PLAN TO SOLVE CRISIS

20 August 2005

Swansea looks like getting a showpiece, state-of-the-art school fit for the 21st Century. The authority wants to completely refurbish Bishop Gore school and has promised a £20 million package to renovate the existing buildings and construct new facilities.

But the scheme could also still see the eventual closure of Dylan Thomas School in Cockett with pupils being sent to the new-look Bishop Gore in Sketty instead.

The project is part of the School Organisation Programme which aims to tackle falling pupil numbers, reduced funding, increasing demand for Welsh medium education and the poor condition of school buildings.

Swansea is facing a major education crisis, with secondary school pupil numbers falling across the city.Dylan Thomas school currently has 550 children on its books, but officers calculate that it is facing a reduction to about 400 in five years.

Education bosses say this will make it increasingly difficult to deliver a suitable curriculum to pupils. The move has infuriated parents.

But today, after months of consultation with pupils, parents, teachers, governors and other groups, the authority has come up with a plan it reckons will solve the row with parents unhappy at the closure proposal.

Mike Day, cabinet member for education, insisted today that refurbishing Bishop Gore School to create a single school was the best way forward."We have looked carefully at all the options open to us," he said.

"It is clear that Bishop Gore is a better long-term asset. The fabric of the school is very solid.

"If we had chosen to refurbish Dylan Thomas instead, it would require major investment and an extensive building programme to be able to cater for the 1,500 Bishop Gore pupils.

"I fully understand that everyone attached to Dylan Thomas School wants it to remain open.

"But due to the anticipated decline in pupil numbers, it will become increasingly difficult for the school to provide a broad-based curriculum.

"By investing in Bishop Gore, we will provide a modern school that will meet the needs of every pupil and have first-class special needs provision.

"While the building itself is very solid, the infrastructure is in poor condition.

"We want to seize the opportunity that is presented by completely refurbishing the existing school and building new facilities.

"During the refurbishment, pupils would be split between the two sites.

Details are still being drawn up as to how this will actually work and officers are preparing to begin talks with parents, pupils, governors and staff as to the best way of putting it into practice.

Work is unlikely to start before September 2007 at the earliest.

"The advice we have been given is that the refurbishment work will be phased over a period of time," said Councillor Day.

"Therefore, we are proposing to continue using both sites during this time. We want to find out what people's views are on this issue and so a further period of consultation is being suggested.

"If the proposal is ultimately agreed, this will mean a challenging time. However, at the end of it we will have a new school that everyone can be proud of.

"While Councillor Day said he remained upbeat about the plans, nothing had been set in stone.

He added: "No decision has been taken on this proposal.

"We want to undertake further consultation to ensure this is the best way to improve education for pupils.

"We will consult with interested groups and will examine the feedback in detail.

"The ongoing consultation has been vitally important and we will continue to listen to people.

The proposal will be discussed by the cabinet next Thursday.

If agreed, the authority will consult on the proposals to operate a single school on two sites to enable the refurbishment work to progress at Bishop Gore.

A further report will be brought back to cabinet in the autumn and if a decision to proceed is taken, this will be followed by publication of a statutory notice.

Any objections received during that period will mean that the decision is referred to the Assembly.