21st Century Schools Consultation
The Council has a duty to consult with members of the community and stakeholders around school organisation proposals in accordance with the Welsh Government’s School Organisation Code (2013).
In any consultation the following has to be undertaken:
Community Impact Assessment
This is a structured way for the Council to fully understand the implications of its decisions and whether they are detrimental or discriminatory to certain groups or sections of the community. It helps to ensure that the decision making process is robust and takes into consideration the potential impacts on our communities. The Council is aiming to promote equality for all our service users, employees and the wider community. Please click on the link to view the impact assessment.
Equality Impact Assessment, why and how do we do it?
The Council has a specific duty under the Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) (Wales) Regulations 2011 to carry out Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA) on policies, procedures, functions, service delivery, financial savings and other proposals. Carrying out this assessment has enabled us to consider the effect or impact of decisions on different communities, individuals or groups which are protected under the Equality Act 2010.
It involves anticipating or identifying the consequences of decisions on individuals or groups of service users/employees, and making sure that any negative effects upon the protected characteristics (outlined below), are recognised and subsequently mitigated or minimised. The Council’s EQIA process covers the protected characteristics as outlined by the legal obligations. The protected characteristics to be considered are: Race, Disability, Sex, Age, Sexual Orientation, Religion and Belief, Gender reassignment status, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity as set out in the Equality Act 2010, and also the Welsh Language as set out in the Welsh Language Act 1993.
In carrying out this assessment statistical evidence/ data, policies, legislation and advice are used/ sought from professional parties to enable us to determine the potential negative impact. The document itself is a working one that will be reviewed at regular intervals throughout the various stages of the proposal.
Have Your Say – how to express your views:
Schools, Teaching Staff, Governors and Pupils
Consultation sessions are arranged for those schools directly affected by a proposal; and these will be detailed in the consultation document.
Parents/Community Members/General public
During a consultation process we want to hear as many views as possible from interested parties. You can contact us in one of the following ways (all of which will also be outlined in the consultation document at the time of the consultation):
- you are invited to submit any comments, observations and/ or views in relation to proposals in writing to:
Mr Lynn Phillips, Head of Service for Education Transformation and Performance
Education Directorate, Anvil Court, Church Street, Abertillery, NP13 1DB; - email us using the following address: 21stcenturyschools@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk
There are usually also consultation open days held where you can ask questions and give to your views.
What Happens Next?
At the end of any consultation, a report containing the views expressed is presented to the Council’s Executive Committee and a decision is then made whether to proceed with the proposal, make changes to the proposal or not proceed at all.
If a decision is made to proceed with the proposal, a Statutory Notice period of 28 days will be agreed. To be considered as a statutory objection, objections must be made in writing or by email and sent to the Council within 28 days of the date that the proposal was published (details of who and where to address your objections will be provided within the Statutory Notice).
The Council will consider the outcome of the Statutory Notice and make a decision on the proposal. If objections are made, the Council will publish a report summarising these and the Council’s response to them. This report will be available for all to view on the Council’s website and paper copies can be obtained upon request.
Should the Council approve any proposal a timeline linked to implementation will be agreed.
If you would like further information on 21st Century schools and/or to view related documentation please refer to the following link:
http://gov.wales/topics/educationandskills/publications/guidance/school-organisation-code/?lang=en
Recent school reorganisation consultations which have now concluded include:
- Informal consultation on small changes to the school catchment areas for St. Illtyd’s Primary School. Informal consultation document
- Abertillery 3-16 Learning Community, implementation September 2016. Decision notification letter
- Delivery Model to Improve Provision and Build Capacity for Children and Young People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) implementation September 2016. Formal Consultation Document.
Current Consultations
The Council wishes to seek your views and feedback on the following Formal Consultation proposal: to create a delivery model to improve provision and build capacity for children and young people with Social, Emotional, and/or Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD).
Full Document /Summary Document.
There are a series of drop in sessions organised throughout the Borough. Drop in sessions.
The consultation is an opportunity for you to ask any questions that you may have about the proposal and to express your views and opinions. All of the feedback received throughout the consultation will be considered when the Council decides how to proceed, once the consultation is complete.
In January 2013, the Estyn inspection within Blaenau Gwent revealed that there was a need to improve provision for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and those from vulnerable groups through better planning, building capacity in schools and improved quality assurance processes.
The purpose is for Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council (referred to as the Council) to seek your views on the following proposal:
‘To close the following education provision on 31st August 2017:
Key Stage 2 Resource Base for complex needs located at Glyncoed Primary School; and,
Canolfan Yr Afon Fach and Canolfan Yr Afon Pupil Referral Units (PRU) located at the Thomas Richards Centre, Tredegar, the former Pontygof school site, and Stewards House site, Ebbw Vale.
… and to…
With effect from 1 September 2017, to establish a community maintained English medium 3-16 Learning Community (School) that can also cater for Welsh medium learners with SEBD, resulting in an integrated provision and a permanent resource base. The Provision will also act as a centre of excellence to support mainstream schools in building capacity for SEBD pupils. The provision will be located on the following sites:
Thomas Richards Centre, Tredegar;
The former Pontygof school site;
Stewards House site, Ebbw Vale; and,
a vocational provision at a site to be determined’.
The rationale for this proposal is to create provision for children and young people with SEBD that directly responds to both the identified needs of children and young people and the recommendation of Estyn; whilst also facilitating a person centred planning processes towards establishing the right learning environment for pupils and building capacity for schools and staff to adequately support pupils with SEBD.
The Council would like you to help reach its decision on implementation of the above proposal and as such we would like you to have your say by engaging in our formal consultation process. The consultation period will run from today 31st October and closes on 12th December 2016.
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