STATUTORY CONSULTATION DOCUMENT 22 November 2017 – 10 January 2018 Contents S e c t i o n Description Page Number F o r e w o r d 3 1 Introduction 4 1.1 The proposal subject to this statutory consultation 4 1.2 The vision for the catchment area 4 2 The Consultation 5 3 Background Details 8 3.1 How was the proposal developed? 8 3.2 Withdrawing the proposal to establish a 3-19 Learning Campus, 9 Welsh Medium, Voluntary Controlled (VC, Church in Wales) 3.3 Capital Investment 10 4 Existing Arrangements in Y Berwyn 10 4.1 Ysgol Beuno Sant 10 4.2 Ysgol Bro Tegid 11 4.3 Ysgol y Berwyn 11 4.4 Ysgol Bro Tryweryn 11 4.5 Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn 11 4.6 Ysgol O.M. Edwards 12 4.7 School Categories 12 5 Evaluation of different models 14 5.1 Why change education in the Berwyn catchment area? 14 5.2 Possible Models 15 5.3 Long list of possible models 17 5.4 Options Appraisal 18 6 The Proposal 19 6.1 The opening date and arrangements for the 2018-19 academic 19 year 6.2 Quality of education 20 6.3 Summary of the effect of the current proposal on improving 24 educational standards 6.4 School Capacity 26 6.5 Pupil Population and Projections 27 6.6 Management and Leadership 28 6.7 Condition and Suitability of Buildings 29 6.8 Details of the proposal 32 6.9 Proposed Transport Arrangements 35 6.10 Surplus Places 35 6.11 Financial Resources 36 6.12 The Welsh Language 38 6.13 The Community 39 6.14 Governance and Staffing Matters 39 6.15 Impact on Equality 40 6.16 Likely Advantages for Children and Young People 40 6.17 Proposed Admission Arrangements 41 6.18 Information regarding Additional Learning Needs 41 6.19 After use of sites 42 6.20 Possible Risks 42 [1] 7 Legal Category of the proposed direction 43 7.1 Legal Category 43 7.2 Other Church in Wales schools in Gwynedd 44 7.3 The need for different types of schools 44 7.4 Pre-consultation discussions with the Church in Wales 44 7.5 Land ownership and use of capital receipts 45 7.6 The preferred Legal Category 45 8 Summary of the proposal 46 9 Explaining the Statutory Process 46 10 Proposed Outline Timetable 48 Appendix 1 – Options Appraisal Appendix 2 – Response form [2] Foreword Gwynedd Council is considering re-organising schools within Y Berwyn catchment area, the centre of which is the town of Bala in Meirionnydd. At their meeting on 24 October 2017, the Cabinet of Gwynedd Council resolved to undertake a process of statutory consultation on a proposal for the reorganisation of schools in the Berwyn catchment area, in accordance with the requirements of Section 48 of the Schools standards and Organisation Act 2013. The statutory consultation will be held between 22 November 2017 and 13:00 on 10 January 2018, and is based on a proposal to close the three existing schools in the town of Bala (Ysgol Bro Tegid, Ysgol Beuno Sant and Ysgol y Berwyn) and establish a school for pupils aged 3-19, Welsh medium, Community category in the Berwyn catchment area. It would be one school, with one governing body, one head teacher and one staffing structure located on one site, being that of the current Ysgol y Berwyn in the centre of the town of Bala. Gwynedd Council would like you to put forward your views so that these can be considered before a decision is reached. At the end of the consultation period we shall submit a report to the Cabinet of Gwynedd Council. This statutory consultation aims to serve all the communities within and surrounding the Bala area. A copy of this document, and other background papers, are available on the Council’s website www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/modernisingeducation and at your local school and library. If you require additional copies you are welcome to contact the School Organisation Office by telephone on (01286) 679247 or by e-mailing [email protected] PLEASE NOTE – any comments on the statutory consultation document should be sent to the Modernising Education Office by 13:00 on Wednesday, 10 January 2018. See the relevant contact details at the end of this statutory consultation paper. We look forward to receiving your views. Sincerely, Garem Jackson Head of Education [3] 1. Introduction Gwynedd Council is considering re-organising schools within Y Berwyn catchment area, the centre of which is the town of Bala in Meirionnydd. The catchment has six schools: Ysgol Bro Tegid, Ysgol Beuno Sant and Ysgol y Berwyn in Y Bala; Ysgol OM Edwards, Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn in the surrounding rural area. Ysgol y Berwyn is the secondary school for the catchment; all the other schools are primary schools. The Council has considered a number of possible options in considering the reorganisation of schools within the Berwyn catchment area and has previously approved, and consequently withdrawn a proposal to establish a 3-19 Learning Campus, Welsh Medium, Voluntary Controlled (VC, Church in Wales). This document sets out the consultation process, the factors which the Council considers to be relevant and the decision making process. The proposal is to establish a Learning Campus for pupils aged 3-19 on the present site of Ysgol y Berwyn, Y Bala. 1.1 The proposal subject to this statutory consultation Ysgol Bro Tegid and Ysgol Beuno Sant will close, and the educational provision provided by both schools will be provided at the 3-19 Learning Campus. Ysgol y Berwyn will also close, and the education for pupils of secondary school age will be provided at the Learning Campus. The Learning Campus will be located on the current site of Ysgol y Berwyn. Close Close Close Ysgol Bro Tegid Ysgol Beuno Sant Ysgol y Berwyn 3-19 Learning Campus This proposal relates to the schools in the town of Bala only. 1.2 The vision for the catchment area This statutory consultation only relates to schools in the town of Bala. However, the re-organisation taking place in Bala forms part of Gwynedd Council’s long-term vision for the catchment. [4] The vision seeks to ensure that the three rural schools, Ysgol OM Edwards, Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn also benefit from the proposed investment in Bala, Gwynedd Council therefore intends to establish a joint-committee between the rural schools and the Learning Campus. The proposal to establish a federation between two of the rural schools (Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn) is the subject of a separate consultation, of which the relevant consultees have previously been provided an opportunity to submit their opinions on relating to the proposal during the statutory consultation which was held in June 2017. The federation of Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn, namely ‘Ffederasiwn Cysgod y Foel’ came into effect on 30 October 2017. The vision for the catchment can be seen below. Close Close Close Ysgol Bro Tegid Ysgol Beuno Sant Ysgol y Berwyn Ysgol Ysgol Ysgol OM Bro Tryweryn Ffridd y Llyn Edwards 3-19 Learning Campus Federation Joint Committee 2. The Consultation This consultation will be held between 22 November 2017 and 10 January 2018. The consultation relates to the schools in Bala only, and therefore responses to this consultation should comment on the proposal as described in paragraph 1.1 above. The consultation document will be distributed, in accordance with the Welsh Government School Organisation Code, to the following consultees prior to the statutory consultation period: Requirements of the Organisation Code 006/2013 Distributed to… Retaining authority or proposed retaining authority of any Gwynedd Council is presenting the proposal school which the proposals are likely to affect Any other local authority which the proposals are likely to affect Powys, Denbigh, Conwy and Anglesey Councils – including, in the case of designated LEA provision, any authority which places or is likely to place pupils on statement within it [5] Church in Wales Diocesan Authority and the Catholic Church for Church in Wales Bangor Diocesan Authority the area where any school likely to be affected by the proposal Church in Wales St. Asaph Diocesan Authority is located Any other relevant religious body for any school which the Catholic Diocesan Authority proposal is likely to affect The governing body of any school which is the subject of Governing Bodies of Ysgol Beuno Sant, Bro Tegid, Bro proposals and the governing bodies of other schools which the Tryweryn, Ffridd y Llyn, OM Edwards, Ysgol y Berwyn proposal is likely to affect, including those which could receive any pupils who have been displaced Parents (and future parents, where possible), carers and Parents, carers, guardians, and the staff of Ysgol guardians, and the staff of those schools Beuno Sant, Bro Tegid, Bro Tryweryn, Ffridd y Llyn, OM Edwards, Ysgol y Berwyn Welsh Ministers Carwyn Jones AM , Jeremy Miles AM, Mark Drakeford AM, Vaughn Gething AM, Lesley Griffiths AM, Ken Skates AM, Kirsty Williams AM, Alun Davies AM, Julie James AM Assembly Members (AMs) and members of Parliament (MPs) AM for Dwyfor-Meirionnydd Constituency representing areas served by any school which is the subject of Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM proposals Regional AMs for Mid and West Wales Neil Hamilton AM Eluned Morgan AM Simon Thomas AM Joyce Watson AM MP for Dwyfor-Meirionnydd Constituency Liz Saville Roberts MP Estyn Anne Keane – Education and Training in Wales Chief Inspector Teachers’ Unions and relevant staff unions representing schools Representatives of ASCL, ATL, UCAC, GMB, NUT, and other staff in any school which is the subject of proposals NAHT, UNSAIN, NASUWT The relevant Regional Education Consortium Arwyn Thomas – Chief Officer GwE Anwen Williams – North Wales Consortium Co-