Llanelli: Special school options announced after protests
Two options for a new special school are to be investigated after protests over a council's decision not to replace the existing over-subscribed special school. About 300 campaigners marched through Llanelli in September claiming Carmarthenshire council broke a promise to fund a new building for Ysgol Heol Goffa.The council, which u-turned on plans to shut the school last year, said it was looking at either a 150-pupil school, or one with a capacity of 250.Campaigners called the announcement "really positive".
A replacement school was first proposed several years ago at the former Draka copperworks site in Llanelli. The council decided not to press ahead with it last year citing soaring project costs.
The decision sparked dismay and anger among campaigners, and the council commissioned an independent review of additional learning needs (ALN) provision in the Llanelli area.The review's findings were published in February outlining six options for the school and ALN locally. The ones that are to be explored further are two of the six.Glynog Davies, Plaid Cymru cabinet member for education, said he would propose to cabinet colleagues they further investigate the two options and that whichever one was chosen the proposed replacement Heol Goffa would be larger than the one that was shelved.
"The original plan that many had pressed for would have resulted in a smaller school, which would have been full on day one," he said."Following the independent report we commissioned by David Davies, a former ALN head, I'll be recommending either a 150-capacity Heol Goffa school on one site, with primary and secondary specialist centres for a total of 115 pupils with autistic spectrum condition attached to mainstream schools, or a new ALN school for 250 pupils, to include provision for pupils with autistic spectrum condition."Despite huge financial pressures, we are determined to ensure the very best provision for ALN pupils in the Llanelli area, future-proofed for decades to come. I'm asking for more definite costings and, as always, we will engage with Welsh government to ensure funding for the scheme," he added.
Chairwoman of campaign group Ysgol Heol Goffa Action Committee and a parent of a pupil at the school, said: "The local authority has acknowledged we do need a new school. That's fantastic. "The action committee is really pushing for a 250-pupil school."
Ysgol Heol Goffa is over-subscribed, she said, and had a big waiting list with the demand for ALN education increasing. "We don't want to be in this position again in 10 years' time," she said.The independent review described "an exponential rise" in the number of children and young people with autistic spectrum condition over the last decade. He added the growth of young people identified with ALN was unprecedented in Wales."There is no doubt that the learning environment at Ysgol Heol Goffa is not currently fit for purpose and that this must be addressed," the report added.
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