Cabinet to consider Brecon schools' proposal consultation report

Plans to create a new primary school in south Powys by merging three existing schools could be given the go-ahead if a recommendation to Cabinet is approved, the county council has said.

Powys County Council is proposing to merge Mount Streets Infants School, Mount Street Junior School and Cradoc C.P. School to create a new primary school as part of Transforming Education plans for the Brecon catchment area.

The council carried out a consultation on the proposal earlier this year and the findings of the consultation report will be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday, December 14.

Cabinet will also be asked to approve the publication of a statutory notice to amalgamate the three schools and to create a new primary school that would operate from the current three sites. The target date for establishing the new primary school is September 2023.

The new school would then transfer to a new school building on a new site in Brecon. The target date for this is 2025/26.

The plans will help the council deliver its Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys, an ambitious 10-year strategy that was approved last year.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: "We would like to thank all those who took part in the consultation exercise for this proposal.

"After carefully considering all the consultations responses, the recommendation that I will be putting forward to Cabinet is to continue with the proposal by publishing the statutory notice formally proposing the amalgamation Mount Streets Infants School, Mount Street Junior School and Cradoc C.P. School to create a new primary school.

"We are committed to transforming the learner experience and entitlement for our learners and we will achieve this by delivering our Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030.

"We are also committed to providing world-class facilities that will our learners and teachers thrive and reach their potential.

"Our strategy is ambitious, exciting and we believe it will give our learners the best possible start they deserve. However, as we start to implement it, we will be faced with significant decisions as we look to address some of the challenges facing education in Powys which include the high proportion of small schools in the county, decreasing pupil numbers and the high number of surplus places.

"This recommendation has not been reached lightly but we have ensured that the best interest of the learners at this school were at the forefront of our discussions and decision-making.

"I believe that our plans for the Brecon catchment area will help us deliver our strategy and improve the education entitlement and experience for future learners."

The council's Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee will be considering the proposal on Wednesday, December 8.