Councillors at Neath Port Talbot are considering a proposal to build a £27 million state of the art community school fit for the 21st century.
No decision has been made on the location of the new secondary school but education officers are looking at the possibility of building the school on a council owned site on Baglan Moors.
The Council is submitting a bid to the Welsh Assembly Government for £40 million to move forward with its School Improvement Plan.
The report presented to councillors sets out the case for change. It puts forward a 20 year wideranging plan to look at schools in Neath Port Talbot.
The new school will serve the wards of Sandfields, Port Talbot town centre and Briton Ferry.
So, if proposals are approved, Cwrt Sart, Sandfields and Glan Afan schools will longer be required.
Although all three comprehensive schools are high performing schools with no issues with educational standards they do have problems with surplus places, poor buildings and high costs per pupil.
Cwrt Sart has 39% surplus spaces, Glan Afan 27% and Sandfields 38%. Projection forecasts, based on extensive research and data, show that the number of pupils at these schools is likely to decrease even further in future years. From now until 2016, Cwrt Sart is expected to reduce from 533 to 449, Glan Afan from 527 to 330 and Sandfields from 651 to 510.
Following an independent survey, all three schools have significant buildings issues at a time when capital resources are not available to solve them. Reports show that £13 million is needed to carry out the necessary repair work. Cwrt Sart needs £4½ million, Glan Afan another £4 million and Sandfields £6 million.
Also in the report are proposals for the provision of education through the medium of Welsh. Presently there are 13 primary and 1 secondary school providing Welsh medium education. All have surplus places. But demand is exceeding capacity in the south of the county borough.
Evidence shows that more parents would send their children to Welsh medium schools if one was more readily available. It has become clear that there is a need for another Welsh medium school not just to cater for parents’ wishes but to prevent pupils going out of county to other Welsh medium schools.
If approved, officers will start to look for a new site to accommodate another school.
At a meeting today with governing bodies, headteachers, trade unions and staff, Corporate Director of Education at Neath Port Talbot Council, Karl Napieralla, said, “Improving standards in education, high quality school buildings, efficient financial management and having the right schools in the right places and that they are fit for 21st century learners are the main drivers for creating the best environment for teaching and learning.
“There is an exciting opportunity now to bid for funding from the Welsh Assembly Government under the 21st Century Schools programme. We must take advantage of this while the funding is still available; it will be much more difficult in future years. We would be doing our children an injustice if we did nothing and watched our schools deteriorate even further.
“Bids have to be in by December 10th and we will know in the Spring if we are successful.
“No parent should fear for their child’s education in the transition period and the Council is committed to consulting with all interested parties in the future.”
Council Leader, Ali Thomas, added, “We have a responsibility to ensure that pupils in Neath Port Talbot have the high quality education they deserve. One that is fitting for the 21st century and one that delivers equality right across the county borough.
“This is the Council’s ambitious vision for 21st century schools and our aspirations for young people in Neath Port Talbot.”
