To what extent do you agree that change is needed to Ysgol Calon Cymru’s current operating model to enable continued growth and development of education provision for learners in the area?
As shown by various reports to Scrutiny and cabinet the one site two school model has not delivered the financial benefits that were expected in the initial proposals and the school is now in a position where it has to choose between meeting education of fiscal responsibilities. This presents an unacceptable risk to pupils’ staff and council taxpayers not just here but across the Authority.
To what extent do you agree that the Council’s possible plan for Ysgol Calon Cymru as outlined above would enable the continued growth and development of education provision for learners in the area?
The documentation fails to demonstrate the short-, mid- and long-term stability of the Welsh-medium provision on the Builth site. The proposal is to create a 450-pupil school split 200/250 primary secondary. Looking at current rolls, were the school to open with all Welsh stream pupils in YYC on the site the totals would be 92/142. This would leave the school opening with a significant additional capacity not just immediately but for at least 5 years until additional primary capacity could be developed and transition rates from existing Welsh-medium streams were improved. Given these low numbers, it is difficult to see how VFM can be achieved without compromising the educational offer at the school or significant reliance on E-sgol for delivery of GCSE subjects. Additionally, there would be a consequential impact on the remaining 109 pupils in the English stream at Builth who would be left in far smaller school with financial implications. In the longer term, the only additional preschool Welsh language provision at present lies in the far North of the YCC catchment at Dolau and Llanbister so the most likely growth in additional pupils is on the wrong side of the English medium school.
In contrast, the proposal for the Llandrindod campus offers a significant attraction for the English medium provision in the short term and also some challenges. At present, there are 854 pupils on the roll this exceeds the 800-pupil school proposed in the SOC though I note the consultation is for 950. This would represent a large high school in the Powys context and would have the potential to deliver a diverse curriculum. However implicit in the model is the assumption that the Welsh-medium school will grow and unlike urban catchment where a Welsh school will overlap with 5 or more English medium schools the majority of pupils can be expected to be drawn from the same catchment so as one school grows the other will decline. Which in the long term could create a situation where the Welsh-medium school is full and the English medium has over 25% spare spaces.
To what extent do you agree that the possible plan for Llandrindod Wells would enable the continued growth and development of education provision for English-medium secondary learners currently attending Ysgol Calon Cymru?
The proposals would consolidate all English medium pupils on a single site increasing the number of pupils taking specific GSCE subjects leading to a broader subject choice without the need for movement between sites.
Whilst the proposal would meet the needs of English medium learners it is not without its problems in the longer term not least the potential increase in spare capacity if the Welsh-medium school expands
To what extent do you agree that the possible plan for Builth Wells would enable the continued growth and development of education provision for Welsh-medium secondar learners currently attending Ysgol Calon Cymru?
A two-school model existed in the catchment prior to merger with significant deficit budgets proposed at only 150 pupils it is difficult to see how it is possible to attract a sustainable level and diversity of staff to support a comprehensive curriculum on the site without resorting to a very high reliance on e-sgol provision at GSCE. In addition, with only 25 pupils across each year group the provision of Physical education and sport will be highly problematic.
To what extent do you agree that the possible plan for Builth Wells would enable the continued growth and development of education provision for Welsh-medium primary learners in Builth Wells?
The current plans are unclear in terms of direct benefits beyond the potential for staff at years 7 being able to work more closely with year 6 pupils to enable transition however the small size of the high school provision may limit the potential to undertake such work.
Do you have any other questions or comments about the Builth Wells part of the possible plan for Ysgol Calon Cymru?
As with the previous comment I am seriously concerned at the fiscal cost of the project and its revenue impact and in the longer term the potential that the small size of the school would result in a limit to the potential growth of the Welsh Language in the area as the school reaches capacity under current aspirations for the Welsh Language it is possible this point would be reached within ten to fifteen years of the school opening which given its 60 years modelled life is unsustainable
Are there any other options the Council should consider for secondary education in the Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells area?
The SOC identifies as possible the creation of a single dual stream school on the Llandrindod Wells site as a possible option. However, this was not taken forward at the shortlisting stage. The SOC identifies question marks against two categories and rates the VFM of this option the same as a two-site option. My assumption on the strategic fit element is that this scores poorly against the desire for a Welsh Medium School and the political commitment made before the financial position of YCC and the audit report of the creation were published to retain high school provision on all existing sites. As these are noted in the Strength Weakness analysis. However, the model as proposed offers significant concerns in terms of affordability. The Revenue cost of capital and the costs of running the overheads of two full school entities vs one site are not comparable and open questions on the modelling of the SOC. This is even more important as the SOC identifies prudential borrowing as the preferred model for payment of the school. which could increase the burden on the revenue budget by the equivalent of 1-1.5% council tax increase. It is possible a more detailed analysis of the SOC especially in light of transition issues at Trefonnen schools may have reached a different conclusion and included a single site model in Llandrindod as an option.
The school remodelling is based on a 50-60 year lifespan of the project builds this is equivalent to 2/3 generations of new pupils with the 2050 ambitions it is not unreasonable to suppose that at some point in the life cycle parity will be reached with the need for 2, 500-pupil secondary schools in the catchment. This would be double the secondary capacity at Builth and Llandrindod would have 40% vacant spaces at current pupil numbers. Precipitating a further new build within the lifecycle. Under a different scenario, the reduced size of the Welsh-medium school could precipitate a move of pupils into the Welsh stream at Brecon leading to a situation where the school becomes unsustainable in the 11-16 range.
Conversely, a modular 1200 pupil school on the Llandrindod Wells site could flex its configuration depending on the strength of the various streams over time. In addition by attracting teachers who are capable of teaching in both streams, it would be possible to significantly increase the curriculum offered in the smaller stream without compromising the overall cost to the school. However and possibly most significant would shift the centre of gravity of the Welsh language provision and would enable a similar approach to be taken in the Brecon area which would facilitate a larger Welsh stream and consequent reduction in spare capacity which in the longer term would provide a Welsh-medium secondary option for any Welsh-medium provision which develops in the Crickhowell catchment. This would also strengthen the potential for a Cribbath style development in the Ithon Valley to take in pupils from the Cylch/Ti a Fi in Dolau and Llanbister and negate some of the anecdotal reasons for non-transition at Trefonnen
This would also release the existing Builth campus to provide a specialist post 16 and lifelong vocational centre to support multi-provider vocational and education offerings for the entire central Powys area with the potential to develop a rural skills centre linked to the RWAS.
This takes a more realistic approach to the provision in the area. There is no pathway to grow significant additional Welsh-medium education in the immediate Builth catchment in the short term which would leave the school highly vulnerable from an educational perspective. This approach allows the organic growth of the language in the area and reflects that the catchment encompasses both traditionally Welsh and English-speaking areas.
In your opinion, what positive or adverse effects would the possible plan have on opportunities for persons to use the Welsh language and treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language?
As outlined, I am concerned that the plans limit the potential access to Welsh-medium education for pupils in the northern half of the catchment and limit the potential to grow the Welsh stream at Brecon to support new primary provision as it emerges in the Crickhowell cluster.
I am also concerned that the small size of the Builth High School would result in parents/pupils opting out at transition in favour of the larger English school with a more diverse curriculum.
Finally in the longer term if the WESP is successful I am concerned the school will reach capacity and would limit access to Welsh-medium education without significant further investment.