Welsh-Stream At Ysgol Dolafon To Close

Plans to close the Welsh-stream at a south Powys primary school have been approved by the county council’s cabinet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At their meeting today (Tuesday 24 May), cabinet agreed to close the Welsh-stream at Ysgol Dolafon in Llanwrtyd Wells after no objections were received during the statutory objection period. The council published the statutory notice to close the Welsh-stream at the school last month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh-stream at the school will now close on 31 August 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alternative provision Welsh-medium provision for pupils at Ysgol Dolafon will be provided from September by Builth Wells Primary School. Transport will be provided to pupils in accordance to the council’s Home to School Transport Policy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Arwel Jones, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “We have taken the decision to close the Welsh-steam at Ysgol Dolafon as pupil numbers have fallen to just nine in recent years and they are not expected to increase significantly in the coming years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are committed to ensuring that all our young leaners are supported to achieve their potential but only if the education setting is affordable and sustainable. Unfortunately the Welsh-stream at Ysgol Dolafon is no longer sustainable and this has a detrimental impact on the quality of education provided to young learners in this setting.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​