Agenda item

To approve the publication of a statutory notice, allowing a statutory objection period of 28 days in accordance with the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the guidance of the School Organisation Code 011/2018: on the proposal as follows -

"To close Ysgol Y Garreg on 31 August 2026 and denote Ysgol Cefn Coch as the alternative school from 1 September 2026." 

The Ysgol Cefn Coch catchment area will be extended to include the existing Ysgol Y Garreg catchment area.

The report was presented by Cllr Dewi Jones

DECISION

To approve the publication of a statutory notice, allowing a statutory objection period of 28 days in accordance with the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the guidance of the School Organisation Code 011/2018: on the proposal as follows -

“To close Ysgol Y Garreg on 31 August 2026 and denote Ysgol Cefn Coch as the alternative school from 1 September 2026.”

The Ysgol Cefn Coch catchment area would be extended to include the existing Ysgol Y Garreg catchment area.

DISCUSSION

Sadness was expressed at this item being presented and it was highlighted that Ysgol y Garreg had been serving the village of Llanfrothen and the wider community for a long period.

It was noted that school closures were a result of the changes in the County's demographics. Referring to the impact of these changes, it was revealed that there were just over 1,500 fewer children aged 0-15 in the County in 2021 compared to 2011. The importance of discussing the situation of Ysgol y Garreg in a wider context was emphasised, as the situation of this School was not unique to Gwynedd or Wales – reference was made to fewer children living in our communities. 

Attention was drawn to the fact that the 2 pupils currently attending Ysgol Y Garreg were in year 6. It was added that no pupils had registered to start at the School in September either, meaning that there would be no pupils at the School and noting that the future of Ysgol y Garreg was no longer sustainable.

All the staff and governors of the School were thanked for their service over the years. 

The sadness of the situation was echoed by the Glaslyn Ward Local Member, noting that the School had been serving the community for approximately 143 years. This change in demographics and the fall in the number of children in our society was emphasised, and reference was made to parents' right to send their children to a school of their choice. The Local Member encouraged the Council to consider restructuring the School building as a specialist centre for pupils who have trouble settling in mainstream schools, but are not eligible for a Special Learning Needs School.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       The views of the local community were sought on the current and future situation should a decision be made to close the School. In response, it was noted that the procedure for closing a school with fewer than 10 pupils differed to that required for a larger school. It was confirmed that discussions had taken place with the School and the governors. It was highlighted that 92% of the children in the catchment area were already being educated in other catchment areas, which showed that a number of parents had already made the decision to send their children to another school.

·       The difference in the procedure for closing a school with fewer than 10 children was explained - it was noted that no consultation was held as part of the procedure to close a school with fewer than 10 pupils but that engagement sessions were still held, following which the procedure moved immediately to issue the statutory notice to close the school. It was confirmed that there would be an opportunity for people to object, and that the objections presented would be taken into consideration before reaching a final decision.

·       There were concerns about the staff at Ysgol y Garreg and it was asked whether there would be alternative posts for them. It was highlighted that a number of staff were on short-term or temporary contracts so those would come to an end. It was explained that discussions had taken place with the catering and cleaning staff as to the next steps.

·       Concern was expressed about how fast pupil numbers had fallen. An impact assessment had been carried out, which was noted as something to be proud of, despite the low number of pupils in the School.

·       Officers from the Education Department echoed the surprise that pupil numbers had fallen, noting that there were 17 pupils at the school a year ago. It was explained that small schools did not have the resilience to cope with changes in numbers to the same extent as larger schools, so this was a frequent emerging issue in Gwynedd.

·       In terms of the impact of closing Ysgol y Garreg on nearby schools, it was explained that no impact was foreseen as most parents were already choosing to send their children to schools in other catchment areas. It was acknowledged that it was not possible to provide a definitive answer about the long-term impact at present.

·       It was discussed that considerations had been given to a possible after-use for the building. It was highlighted that no decision had been made as yet as it was subject to the Education Department's resources and the demand for provision.