Cardiff Council’s plans for the reorganisation of primary schools in Whitchurch have been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government.
The Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning, Leighton Andrews AM has formally agreed to the proposal which seeks to reduce the number of surplus English-medium places in the area and meet the rising demand for Welsh-medium education.
The decision on the proposal was passed to the Minister in August 2010 following objections received by the Council to a statutory notice detailing the proposed changes.
The proposal is to close Eglwys Wen and Eglwys Newydd Primary Schools and replace these schools with a 2.5 form of entry English-medium primary school with nursery by investment in the premises currently shared between Eglwys Wen and Ysgol Melin Gruffydd, from September 2012.
Ysgol Melin Gruffydd will transfer into the premises currently occupied by Eglwys Newydd Primary, with investment, as a 2 form of entry Welsh-medium school, with nursery, from September 2012.
Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Freda Salway, said: “We are very pleased with this decision from the Welsh Assembly as this will now allow the Council to progress plans to invest considerably in the schools affected by the proposal, developing schools that are fit for purpose and that have capacities appropriate for their catchment populations.
“This news will help us to address the unprecedented rise in the number of parents opting for Welsh-medium education for their children while providing a better match between supply and demand for English-medium places in the area. In its current buildings, Ysgol Melin Gruffydd is unable to meet this level of increasing demand while at the same time, there are two English-medium primary schools in Whitchurch with only enough children in that area to warrant one school.
“We are striving to create a fair, successful and viable education system in Cardiff that provides the best possible opportunities for our children and young people to achieve their potential.”
