Ensuring A Significant Investment In Primary Education In Bangor

A report will be presented to Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet on 17 January which will mark the beginning of discussions regarding significant investment in primary education for the city of Bangor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Education Department has been successful in its recent bid for Welsh Government funding to invest in education within the Bangor catchment area. The Government has agreed in principal to contribute £6,365,000 from its 21st Century Schools Programme towards a wider financial package of £12,730,000 which will include a contribution from the Council, allowing the Authority to review and improve the existing situation in Bangor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The housing developer Redrow has also pledged a contribution as part of the agreement relating to the new Goetre Uchaf development at Penrhosgarnedd. This funding acknowledges that the development includes 245 new houses the potential for more than 90 primary school-age children and 70 secondary school-age children to be living in them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With some primary schools in the area already over capacity, coupled with the potential for a further increase in the number of pupils in the future, the Council has concluded that primary education provisions in Bangor need to be reviewed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “As a Council, our aim is to be able to offer all pupils the best possible experiences and opportunities – in communities in all corners of the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This significant investment allows us to look at primary school education in Bangor. It will allow local discussions to begin so that we can ensure the best options are open to us and that we can move forward and improve and offer the best quality education for the city’s children.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If the report is supported by the Council’s Cabinet, local discussions on reviewing primary school education in Bangor will begin. The next step will involve forming a Catchment Review Committee over the coming months which will include headteachers, governors and local elected members so that the options can be identified and discussed before a favoured option – which will meet the area’s educational needs for the future – can be agreed upon. Following this process, a detailed business plan will then be presented to the Welsh Government for consideration. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Every one of Gwynedd Council’s bids under the 21st Century Schools Programme has been approved so far. The Programme’s main aim is to provide a first rate education by ensuring that classrooms are suitable and that schools benefit from high quality leadership. The Programme also aims to promote and strengthen the Welsh language, develop interactive and creative long-term plans, make the best use of the facilities available, high quality teaching environment for pupils and teachers and develop schools which are the focal point for community activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet will discuss the matter on Tuesday, 17 January 2017 to discuss the matter. The full report is available on the Council website: www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/ycabinet ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​