Council would be approximately £154,000 (£208,000 + £36,000 - £90,000) The proposal will also remove current and projected future maintenance expenditure of £234,000 at Ysgol Corn Hir, but the current and projected future maintenance costs of £134,000 at Ysgol Bodffordd will remain. If the Council funded the cost of £234,000 through an unsupported loan (over 20 years), it would cost around £18,000 a year to fund. It could be argued that this amount is therefore a saving. New school building for Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir (original proposal) The cost of building a new school for Ysgol Bodffordd and Ysgol Corn Hir is estimated to be in the region of £9-10m, funded 50/50 by the Council and the Welsh Government through the 21st Century Schools 'Band A' programme.