Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has announced it is to close 11 schools as part of a 21-century transformation of education in the borough.
Around 7,000 pupils in the borough will be affected by $115m plans to create three “super schools,” following the approval of the plans by the council’s Cabinet.
Porth County Community School, Llwyncelyn Infants, Porth Infants, Porth Junior, Tonypandy Community College, Penygraig Infants, Penygraig Junior, Tonypandy Primary Ysgol Yr Eos, Tonyrefail Comprehensive and Tonyrefail Primary will all close, but councillors hope to convince parents that it will result in improved outcomes for their children.
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NOT OLD SCHOOL: Cllr Eudine Hanagan plans to bring education in Rhondda Cynon Taf into the 21st century. Courtesy: RCT Council
Councillor Eudine Hanagan is the cabinet member for education and skills. “Education has been delivered in the same way since the 1960s and we need a radical step change to deliver the best possible opportunities for our young people,” she said. “Decisions we have taken previously to reorganise the delivery of education in RCT are already making an impact on attainment levels in the county borough.
“I understand the concerns expressed with the proposals and these are understandable in light of the significant changes which are proposed.”
The changes will result in the creation of new three-to-16 “middle schools” in Porth and Tonypandy, and a new three-to-19 “through school” will be created in Tonyrefail.
Not everyone is happy with the plans, however. Karen Roberts is the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the Rhondda constituency in next year’s Welsh Assembly election. “Only one Councillor did turn up and speak against the plans – Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor Mike Powell,” she said. “Mike represents the Trallwn ward which is not in the affected area, but that doesn’t stop him fighting against something which is so blatantly unfair.”
E-learning expert, Jonathan Bishop, who is intending to contest the South Wales Central region of the Welsh Assembly elections as an independent, says he mostly welcomes the plans. “The creation of these middle and through schools is a step in the right direction and a welcome shift from whole centralisation and separation of sixth forms,” he said. “Extended schools, like Garth Olwg Community Campus, can provide lifelong learning opportunities so that schools are used by the whole community at all hours of the day, and not just for compulsory education.
“The plans put forward by Eudine Hanagan and the RCT cabinet are therefore a step in the right direction as they could eventually become extended schools that the whole community benefit from.”
Cllr Eudine Hanagan agreed that the plans would make a big difference. “These proposals will not only provide better opportunities for our young people and 21st century education facilities to learn in, they will also deliver a major boost to our local economy during their construction,” she said. “This is the biggest single investment in education in Wales which will deliver the best possible school facilities for our young people.
“Parents rightly expressed the same concerns when ‘radical’ changes were considered at the time in Llanharry, for example, and likewise when we changed the delivery of education in Cynon Valley to create the new Aberdare High School.
“Pupils in those two examples are now benefiting from those proposals, and excellent education facilities we have delivered are there for everyone to see and are making a very positive difference.“
