Cwmcarn High School has announced it will close over the next two years because of falling pupil numbers.
The school’s governing body made the decision during a meeting on Monday, June 27, and said in a statement that it was due to the “unprecedented circumstances that the school has found itself in since 2012”.
The school was temporarily closed for 14 months after asbestos was discovered in October 2012, and had earlier this year announced a plan to share Newbridge High School’s headteacher.
Gary Thomas, Chair of Cwmcarn Governors, said: “It is a very sad day but the governors are very proud of the school’s high quality of teaching and its achievements throughout its long history.
“The Governors are very grateful to the parents and learners who have supported and continue to support the school. We would particularly like to thank our dedicated, hard working and loyal staff who have been with us throughout this journey.
“However, faced with the halving of the school roll in the last five years, which continues to fall, combined with the number of learners in the South Islwyn region also falling and set to fall further, this makes the school unsustainable.
“The governors have made the very sad and difficult decision that it is in the best long term interests of both learners and staff to close the school.”
Detailed closure planning will begin in September and governors will inform parents on an ongoing basis.
The school said all current pupils will continue their education on the school site throughout the closure period and that current examination groups will complete their courses at the school.
The governors also said they respected the right of parents to seek alternative arrangements for their children’s education and that the school will be working closely with neighbouring schools, Coleg Gwent and Caerphilly County Borough Council.
Headteacher Lesley Perry will continue to lead the school through the closure period.
Asbestos worker’s death was accidental, inquest told
The death of a 26-year-old asbestos removal worker at Cwmcarn High School was accidental, a jury inquest has ruled.
James Paul, 26, from Abertillery, was working in the ceiling space of the school on July 19, 2013, when he unintentionally cut through a live electrical cable with a Stanley knife and was electrocuted.
Colleague Christopher Hamer, who was working alongside Mr Paul on the day of his death, told the inquest that both of them had raised concerns that the building’s electrics had not been isolated.
A statement from site manager David Bennett said full isolation of the site could not take place because the school’s CCTV system was still in operation. He said: “I told everyone to treat all cables as live.”
Following Mr Paul’s death, the electricity supply was fully isolated at the school.
Disgusted and fuming over Cwmcarn High closing my son is getting on fantastic at this school and now his education is being disrupted by council politics!!
This is bad policy. Schools need to be smaller, not bigger.
Absolutely disgusted! My children are devasted. The unbelieveable amount of stress with the asbestos issue and now this!!! Of course pupil numbers are down, more time is needed than two years for that to change although Risca community school have just over 300 children without any of these issues, why isn’t that closing? That would sort surplus numbers out and would also mean the vast amount of money spent on Cwmcarn is not wasted! Cwmcarn is a fantastic school, the teachers really do go out of their way to do the best for the children. More corruption and abuse of our children’s education!