Statutory Notice
School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with section 42 of the School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 and the School Organisation Code 2018 that Caerphilly County Borough Council, having consulted such persons as required by relevant legislation, proposes to make the prescribed alterations as follows:
- Closure of Cwm Glas Infants School
The school is currently maintained by Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The Council undertook a period of consultation before deciding to publish this proposal. A consultation report containing a summary of the issues raised by consultees, the proposer’s responses and Estyn’s full response is available on the Council website at: https://conversation.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwm-glas-infants
It is proposed to implement the proposal with an anticipated effective date being 19th July 2024.
Cwm Glas Infants School provides education to pupils between the ages of 3 and 7 and has a published capacity figure of 55 places with a published admission number of 19. The current pupil roll is 34 pupils (31 Full Time Equivalent) with over 50% of these pupils residing outside of the catchment area of the school.
Surplus places are currently at 50.88% rising to 57.89% in September 2024 and projected to increase in future years as the number of pupils predicted to attend the school is anticipated to decline linked to a reduction in live birth rates in the area and parental preference.
Currently the pupils at Cwm Glas Infants School transition to Coed Y Brain Primary School at Key Stage 2. The proposal seeks to transition the pupils at Foundation Phase. This will result in the closure of Cwm Glas Infants School.
The current number of pupils attending Coed Y Brain Primary School is 164 + 10 nursery, the present capacity of the school is 242 pupils with a split published admission number of 28 for Infants and 39 for Juniors, which was established to accommodate the Cwm Glas Infants School pupils at Key Stage 2.
Should the decision be taken to close Cwm Glas Infants School, the admission number will be revised to a single published number of 34 per year group with effect from September 2024, and based on current and future projections for both schools, all pupils could be accommodated within the existing published capacity figure for Coed Y Brain Primary School, subject to parental preference.
The catchment area would remain unchanged as outlined in the Consultation Document (page 10)
The Council’s policy on school transport, which provides eligible pupils of statutory school age free transport to the ‘relevant’ school (i.e. catchment or nearest school) if more than a distance of 1.5 miles from home to school remains unaffected.
Objection Period
Within a period of 28 days of the date on which the proposal was published, that is to say, between Monday 8th January 2024 and Monday 5th February 2024, any person may object to the proposals in writing or by email to the proposer.
Objections by email should be sent to: 21stCenturySchools@caerphilly.gov.uk
Objections in writing should be sent to Caerphilly County Borough Council, for the attention of the Sustainable Communities for Learning Team, Directorate of Education and Corporate Services, Penallta House, Tredomen Park, Ystrad Mynach, CF82 7PG.
The Council will publish a summary of any such objections made (and not withdrawn in writing) within the objection period, together with their observations thereon, at the time of notification to stakeholders of the determination of the proposal.
Richard Edmunds
Corporate Director for Education and Corporate Services
For Caerphilly County Borough Council
Dated: 8th January 2024
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This does not form part of the notice but is intended to explain its general meaning)
Caerphilly County Borough Council proposes to close Cwm Glas Infants School.
Currently the pupils at Cwm Glas Infants School transition to Coed Y Brain Primary School at Key Stage 2. With effect from September 2024, pupils at Cwm Glas Infants School will transfer to Coed y Brain Primary school at School St, Llanbradach, Caerphilly CF83 3LD, subject to parental preference.