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Home , Dinas Mawddwy, Pennal

Questions & Answers School Organisation – Council

General Newsletter July 2012

1. When will the Area School in Bro Dysynni open? What happens next in the development of a new area school? 1. New Education Cabinet Member

The aim is to get the new school ready by 1 September 2013. The next step is to tender for contractors to build the school. The Following the Council Elections on 3 May 2012, Cllr. Sian Gwenllian was elected as the new Cabinet Member for main contractor will be appointed and discussions will be held to encourage the contractor to employ a local workforce. Education and as the Council’s Deputy Leader. The Councillor revealed her vision for the future of the County’s Education and Schools as follows: 2. How will the Council ensure that the local has the opportunity to contribute to the design of the new area school in Bro Dysynni? The Authority’s main objective is to provide all children and young people with the opportunity to Local sessions have already been held with an architect in developing the initial design of the new area school. , Llwyng- develop fully. To do this there must be an education system within the County that is sustainable for wril and schools were visited by the architect, and received useful feedback when putting forward the initial design of the future - both in rural areas and in our towns. the area school. In addition, public exhibitions were held where there was an opportunity for everyone to see the initial designs and give their opinions. Following the receipt of planning permission by the National Park Authority, Council officers will obtain views of local representatives and pupils to ensure input from local stakeholders into the design of the new area school. The Welsh Government Education Minister, Leighton Andrews, has recently stated that every Authority across must tackle the number of surplus places in their schools, as this is costly to 3. Has an official name been given yet to the new area school in Bro Dysynni? the Authorities and the Welsh Government will not be willing to fund this in the future. No decision has yet been made in terms of officially naming the school. This will be done with the help of local representatives and ideas from pupils and members of the community. The Council faces a difficult financial future and must act in the most effective way to protect our children's education. Unfortunately, therefore, there are difficult decisions ahead of us. I realise that change is difficult, but my hope is that the 4. What is the procedure for appointing school governors and staff to the new area school in Bro Dysynni? changes which will be considered, discussed and implemented by in the field of Education over the next 5 There are definite rules regarding the establishment of a new Governing Body. A shadow Governing Body will be appointed at years will work for the benefit of our pupils, as they are our priority and our future. first, and it will be responsible for establishing the permanent governing body and for the appointment of staff. It is intended to move forward with this process during the Autumn term. The main considerations driving the School Organisation agenda are: 5. How can I get a place for my child in the new area school in Bro Dysynni? 1. Improving the quality of education across the County and ensuring consistency in standards If you live within the catchment areas of existing schools that are going to close (Bryncrug (and previously ), 2. Improving the quality of the County’s school buildings in order to create an appropriate learning environment Llanegryn and schools) you will fall within the new catchment area of the area school automatically. The Authority's Admissions Policy will be implemented as usual. 3. Making better use of resources, including reducing surplus places 4. Ensuring that there is a sustainable educational system across the County 5. Developing innovative schemes 6. How many children will the new area school in Bro Dysynni be able to admit? 6. Promoting and supporting physical health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people The school’s capacity, upon completion, is intended to be for 98 full time pupils, plus nursery provision. 7. Strengthening the

7. When will work be carried out on the remainder of the schools in the catchment area? Work on Penybryn school will start during 2012 and be completed by September 2013. Upgrading work will be carried out to Dyffryn Dulas and schools during 2012/13. 2. Surplus places

A letter published by Leighton Andrews, the Minister for Education and Skills, Welsh Government in May 2012 8. When will school close and what will happen to the pupils? states: Aberdyfi school will close on 31 August 2013. Children who currently live in the catchment area of Aberdyfi school will automatically fall within the catchment area of Penybryn school. The Authority's Admissions Policy will be implemented as usual. "Local government and the Welsh Government is a partnership, and open accountability must be one of its main essentials.

You know that education, and improving school standards in particular, is a priority for this Government. 9. What’s the latest regarding the development of the federal arrangement between Dyffryn Dulas and Pennal? Currently the number of surplus places that exist throughout Wales is higher than what is needed and the result is that The Council approved the federalisation of Dyffryn Dulas and Pennal schools. A working group was established from among Dyffryn Dulas and Pennal school governors to explore different areas and to outline how the federation would operate and there is even greater pressure on resources that could be better used to improve the quality of education for all learners. develop. The school aims to federalise officially by September 2012. Each space is a tax on each learner already in the system.

There are more than 20% surplus places in primary schools in 10 local authorities at present and there are corresponding 10. What happens next with 21st Century Schools Programme? levels of surplus places in secondary schools in 6 local authorities. This is a great waste of resources and suggests that little Some plans are more ready than others and initial work will take place immediately with those plans. We will contact the relevant attention is given to the Welsh Government’s guidance that local authorities should aim to keep no more than a maximum schools nearer the time. The Council will have to submit business cases to the Government to complete the process of attracting money to Gwynedd. of 10% surplus places.

11. How does the Council intend to respond to the request by Leighton Andrews to reduce surplus places? I therefore request those local authorities with more than 20% surplus places indicate their plans to reduce the number of Members of the new Cabinet will consider the contents of the letter and will prepare a response to the letter. Of course it must surplus places to less than 15% by January 2015 . " be remembered that surplus places is only one factor among many that will be considered in Gwynedd. Given this, we will have to consider how best to respond to the challenge when looking at the priorities for the work programme for the coming years. Currently Gwynedd Council has the highest number of surplus places in Wales, 28% between the Primary and Secondary sector, and therefore the need to reduce our surplus places to below 15% by

More information is available on the Council website www.gwynedd.gov.uk 2015 is challenging, to say the least. There are School Organisation plans already underway in three catchment areas within the County, and a number of Twenty-first Century Schools Programme Or by contacting the Education Office on 01286 679 247 schemes have been identified, so the work facing the Authority in order to meet the requirements of E-mail: [email protected] the Welsh Government is substantial. 3. New Area School in Bro Dysynni 5. 21 st Century Schools Programme

Following the approval of the recommendation to establish a new area school in Bro Dysynni, by Leighton You will be aware that the Council has submitted an application to the Welsh Government for capital funding Andrews, Minister for Education and Skills, Welsh Government, the plans were sent to the Snowdonia National towards the Twenty-first Century Schools Programme and the Council has succeeded in the first phase to Park Authority for a planning decision. attract capital resources for the following schemes:

After careful consideration, Snowdonia National Park Authority decided to approve the plans and the work will PROGRAMME COSTS PROGRAMME proceed to draw up user groups to refine the plans and receive input from different stakeholders. The next (Estimated) steps will be: Y Berwyn £10.27m • Establish a ‘shadow’ governing body in the interim period as soon as possible. This process is already Y Gader £3.60m underway and there will be further contact with relevant representatives from the area in the Autumn. Special Education Plan and Residential Plan (Hafod Lon - new) £12.40m • The ‘shadow’ governing body will be responsible for appointing the new area school Headteacher. £4.84m • Following this, the governors and the Headteacher will move forward to appoint school staff. Glan Cegin £5.11m £36.22m There is a challenging and exciting time ahead to ensure that the investment of £5.4 million in the area school’s i.e. £18million by the Government TOTAL building is spent carefully in order to ensure maximum benefit. In addition to this, a further sum of money is and £18million by Gwynedd being invested in Penybryn, Dyffryn Dulas and Pennal schools in order to upgrade them to an appropriate Council standard. It's a pleasure to be able to announce that all schools in the Tywyn catchment area will benefit significantly from the investment which has been earmarked for them. Of course, these plans will be jointly funded between the Council and the Government. Further information has Artist’s Impression of the new Area School come from the Government stating that they are ready to proceed with the next steps in the process to make the investment in the provision of education in Gwynedd and throughout Wales.

Of course, these investments will bring benefit to the local economy. Gwynedd Council will do its best to ensure that these benefits are retained as locally as possible as these large construction projects are realized.

Therefore, over the next few months, background work is being done to ensure that the Council meets the process of attracting this capital funding. It must be remembered that this programme will continue for a period of years, and there will be a need to consider the County’s priorities when deciding what plans are ready to move sooner rather than later within that period.

6. Next steps - defining our priorities

The current strategy has achieved much, but we need to clearly define our priorities in order to tackle a number of critical issues that need attention in the County: Conceptual design Conceptual design Conceptual design 1. 28% surplus places is high - the highest number throughout Wales 4. Decisions to come 2. Maintenance costs for the Authority’s surplus places - approximately £2.5 million a year

The consultation process has ended in the eastern side of the Gader catchment area () and Ysgol y 3. Pupil numbers are falling - have fallen 25% since 1975 Parc in Bala. Statutory Notices have been issued for the two areas. The recommendations were sent to 4. Significant number of primary schools in the County receive additional support to fund them Leighton Andrews, Minister for Education and Skills, Welsh Government for a final decision. (due to low pupil numbers) 1. The recommendation in the eastern side of the Gader catchment area is to close Brithdir, Ieuan Gwynedd, Machreth 5. The number of pupils in some of the County’s secondary schools are low and continue to fall and Dinas schools and to create a multi-site area school on the existing sites of Brithdir and 6. Inefficient use of the Authority’s resources schools, making significant improvements to the Brithdir site in order to prepare for additional pupils and to make some improvements to the Dinas Mawddwy site. 7. Improving the quality of school buildings 8. Implementation of the 21st Century Schools Programme

2. The recommendation in the Parc area, y Bala is to close Ysgol y Parc and provide places for the Parc pupils in Ysgol OM Edwards, , making the necessary improvements to Ysgol OM Edwards in preparation for additional 9. Continue to improve educational standards pupils. Under the leadership of the new Cabinet Member for Education, there will be a need to review our priorities A final decision is expected on these proposals by the Minister for Education and Skills in the Autumn term when setting a new direction for the further transformation of education provision across the County. 2012.