The Corporate Director – Education and Family Support submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to inform Cabinet of the outcome of the consultation on the proposal to establish a LRC for pupils with ASD at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon Y Cymoedd (formerly known as Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw).

In December 2011, Cabinet received an update on the review of support and provision for the inclusion of children and young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). In conjunction with this proposal, an ASD LRC was opened at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd in March 2018.

In order to progress a proposal to establish a LRC for pupils with ASD, consultation exercises were carried out in a period between November and December 2018, with staff, governors, parents and pupils of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon Y Cymoedd and also the wider community, in accordance with the Statutory School Organisation Code.

Attached to the report at Appendix 1 was a Consultation Report, and the Corporate Director – Education and Family Support picked out the salient points of this for the benefit of Members.

He then referred to the report’s financial implications, advising that the funding for the LRC would be allocated through the mainstream school’s delegated budget, via the school’s formula allocation, and using a combination of a class allocation and the age-weighted pupil unit (AWPU) element.

Funding levels would be derived from notional current staffing needs and are based on the salary of a teacher and two support staff.  One-off funding for the set-up costs would be £10k.

As part of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy budget setting process for 2017-2018, a total of £263k was allocated under budget pressures to establish additional LRCs for pupils with ASD in both Welsh-medium and English-medium schools with effect from the academic year 2017-2018. This was further supplemented in the 2018-2019 budget-setting process by an additional £51k to meet the full year effect of the previous budget pressure application.  These allocations will be used to fund the LRC, including the set up costs, at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon y Cymoedd, should the proposal go ahead.

The Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration confirmed that when he and the Corporate Director – Education and Family Support visited schools, part of their visit entailed looking at the level of support that was required there for pupils with this type of need.

The Leader added that the school subject of the report, was the first Welsh medium Primary School in the County Borough that would accommodate an LRC for children with autism. He further added that he was also very pleased with the very positive response received from pupils, parents, staff and governors in the consultation.

He concluded debate on the item by stating that a similar specialist provision would be available for the same pupils, upon reaching secondary level age at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd.

RESOLVED:                        That Cabinet:-

(1)         Noted the outcome of the consultation with interested parties as detailed in the Consultation Report attached to the covering report (Appendix 1 to the report.)

(2)        Approved the Consultation Report for publication.

(3)        Authorised the publication of a Statutory Public Notice on the proposal.