A new primary school’s reorganisation strategy was adopted by Gwynedd councillors in April 2009. This strategy identifies key indicators to be used as the basis to review primary education provision on a catchment area basis.
By now, the review process for the Berwyn catchment area – the second to be reviewed – is drawing to a close. A series of meetings have been held in the catchment area and, in accordance with the process agreed by the full Council in April 2009, the next step will be for the Education Portfolio Leader to present her recommendations to the Council.
As part of the process, research was carried out into the effect on the Welsh language and the area’s communities. The perceptions garnered from the research work will be considered as part of the decision of developing education which will safeguard the language for the future. Communities will receive support to ensure the most benefit from the changes.
The Portfolio Leader’s recommendations – which were presented locally to the Berwyn Area Review Panel on 12 May 2010 – will now be presented to the Council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee for full consideration on 24 May 2010.
The recommendations of the Education Portfolio Leader are:
- to establish a lifelong school between Y Bala’s three schools (further work will be needed to consider the most suitable model)
- to close Ysgol y Parc, with the catchment areas moving to Ysgol O M Edwards
- promoting further co-operation between the headteachers of Ysgol O M Edwards, Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn, both together and with the new lifelong school in Y Bala
Gwynedd Council’s Education Portfolio Leader, Councillor Liz Saville Roberts said: “This is a truly exciting opportunity to establish an innovative education centre which will strengthen educational experiences for all children – primary and secondary – in the Y Bala area.”
