Concerns in neighbouring borough over pupils being ‘lost’ to Newbridge Comprehensive

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Councillors in a neighbouring local authority have raised concerns over pupils from their area being ‘lost’ to a school in Caerphilly County Borough.

Concerns have been raised that primary schools pupils in the southern tip of Blaenau Gwent are moving to Newbridge Comprehensive School.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s newly formed Children, Young People and Families scrutiny committee on Tuesday June 3, school catchment area reviews were discussed by councillors.

This is due to the need to “re-consult” on setting up a defined catchment area of primary schools to feed pupils into Brynmawr Foundation school.

An initial proposal for the catchment was rejected by the council’s ruling Labour cabinet at a meeting in April.

Cllr Lee Parsons asked whether this would lead to any changes in other catchment areas.

Cllr Parsons said: “I live in a ward that borders Caerphilly [County] and some of those that go to St Illtyd’s primary go to Newbridge. Some can’t because they live in a different street to their friends, who are lower down the valley.

“I’ve seen the heartbreak of best friends in primary school that can’t then go to the same secondary school.

“Is it something we can look at?”

Education transformation manager Joanne Watts, of Blaenau Gwent Council, said that the work for this year would “predominantly” be to restart the process for Brynmawr Foundation school and set up a catchment area for Ysgol Gymraeg Tredegar, the new Welsh medium primary school.

Cllr Derrick Bevan said: “It’s the same for Sofrydd primary school, out of the pupils we have there only one will be going to Abertillery – all the rest are going to Newbridge.

“They should all be going to Abertillery – the whole system (has) got to be sorted out as we’re losing all our pupils to Newbridge.”

Ms Watts said that reasons for parents choosing Newbridge over Abertillery could be down to other factors and not “directly linked” to the catchment area.

Ms Watts said: “I’m happy to have a look at what’s going on in the St Illtyd/Sofrydd area to see if it’s linked to the catchment area.”