Council re-think over sixth forms

Plans to centralise Welsh-medium sixth forms at Llanfair Caereinion (pictured) and Llanfyllin high schools have been scrapped by education planners.

The re-think comes after Powys County Council updated its Welsh education strategic plan with the focus shifting from centralising Welsh-medium education at the two schools to making it available in different area clusters by encouraging schools to form closer ties.

It said Caereinion High School and Llanfyllin High School will continue to be bilingual sixth forms. As will a third school in Builth Wells.

“We want to make sure that all learners in Powys have access to the highest-quality provision through the medium of Welsh, and we need to work with schools and our partner organisations to help us deliver this aim” said Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, Cabinet member for Learning and Leisure.

“Schools are already collaborating as Learning Partnerships (Families of Schools) and we think that the best way of delivering a sustainable, high-quality Welsh-medium curriculum is for schools to work together.  Our aim is to have at least one lead provider for Welsh-medium post-16 curriculum within each Partnership.

Cllr Alexander said the change comes as a result of feedback to the original proposals which were widely criticised by parents and teachers. Last year, Powys said it wanted the county's 13 high schools to form closer working relationships following concerns that some schools could merge.

“We believe that this is the way forward to providing equality of opportunity for learners in a large and rural county like Powys,” she said.

The cabinet will consider the revised Welsh Education Strategic Plan later this year.