Go ahead for Caeru education plans

The Welsh Assembly has formally agreed to Cardiff Council’s plans to reorganise primary education in Caerau.

The final decision was passed to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills following objections received by the Council to a statutory notice detailing the proposed changes. This followed a full public consultation on the plans.

The changes approved by the Assembly are:

To close Caerau Infant School, Caerau Nursery School and Cwrt yr Ala Junior School and establish a new English-medium primary school for 210 pupils with a nursery unit in the
premises of the existing Cwrt yr Ala Junior School.

To transfer the Welsh-medium primary school established in part of the premises of Holy Family RC Primary School, to the premises of the existing Caerau Infant School and the existing Caerau Nursery School, increase the size of the school to 210 and change the age range from 4-11 to 3-11.

This proposal is to be implemented with effect from September 1, 2010.

The new English-medium school to replace the existing three schools will be established using all existing buildings until such time as sufficient suitable accommodation to permanently accommodate Foundation Phase pupils is provided on the current Cwrt yr Ala site, together with accommodation for all other pupils in older age groups.

The transferred Welsh-medium school will share the current Caerau Infant buildings with part of the English-medium school for a transitional period.

In addition to investing in these schools the overall investment programme of £3.6m includes improvements to provision at Millbank & Trelai Primary Schools.

Officers will now work closely with the new school governing body and the governing bodies of Millbank and Trelai to finalise plans.

Executive Member for Schools and Lifelong Learning Councillor Freda Salway, said: “One of the main aims of our schools reorganisation policy is to help primary school children perform effectively at Foundation Phase, achieve high standards at Key Stage 2 and transfer seamlessly to secondary education. I am confident the Assembly’s decision to approve these proposals in Caerau will help us achieve these goals.

“We must make the best use of resources by creating secure, viable primary schools in every area of the city, while matching the number of places in these schools to the number of local children. The changes we will now take forward in Caerau reflect these aims.

“I would also like to thank staff for all the hard work I know has been put into Caerau Infant and Nursery Schools, as well as Cwrt yr Ala Junior School. Staff efforts remain invaluable and I am confident the best levels of provision will continue up until the changes come into force and into the future.”