Llanfair split over schools merger
Powys County Council want to create an all through four-to-18-year-old school, but only a narrow majority of 52% of the 111 respondents to a public consultation agreed with the idea.
Concerns were also raised that the delivery of a Welsh-medium school had not been completed by 2020, as outlined in previous school plans.
Despite the lukewarm response, the council’s cabinet will tomorrow be told to recommend that it is approved.
Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: “The majority of those who took part in the consultation agreed with the proposal to establish a new all-age school in Llanfair Caereinion.
“This is why I am recommending to cabinet that we continue with our proposal to create a new all-age school in Llanfair Caereinion by publishing the statutory notice formally proposing the change.
“However, as part of the consultation, we did receive a significant number of comments about the language category of the proposed new all-age school.
“Although this was not the formal part of our proposal, it is only right that we take those views into consideration. That is why I’m asking Cabinet that we accelerate dialogue with representatives of the two schools and the community to explore ways to develop and enhance the Welsh-medium provision in Llanfair Caereinion. We will include feeder schools in this dialogue.
“We are committed to delivering an improved learner offer for the children and young people in Powys through our Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys. I believe that our proposal for the schools in Llanfair Caereinion will benefit both pupils and teaching staff.”
If approved, as expected, the council plans to officially close the schools on August 31, 2022, and open the all-through school the following.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the merger will make a saving of just £11,994 a year.
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