Decision due on names for three new schools in Pontypridd

A decision is set to be made by councillors on the names for three new schools in Pontypridd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report to Rhondda Cynon Taf’s cabinet on Monday, May 15, will recommend that councillors approve the names put forward by the school’s temporary governing bodies. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For the new 3-16 school in Pontypridd, the new name would be Ysgol Bro Taf, for the new 3-16 school in Hawthorn, it would be Ysgol Afon Wen, and for the new Welsh medium primary school in Rhydyfelin, it would be Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Awel Taf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The cabinet report said that Ysgol Afon Wen had received the highest number of votes (36%) in the consultation for the name for the new school in Hawthorn, which reflected the outcome of the consultation carried out with pupils and staff at the three affected schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It said that Ysgol Pontypridd had received the highest number of votes (40%) followed by Ysgol Bro Taf (17%) in the consultation for the name of the new school in Pontypridd which the report said did not reflect the results of the consultation carried out with pupils and staff of the schools affected, which had Ysgol Bro Taf as the preferred choice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For the new Welsh medium school in Rhydyfelin, the report said Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Awel Y Taf had received the highest number of votes (52%). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It said that governors noted in the meeting that the grammatically correct name would be Awel Taf and that the outcome was reflective of the result of the consultation carried out with pupils and staff of both schools affected. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also said that during the engagement process,  issues were raised in relation to the cost of new uniforms and branding and said that these concerns would be further discussed in line with the remit of the temporary governing bodies during the summer term, 2023, and due process would be followed in line with all Welsh Government guidance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It said concerns were also raised around the locations of some of the new schools but said that these concerns were consulted upon and addressed previously in the statutory school organisation consultation which was subsequently approved by cabinet in July 2019. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​