A series of consultation events will start in Flintshire on Monday 4 July seeking people’s views on proposed options to modernise secondary schools in the county.
Between now and the end of September events will be held in the Holywell, Queensferry/Connah’s Quay and Mynydd Isa/Buckley areas.
These events are to make sure that the views of parents, students, governors, staff, unions and the wider community are heard and help the Council develop the next steps for education in these local areas. Invitation letters have been sent to parents who have pupils in the schools that may be affected.
Those attending the events will be able to ask questions and discuss any ideas they may have.
Those who are unable to attend can make their views known:
- on the Council’s website www.flintshire.gov.uk/secondaryschoolmodernisation where there is information and a response form which can be completed on-line.
- by picking up a copy of a booklet with more detailed information from school.
- by picking up a copy of a booklet with more detailed information from local libraries and sending a response form to: School Modernisation Team, Lifelong Learning Directorate, County Hall, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 6ND or email [email protected]
Consultation events will be held between 4pm and 7pm at:
Holywell High School: July 4 and September 20
Elfed High School, Buckley: July 5 and September 21
John Summers High School: July 11 and September 27
Connah’s Quay High School: July 12 and September 12
Argoed High School: July 13 and September 14
Copies of the booklets containing details of the proposed options and overall timetable are available on the Council’s web site www.flintshire.gov.uk/secondaryschoolmodernisation
Background information
Why changes are needed
As the local authority, Flintshire County Council is committed to working with schools and communities to secure high quality learning opportunities for everybody.
It’s important that we make sure that we use the resources we have (by resources we mean people, funding, buildings, information and technology) efficiently and effectively so that we provide value for money whilst improving our schools and supporting our learners to achieve.
The challenge we currently face is that we want to make sure all our schools are ‘fit for purpose’ when there is limited money to deliver increasing expectations. Too many of our schools are in inappropriate buildings that can’t meet the needs of pupils and staff.
Pupil numbers are generally going down, and, as a result, there are more surplus places (empty desks) in some of our schools. All Welsh Councils have been instructed to reduce surplus places in schools by the Welsh Government, Estyn (the education and training inspectorate for Wales) and the Wales Audit Office. Our funding may also be affected in the future if there are too many empty places.
Surplus places also mean that buildings are under-used, and maintaining those buildings also incurs costs. Any savings made from reducing the surplus can be spent paying for teachers, teaching assistants, learning materials and improving classrooms and other places of learning.
In Flintshire, there are three High Schools where surplus places are now over 25%. In other words, the schools are only three quarters full. These are: Holywell High School, Elfed High School and John Summers High School.
The Council has a ‘2009 School Modernisation Strategy’. This strategy says that consultation will take place to develop a plan for the future of local educational provision under a number of circumstances, which includes when schools have more than 25% surplus places.
As this is now the case, we are now starting a consultation about the future organisation of secondary schools in the three areas of the county.
Secondary schools are also affected by the planning and provision of post -16 education and training. The 2009 Flintshire School Modernisation Strategy states that a sixth form should have a minimum of 120 students to be financially workable, and to offer the breadth of curriculum choice that is required.
The recent area inspection recognised that all Flintshire Schools are improving schools. We want to build on success, by securing even better educational opportunities and outcomes in improved learning environments for this generation and the next.
