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Changes to education provision in Adamsdown and Splott

23.01.20 


A recommendationto develop revised proposals for the provision of education places in Adamsdown and Splott, including the plansnot to progress with the closure of St Alban's R.C. Primary School in Tremorfa, have been approved by Cabinet today.

 

The proposal to discontinue the school,at the request of theCatholic Archdiocese, was included in a packageofBand B 21stCentury Schools Programmeproposals for school places in Adamsdown and Splott that went to public consultation last year.

 

The Archdiocese request was largely based on the low number of Catholic families' pupils choosing to attend St Albans. However, the actual figures for Catholic pupils attending the school are similar to that of several other Catholic schools in Cardiff.

 

As a result, the Archdiocese has withdrawn the closure request and further workto develop revised reorganisation and investment proposals for the education provision in the area is underway. St Alban's R.C. Primary School will not close as part of the revised proposals, which will be brought back to Cabinet at the earliest opportunity. 

 

The original proposals consulted on were to:

 

  • Discontinue St Albans R.C. Primary School from 31 August 2021;

 

  • Increase the capacity of Baden Powell Primary School to 630 places (3 Forms of Entry), and reduce the age range of the school from 3-11 years to 4-11 years, from September 2021;

 

  • Transfer Baden Powell Primary School to Tremorfa Park and replace the existing buildings with new build facilities with capacity to provide 630 places (3 Forms of Entry);

 

  • Transfer Willows High School to Tremorfa Park and replace the existing buildings with new build accommodation, increasing the capacity of the school to 1,200 places (8 Forms of Entry);

 

  • To establish post-16 provision for up to 250 pupils within the new
    buildings;

 

  • Increase the capacity of Tremorfa Nursery School to 128 places and expand the range of services provided on site including Flying Start childcare and parenting support, within an Integrated Children's Centre on the existing Tremorfa Nursery School site and the vacated St Albans R.C. Primary School site;

 

  • Upgrade community facilities in Splott through the replacement of public open space at the former Willows High School site, significantly enhanced community facilities located on the new school site and replacement pitches for shared use with St Albans Rugby Club and the wider local community at Tremorfa Park.

 

 

Cabinet was updated on feedback from a range of stakeholders received during the consultation period at its meeting today and heard that following the change of circumstanceson which the proposals were based,plans to increase the capacity of Baden Powell Primary School would no longer be necessary and utilising the St Alban's buildings, that would have been vacated, to allow the proposed expansion of Tremorfa Nursery School is no longer feasible.

 

Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, said: "We are fully committed to investing in and improving education provision in Splott and Adamsdown, from early years through to secondary and post-16 provision, enablingaccess to the best quality learning environment for children and young people, with the wider community benefit of improved facilities in the area.

 

 

"Following the Archdiocese's request to withdraw the proposal to close of St Alban's, further work is now needed to modify proposals for school places in Splott and Adamsdown and this  will give us the opportunity to further appraise some of the points raised during the consultation."