Could town be set for 'super school' too?

 

It was initially feared that the ‘super school’, which is being proposed to the Powys County Council’s cabinet by a specially created Board, would service the entire Severn Valley.

 

But parents can breathe a sigh of relief after a spokesperson confirmed this morning that “it is just for the Newtown catchment area”.

 

However, it leaves a question mark over how future Welsh language primary education will be delivered for the Welshpool area and whether a similar ‘centralised’ concept will be adopted. It could also be an early sign of things to come in general as Powys continues with its schools modernisation programme with an eye on reducing the number of schools.

 

Speaking on the proposed Newtown school, Cabinet Member for Schools, Councillor Stephen Hayes said: “I can confirm that an Area Project Board established to help review Welsh Medium primary school provision in the Severn Valley is recommending a new Welsh medium primary school for 300 pupils in Newtown.

 

“As part of that work the council is compiling a list of locations in the town large enough to accommodate the project. The work is at a very early stage and no decisions have been made on possible site.

 

“The area project board's recommendations will be considered by a future meeting of the Cabinet.”

 

Mynewtown has been told that a list of possible sites for the school includes the Town Hall grounds, the sports fields on Pool Road, the Pool Road council depot as well as the soon-to-be-closed Focus DIY site.

 

The breaking news certainly seems to highlight a Powys preference for ‘cluster schools’ with some now speculating that Welshpool’s infant schools could also be bunched together under one roof in the future.

 

One parent said to us: “It certainly seems that this is how Powys is looking. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if we see one big Infants School for the town instead of the current ones at Ardwyn, Oldford and Gungrog.”