The Corporate Director Education and Family Support presented a report seeking Cabinet approval to commence a statutory consultation process in respect of a regulated alteration to enlarge Coety Primary School to a 2.5-form-entry school with an 88 full-time equivalent nursery. The proposal, if approved, would come into effect from the beginning of the spring term 2025.

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support explained that in order to address the demand for places at Coety Primary School, officers undertook an options appraisal which identified the need to increase provision at the school. The appraisal resulted in a preferred option being identified in the form of a two-storey, four-classroom extension and on 15 June 2022, Council approval was received to include the scheme in the capital programme.

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support explained that the proposal would result in Coety Primary School’s capacity increasing from 420 to 525 places for pupils aged 4 to 11 years (that is, a 2.5-form-entry school). The published admission number (PAN) of the enlarged school would be 75. Also, as a result of the development, there would be an opportunity to increase the existing nursery provision from 76 full-time equivalent places to 88 full-time equivalent places. He added that the proposal to enlarge Coety Primary School required the local authority to make a regulated alteration under the School Organisation Code 2018. A full consultation exercise was required with stakeholders including the school’s governing body, staff, parents, pupils, and other interested parties. The consultation document would set out the implications of the proposal and following this period of consultation, a further report on the outcome of the consultation would be submitted to Cabinet to consider the result of that process. Cabinet would then need to decide whether to authorise the publication of a statutory notice. If such a notice were issued, it would invite formal objections during the statutory 28-day period.

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support explained the financial implications as outlined in the report.

The Cabinet Member for Education thanked the Corporate Director Education and officers for the report. This was great news for Coety Primary School and the residents of Coety and Parc Derwen. This was the first stage of the process and they would be working closely with the community and with Members and the School Governing Body to make sure that this school was fit for everyone.

The Leader added that in addition to the statutory school consultation process there was also the statutory planning process which would provide an opportunity for feedback from the community. An issue had already been raised regarding the availability of outdoor space and this would be considered as part of the process.

The Deputy Leader raised a concern regarding recruiting staff for the pupils with additional learning needs and asked how this would be managed.

The Cabinet Member for Education replied that there was a challenge with regard to staffing in all of the schools and one of the challenges with Coety Primary School in particular was around the provision of staff for breakfast provision. Significant work was going on with regards to recruitment and also using staff more flexibly across settings. He confirmed that they were working on it but the challenges were significant.

RESOLVED:       Cabinet gave approval to commence a statutory consultation process to make a regulated alteration to enlarge Coety Primary School to a 2.5-form-entry school with an 88 full-time equivalent nursery from the beginning of spring term 2025.