A new £18m million secondary school for Oakdale and Pontllanfraith has been approved by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet.
The plan to close Oakdale and Pontllanfraith comprehensive schools and replace them with a new building near Oakdale Business Park received just one objection from the public.
The proposals are part of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Secondary Rationalisation Programme, which relates to the Islwyn West region.
The school will serve 900 pupils, with provision for an extra 50 special needs pupils.
The new school will address 631 surplus places between Oakdale and Pontllanfraith secondary schools, as well as a backlog of maintenance works that could cost around £13.5m.
The council carried out formal consultation sessions with pupils, parents and teachers in Blackwood, Pontllanfraith and Oakdale.
As part of this process Cabinet Members were asked to consider the sole objection to the scheme, which was discussed before approval for the proposals was granted.
Cllr Rhianon Passmore, Cabinet Member for Education & Lifelong Learning, said: “The support for this project has been overwhelming, and I’m elated that we’re able to take another step forward in this exciting 21st Century Schools project to provide our pupils with modern learning facilities in fit for purpose buildings.”
Last year the council opened the new Y Gwyndy – Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni campus in Caerphilly providing provision for Welsh medium education.
The school, on the St Ilan site, will cater for 900 secondary school children. It is hoped works will be fully completed by September 2015.
I’m not at all surprised that support for this project was overwhelming. The two schools being closed have hardly covered themselves in glory over the past several years, especially Pontllanfraith. Lets hope the new school has new management, Headship and leadership and doesn’t appoint the people who are currently associated with these two failed establishments.
Oh dear, dear, dear!
Schools should be 600 pupils maximum and offer a personalised experience for every pupil. This is just another super-school that will soon have over 1000 pupils (even though it’s only built for 900) and will have an awful exam results.
Schools should not be merged into one big one. Schools should be separated out into smaller ones where everyone knows everyone and be selective with entrance exams.
I bet one of the closed will be ‘re-opened as a Welsh school like old rhiw syr dafydd. Con artists Caerphilly cbc. Can children walk to this site easily?