Expanding Ysgol Iolo Morganwg

CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE CAPACITY FOR WELSH MEDIUM EDUCATION BY EXPANDING YSGOL IOLO MORGANWG FROM 210 PLACES TO 420 PLACES FROM SEPTEMBER 2025.

 

Introduction to the proposal

The proposal is to expand Ysgol Iolo Morganwg from 210 places to 420 places from September 2025. Additionally the proposal also includes increasing nursery provision to 96 part time places and an adult education and Welsh language immersion centre for primary school aged pupils from 7 years old and above, as well as offering Adult and Community Learning Programs after school hours.

 

The proposal would mean constructing a new 420 place primary school building on the Section 106 land within the ‘Land to the north and west of Darren Close’ housing development. Upon completion of the building, Ysgol Iolo Morganwg would transfer to the new site. This would provide an additional 210 Welsh medium primary places and 30 nursery places. This would support growth in Welsh medium primary education, supporting the Council’s WESP and Welsh Governments ‘Cymraeg 2050’ strategy.  

 

To support Welsh medium expansion within Cowbridge and across the Vale, an additional facility would be established onsite to support adult education and immersion for late learners (primary aged pupils 7+ year olds) to Welsh medium education.

 

The Council is consulting on expanding Ysgol Iolo Morganwg. Although the transferring of the school to the new building is included as part of this consultation document, this is not subject to the statutory process as the transfer would be within 1 mile.

 

This consultation gives you the opportunity to ask questions and make comments that will be considered when the Council’s Cabinet decides how to proceed.

 

Expanding Ysgol Iolo Morgannwg consultation document

 

Reasons for the proposal

 

The Council must ensure that schools serve their local communities and are reflective of demand. There is a need to meet future demand from the new housing developments in Cowbridge, as well as the increased demand for Welsh medium education.

 

• A new 420 place school building would accommodate the projected increase in pupil numbers from surrounding new developments.

• The increased capacity would also accommodate the projected increase in parents choosing Welsh medium education.

• Ysgol Iolo Morganwg comprises a main Victorian school building, dining block and 3 storage units constructed between 1900 – 1920. Three demountable units were installed between 2002 – 2010. The school is on a very confined sloping site with no prospect of substantially increasing the site to meet modern standards.

• Irregular sized classrooms resulting in different sizes throughout year groups rather than following a standard classroom size.

• It is not possible to replace the school with a new build at its current location due to restricted outside space.

 

 

Responding to the consultation

The consultation period will run from 27 February 2023 to 11 April 2023.

 

Your views are important to us, and there are a number of ways that you can respond to the consultation:

 

 

• Complete the online response form

• Complete the consultation response form at the end of the consultation document and send to: 

• Ysgol Iolo Morgannwg Expansion Consultation
• The Vale of Glamorgan Council
• Civic Offices
• Holton Road
• Barry
• CF63 4RU

All responses given to us in writing by 11 April 2023 will be considered by Cabinet before it decides whether or not to publish a statutory notice.

 

Consultation Report

On 25 May 2023, the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet considered the consultation response report and all other relevant documentation and determined to proceed to the publication of a statutory notice on the proposal.

 

The proposal would result in a new 420 place primary school building on the Section 106 land within the ‘Land to the north and west of Darren Close’ housing development from September 2025. Upon completion of the building, Ysgol Iolo Morganwg would transfer to the new site. This would provide an additional 210 Welsh medium primary places and 30 nursery places. This would support growth in Welsh medium primary education, supporting the Council’s WESP and Welsh Governments ‘Cymraeg 2050’ strategy.

 

Publication of Statutory Notice to expand Ysgol Iolo Morganwg

The Councils’ Cabinet have agreed to publish a statutory notice to expand Ysgol Iolo Morganwg.

 

The statutory notice and letter are available to download. Hard copies of the notice are available on request by contacting the Learning and Skills Directorate at the contact details below.

 

In accordance with section 49 of ‘the Act’ any person may object to the proposal before the end of 28 days beginning with the day on which the proposals were published, that is to say by Monday 24 July 2023.

 

Decision

On 7 September 2023, the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet approved the proposal to expand Ysgol Iolo Morganwg from 210 places to 420 places from September 2025. As a result a new building for Ysgol Iolo Morganwg will be built on the Darren Farm Site Development with capacity for 420 pupils and the school will move in from 1 September 2025.

 

All consultation material including the Decision letter can be viewed below:

• Consultation Document 

• Community Impact Assessment

• Equality Impact Assessment

• Consultation Response Report

• Decision Letter

• • Decision Determination Letter

If you would like a hard copy of the reports, please contact a member of the Sustainable Communities for Learning Team at: sustainablecommunitiesforlearning@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

 

Finding out more

You can download a copy of the consultation document, community impact assessment and letter detailing the proposal.

 

You can also attend a drop-in session and speak to us in person:

 

Drop-in sessions

Session	Date and time	Location
Community drop in session	28 March 2023, 2.30pm – 6pm	Ysgol Iolo Morganwg, Broadway, Cowbridge, CF71 7ER
Parents and Community drop in session	30March 2023, 8.30am – 9.30am 3pm – 4pm	Ysgol Iolo Morganwg, Broadway, Cowbridge, CF71 7ER

This is a good way to be able to get answers to any questions you many have about the proposals. We will still ask that you complete a consultation response form, as we can only accept views in writing.

 

To learn more about the stages of the statutory consultation process, read our handy guide.

 

Contact details

 

• sustainablecommunitiesforlearning@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

 

• 01446 709828

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

• What if the increased demand for Welsh medium education does not materialise?

  The Council is confident that there is sufficient evidence to suggest demand for Welsh medium education will continue to grow, reflective of Welsh Government's national strategy. It is anticipated that a pro-active approach to promoting bilingual education and creating additional provision to support parents and pupils who decide to transition into Welsh medium education via an immersion centre or similar provision as outlined in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan will further increase uptake over the long term. Any interim surplus capacity within schools would be managed as it would with any other school or Council asset. 

• What are the advantages of Welsh medium education?

  Bilingual children tend to achieve higher within the curriculum and perform better in exams. Learning a second language at a young age helps children develop an ear for languages and gives them a head start at learning a third or fourth language as they get older. In Wales, speaking Welsh is a workplace skill, especially within the public and service sectors, and due to recent changes to the law more and more employers will need a bilingual workforce. Learning through another language helps children develop a greater sensitivity to other cultures and backgrounds. Speaking Welsh gives people a closer relationship with the history, heritage and traditions of Wales.

•  What support is available for parents who do not speak Welsh?

   The vast majority of parents who send their children to Welsh medium schools in the Vale don’t speak Welsh themselves. This is why Welsh medium schools in the Vale of Glamorgan always communicate with parents in both Welsh and English. In almost all cases homework for Primary aged pupils will have an English explanation provided with it so all parents can help their children with the work. There are also a number of Welsh medium pre-school playgroups in the Vale run by the organisation Mudiad Meithrin. Adult Welsh education is also promoted across the Vale of Glamorgan with a wide range of courses available from beginners to proficiency. More information can be found from the being bilingual booklet

   

   

• What is the intended timescale of development?

  It is intended building would start on the new school site by July 2024 and be completed by September 2025. 

• When would staff and pupils transfer to the new school building?

  The proposal is that the new school would open by September 2025.

• Will there be a new headteacher?

  All staff employed at the school on the date of transfer would transfer automatically to the new site with no change to their terms and conditions of employment.