The proposal is that Newtown High would operate as a split-site school with 11-16 education retained on the Presteigne campus.
The Council are very keen to hear your views. You can either email your responses to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can send your views by post to:
- School Modernisation Team, Powys County Council, County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5LG.
The closing date for responses is June 2nd, 2013.
Click the link below to read the full proposal.
John Beddoes Secondary School Proposals
The proposal contains the consultation document and information on how to express your views on the proposals set out in the document, which can also be viewed by following the link below.
CONSULTATION PROPOSAL ON THE PROVISION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE JOHN BEDDOES AND NEWTOWN CATCHMENT AREAS
UPDATED 29 April 2013
Radical Plans for Presteigne
Radical plans to improve secondary education provision in east Radnorshire will be considered by Powys County Council’s cabinet on Tuesday (April 30).
The proposed plans would see 11-16 education retained in Presteigne. Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews has written to the county council suggesting that John Beddoes Secondary School should close because of the poor educational opportunities being provided to the young people of the area.
John Beddoes became the first secondary school in the county to be placed in Special Measures by Estyn Inspectors last year when performance and prospects for improvement were judged unsatisfactory.
To prevent the drastic step of closure being taken Powys County Council is putting forward a creative and responsible solution which will be considered by the cabinet.
If approved, the plans would see the formal closure of John Beddoes School with the site re-opening as part of Newtown High School – one of the county’s top performing secondary schools.
Newtown High School was recently named as the county’s first ever Lead Practitioner School, a Welsh Government initiative which sees the country’s best performing schools providing support to other schools.
Cabinet Member for Learning and Leisure, Councillor Myfanwy Alexander said; “We are determined to provide the best possible learning opportunities for all our youngsters and are prepared to take difficult decisions if necessary to make sure that happens.
“It is a matter of great concern when any school requires special measures but when that school is a secondary school providing key elements such as GCSE and A-Levels to youngsters it is crucial that decisive action is taken.
“By closing John Beddoes High School and incorporating the Presteigne campus into Newtown High School – one of only two Band One schools in the county – we are sending a clear message to learners, parents and the whole community that we intend taking decisive and radical action to give local learners the education they deserve.”
“Newtown High School would becomes a split-site school but funded as a single school with a single governing body, a single head teacher and leadership team which would operate across both sites,” she added.
If the report is approved by cabinet on Tuesday the proposals will be the subject of formal consultation with public meetings likely in both schools next month.
To read this on the Powys County Council Website, please click here.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
The following documents are made available here and should be read carefully. You can also view the minutes and these documents again on the Powys County Council Website here.
Cabinet Report 30th April 2013:
The future provision of secondary education in the John
Beddoes Catchment Area
Previous and Projected Pupil Numbers John Beddoes Secondary School 2007 to 2019
Financial Impact of Closing the School and Maintaining the Site as a split site of Newtown High
School.
John Beddoes School Assembly regarding our future.
An announcement was made during an extraordinary school assembly this afternoon (26-04-2013). To view the statement in full, please click here.
