13 December 2007
The WLGA has offered its full support to the education report being delivered to Gwynedd County Council today which sets out proposals for the reorganisation of the county’s primary schools.
The Council’s proposals address the issue of falling school rolls, the need for extensive modernisation of school buildings and the building of new schools.
WLGA Education spokesperson, Cllr John Davies (Pembrokeshire) said:
“This is a national issue that impacts on all of Wales’ 22 councils, not just Gwynedd. Pupil numbers in Wales are falling. In 2006 there were 494,534 pupils in the education system compared to 501,000 in 2005. Furthermore, predictions suggest that this number will continue to fall with an estimated 46,000 fewer pupils in the school system in Wales by 2013.”
“The issue of surplus places in schools is not going away. At the moment the primary sector is the most affected by this trend but it is also showing in the secondary sector and Further Education and Higher Education are also likely to be affected in the future. Therefore, local authorities and our partners need to look for Wales-wide solutions that ensure Wales has the right number of educational facilities and that they are in the right places.”
“Gwynedd’s proposals provide a sharp focus to this debate. The council aims to deliver a new county-wide primary school model that is fit to meet community needs in the 21st century and most importantly is capable of meeting the needs of Gwynedd’s primary children. Today’s council report has echoes all across Wales and is one of the major issues facing local government.”
WLGA Chief Executive, Steve Thomas added:
“Research shows that that where small schools have amalgamated, the educational attainment of children has improved and community fears such as downgrading of the Welsh language and the breakdown of the community have not been realised.”
"The WLGA has also fully endorsed the recent Institute of Welsh Affairs report by Professor David Reynolds- Small School Closures in Wales: New Evidence which showed that local authorities in Wales are moving in the right direction with school rationalisation. Councils are committed to ensuring that the children and young people within their communities receive the best level of education possible. Any decisions made around the closure or amalgamation of small schools are based on local circumstances in full consultation with pupils, parents, teachers and the wider community, as the extensive model consultation in Gwynedd shows.”
“The WLGA is calling for a national debate over the future of schools in Wales, free of party political considerations to highlight why such decisions around school rationalisation have to be taken and to reinforce the message that the sustainability of children’s education is at the heart of this debate.”
Early 2008, the WLGA will be publishing a report which looks at the issue of planning school places. Combined with the Recent IWA report it highlights the need for a national debate over the future of schools in Wales and the WLGA urges all parents, and not only those affected by reorganisation plans to take part in this debate.
For more information contact: Natasha Weeks