Plans to create a new all-through primary school in the Morriston area could soon take a step forward.
Swansea Council’s Cabinet is being asked on Thursday (May 13) to approve a recommendation that pupils at Graig Infant School, Pentrepoeth Infant School and Pentrepoeth Junior School be educated at the same site from September 2011.
A two-month statutory notice period would follow if the proposal is backed.
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.
If the proposal moves to the next stage, Cabinet is also being asked to back a recommendation that a new Welsh medium Primary School be accommodated at the vacant Graig site.
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.
The proposals follow comprehensive consultation with pupils, staff, parents, teachers, governors and other key parties.
A final decision would be made by the Welsh Assembly Government on the proposals if any formal objections are received during the statutory notice period.
Cllr Mike Day, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Decisions to close schools are never taken lightly and these proposals are no reflection whatsoever on the staff, pupils and governors concerned.
“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 and reduces disruption associated with transition from infants to junior school.
“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.
“Figures show the schools subject to these proposals each have a number of surplus places and these proposals, if backed by Cabinet, would allow money to be spent on pupils and school facilities instead of being wasted on empty desks.”
Cllr Day also says there’s a need for a Welsh medium primary school in the area.
Cllr Day said: “Our research shows us there’s a growing demand for Welsh medium education year on year in Swansea and we need to ensure first-class facilities are in place to respond to this.
“There is also 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 would offer children.
“An all-through primary school helps foster a shared ethos, a coherent continuity of education provision, more effective transition and it can give staff development opportunities as they are able to deal with children’s education through the whole primary phase.”
