Agenda item

To formally confirm the proposal given by statutory notice, to close Ysgol Y Garreg on 31 August 2026, and denote Ysgol Cefn Coch as the alternative school from 1 September 2026, in accordance with Section 53 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the requirements of the Schools Organisation Code 11/2018. 

The report was presented by Cllr Dewi Jones.

DECISION

Final confirmation was given of the proposal given by means of a statutory notice, namely - “To close Ysgol Y Garreg on 31 August 2026, and denote Ysgol Cefn Coch as the alternative school from 1 September 2026”, in accordance with Section 53 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the requirements of the School Organisation Code 11/2018. 

DISCUSSION

It was noted that the purpose of the report was to report on the outcome of the 28-day statutory objection period on the proposal to close Ysgol y Garreg.

It was noted that the decision regarding Ysgol y Garreg was one of the most difficult decisions that he had considered as a Cabinet Member for Education. He noted that nobody went into education with the intention of closing schools, noting his desire to see schools thriving, children succeeding and communities being resilient. The strong emotions that had surfaced during this process and the sadness felt by many were acknowledged.

It was noted that Ysgol y Garreg had served its community faithfully for many years. Tribute was paid to the staff, governors, parents and the community for their hard work for the school for over a century. However, it was noted that there was a responsibility to be looking at the current situation rather than a desired situation.

It was noted that the demographic challenges facing some of our rural communities were real and profound. Although painful, the need to acknowledge the facts in hand was noted, especially the grave situation of Ysgol y Garreg. It was noted that the well-being of and opportunities for children were central when making educational decisions, which had been the guiding principle throughout this process. The need to ensure that children could access sustainable education, a wide range of experiences and a learning environment that could meet the needs of the present and the future was underlined.

It was noted that the decision regarding Ysgol y Garreg was not one that the Cabinet wanted to make, but one that had been brought about by circumstances. It was noted that, should the situation, numbers and projections be different, the decision would not have been considered. It was emphasised that Gwynedd had seen a significant fall in the number of children over the last decade, and that there was a duty to make responsible decisions for the long term, even when that decision proved difficult and unpopular.

The decision to close Ysgol y Garreg was therefore recommended, recognising the contribution of many people to the school over the years, and the need to take action to ensure the best and most sustainable school provision for the future children of Gwynedd.

The sadness of the situation was echoed by the Glaslyn Ward Local Member, who noted 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 highlighted, with only two year-6 pupils at Ysgol y Garreg who would be moving to secondary school in September 2026. The staff of Ysgol y Garreg were thanked for their dedication to both pupils in difficult circumstances, offering them wonderful and engaging educational experiences. The governing body's views were highlighted in the report, urging the Council to consider restructuring the school building as a specialist centre for pupils who struggled to settle into mainstream schools, but who were not eligible to attend an additional learning needs school.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       With regard to the Welsh language, it was noted that the Welsh language would be more natural in the lives of the two pupils upon moving to a larger school, with more activities being available through the medium of Welsh. It was emphasised that this was a positive. In response, it was noted that the impact assessment regarding the Welsh language looked at the positive aspects of moving both individuals to much larger classes, where they would have more opportunity to communicate through the medium of Welsh.

·       Concerns were raised about the future capacity of Ysgol Cefn Coch, which was the new alternative school from 1 September 2026, should there be an increase in the demography of the catchment area. In response, it was confirmed that Ysgol Cefn Coch had sufficient capacity to serve the catchment area and that there were no concerns about this.

·       Tributes were paid to the staff, young people and the community who had been involved in the process so far, noting that the process had been difficult but dignified.

·       Questions were asked about the future of the Ysgol y Garreg building, noting that there was a precedent for similar buildings to be converted into community centres. In response, it was noted that an after-use policy existed for such situations. It was confirmed that the Education Department would have the first choice as to whether it intended to make use of the building, and if not, the building would be offered for community use. In this case, attention was drawn to the awareness of the existence of a community provision being in very close proximity to the building, which was not necessarily being fully utilised. Therefore, any application regarding the building would have to be reviewed very carefully moving forward.

·       A recent trend had emerged regarding schools re-advertising for headteacher positions. It was asked whether recruiting headteachers was more of a challenge in small schools. In response, it was confirmed that recruiting headteachers was currently proving challenging across the education sector, both in primary and secondary schools. It was highlighted that this was no exception to Gwynedd compared to other authorities, noting that there was a shortage of individuals who were willing to lead schools for various reasons. It was recognised that leading a small school such as Ysgol y Garreg was a challenge, noting that the planning and preparation involved with a small school was just as demanding as in a larger-sized school. It was confirmed that this concern about recruiting headteachers was on the Department's risk list. It was noted that the headteacher of Ysgol y Garreg had managed to secure a job in another school as a permanent headteacher.

·       It was asked how many headteacher positions were vacant across the county. In response, it was noted that at least three posts were vacant, with an increasing number of acting headteachers, and the percentage tending to rise from one term to the other.

·       It was asked whether the two pupils at Ysgol y Garreg had been consulted. In response, it was noted that the views of both learners had been obtained and summarised in the report.

·       Sadness was expressed about the situation, noting that moving school was a difficult experience, especially when it involved moving to a school with many more pupils. It was questioned what support would be available to the two pupils of Ysgol y Garreg. In response, it was noted that the pupils, in this case, had already been having experiences with children from other schools over the past few months, to facilitate the transition process and build relationships. It was confirmed that the Department would rely on school staff, who already knew the pupils well, on how best to support them through the process.

·       They asked about the transport arrangements for the two pupils to the new alternative school. In response, it was noted that relevant arrangements would be made for both pupils to reach their new school.

·       It was asked whether the Education Department had any suggestion as to how Gwynedd's demographic trend was likely to change in the future, and whether there was any indication that the situation would improve or continue to deteriorate, with more small schools having to consider closure. In response, it was noted that future demographics were difficult to predict. It was confirmed that the 2025 figures were now public, with births falling to 925 in Gwynedd. It was expressed that there was still a steady downward trend and that a change of direction in numbers was not anticipated. It was highlighted that as Gwynedd's schools were already relatively small compared to other authorities, they were likely to face a situation where decisions about school closures would need to be made sooner here than in other counties.