Plans to create a new all-through primary school in the Morriston area have been approved.
Swansea Council’s Cabinet has backed a recommendation that pupils at Graig Infant School, Pentrepoeth Infant School and Pentrepoeth Junior School be educated at the same site from September 2011.
This means a two-month statutory notice period will now be arranged. The final decision would be made by The Welsh Assembly Government if any formal objections are received during that period.
The proposal would see a new all-through English medium Primary School created at the existing Pentrepoeth sites where children would be educated from the ages of three to 11 under the same head teacher and governing body.
Cabinet has also backed a recommendation that a new Welsh medium Primary School be accommodated at the vacant Graig site if the all-through primary school plans are realised.
This proposal would help meet the area’s demand for Welsh medium education and will also be subject to a two-month statutory notice period. If any formal objections are received as part of this process then The Welsh Assembly Government would again be asked to make a final decision.
The proposals come as part of Swansea Council’s Quality in Education (QEd) 2020 Strategy looking to boost educational standards across Swansea while tackling issues such as a multi-million pound school structural maintenance backlog and falling rolls.
They follow comprehensive consultation with pupils, staff, parents, teachers, governors and other key parties.
Cllr Mike Day, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “It’s our policy to provide all-through primary education on one site in as many schools as possible in Swansea because it provides educational benefits, reduces disruption associated with transition from infants to junior school and helps foster a shared ethos.
“Decisions to close schools are never taken lightly and these proposals are no reflection whatsoever on the staff, pupils and governors concerned.
“Figures show the schools subject to these proposals each have a number of surplus places and these proposals would allow money to be spent on pupils and school facilities instead of being wasted on empty desks.
“We’re also looking as part of our QEd programme to give all pupils access to better resources and to continue to raise standards of attainment for all pupils.”
Cllr Day also says the Welsh medium school proposal for the Graig site would help meet demand.
Cllr Day said: “There is a clear demand for Welsh medium provision in this particular area and we believe the accommodation of such a school at the current Graig Infants School site will go some way to meeting that need.
“I must stress though that these proposals were not put together purely to open up space for a new Welsh medium primary school. The proposal to develop an all-though primary school at the Pentrepoeth site for the pupils of Graig and Pentrepoeth would have been put forward regardless because of the educational and other benefits it will offer children.”
