Huge Support For Proposed Investment Into Welsh Medium Education In The Vale

92% of respondents to a public consultation undertaken by the Vale of Glamorgan Council have given their support to proposals that could see £19.3m invested into Ysgol Bro Morgannwg, the Vale’s Welsh medium secondary school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Parents, pupils, staff, and governors were all given the opportunity to have their say on the proposals which are designed to increase the school’s capacity by 299 places. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Under the plans put forward by the Council the expansion on the current Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg site would allow for a new 3G sports pitch to be built and improvements made to the reception, parking area and external spaces, as well as enabling the school to meet the increasing demand for Welsh medium education in the Vale. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Lis Burnett, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education, said: “The proposals for expanding the provision of Welsh medium education in the Vale were developed by working with an advisory board that included Ysgol Bro Morgannwg’s headteacher, representatives of the school’s governing body, and other education professionals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The response to the consultation clearly shows that in the eyes of parents and pupils the board has put together a plan that will see the school expanded in a way that benefits all.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet will discuss the results of the consultation at its meeting on 26 September and if the recommendations of the report are agreed the local authority will issue the statutory notice that is required for the plans to be progressed further. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A total of 232 responses to the consultation were received. Of these, 213 (92%) were in support of the proposal, 12 (5%) were opposed and 7 (3%) offered no opinion either way. The Council received a response from Estyn and a response from the school’s governing body, both of which can be found on the Council’s website. There was no response from any of the trade unions consulted as part of the exercise. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are currently 1361 places available at the school, of which 210 places are in the primary phase and 1151 in the secondary phase. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​