Gwynedd primary schools reorganisation – Y Berwyn catchment area

Gwynedd Councillors have supported outline proposals for the re-organisation of primary schools in the Berwyn catchment area.

During 2009, the Council adopted a new strategy to review primary education across the county to deliver the best possible standard of education for Gwynedd’s children. 

As part of this process, a review of the Berwyn catchment area was completed recently. A series of meetings were held in the area and detailed research was carried out into the effect of various options on the Welsh language and the area’s communities.

Following this work, the Council’s Education Portfolio Leader, Councillor Liz Saville Roberts presented recommendations for the area – firstly to the local Area Review Panel, the Council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee and then the Council Board.

At the full Council meeting (15 July 2010), Councillors backed the following proposal to move forward with a period of formal consultation in the autumn on the following recommendations:

·       To undertake the statutory consultation process as required by Schools Standards Framework Act 1998 on the intention to close Ysgol Beuno Sant, Ysgol Bro Tegid and Ysgol Uwchradd y Berwyn in order to establish a new Lifelong Community School in the town of Bala to open during the school year 2014-15.

·       To undertake in autumn 2010 a statutory consultation process as required by the Schools Standards Framework Act 1998 on the intention to close Ysgol y Parc by September 2012, providing places for children in the catchment-area at Ysgol O M Edwards, Llanuwchllyn. The Council would work with Community Leaders and Area Regeneration Officers to safeguard the community use of Ysgol y Parc building.

·       To approve the proposal to promote collaboration between Ysgol O M Edwards, Ysgol Ffridd y Llyn and Ysgol Bro Tryweryn and to develop ways of enabling the schools to utilise the facilities and specialisation of the Lifelong Campus. This proposal has no statutory implications.