Consultation launched on proposed Welsh medium school in Porthcawl

Lewis Smith, local democracy reporter

A Welsh medium seedling school and childcare facility could be built on land at a Porthcawl primary school in the coming years, as proposals by the local authority move forward to consultation.

The plans were discussed by council bosses at the monthly cabinet meeting on Tuesday 13 December, with members granting approval for the consultation on the facility to now take place.

If successful, the proposed seedling school would see a ‘starter class’ consisting of 30 full-time equivalent nursery places, and 30 reception places, built on land at Porthcawl Primary school, based in the town.

The report heard by members said that while development sites in the Porthcawl area were limited, studies undertaken by local authority identified land on the existing Porthcawl Primary School that was suitable to accommodate both a seed school and childcare facility.

Under the proposals the seedling provision would  be operated and governed by Ysgol y Ferch o’r Sgȇr, and pupils would transition to that school at Year 1 to conclude their primary education, until a Welsh-medium primary school is established within the town of Porthcawl.

The proposed childcare provision is for 16 full-time and 32 part-time childcare places, together with 6 places for 0 to 2 provision offering full care from potentially birth to four years.

An all-weather sports pitch could also be provided at Porthcawl Primary School to compensate for the land utilised in the provision.

Design and survey costs

At a previous meeting in November, the council had already granted permission for a capital budget for the proposed seedling school’s design and survey costs, up to tender stage, to be included in the Council’s capital programme.

This is estimated to cost around £370,000, though is based on the assumption that costs will be fully recovered once Welsh Government has approved the Business Justification Case.

The Welsh-medium capital grant commits Welsh Government to 100% of the funding upon approval of the business case. It means however that in the meantime the council would have to accept the risk that should Welsh Government fail to approve the business case, the design and survey costs up to tender stage would need to be funded by the council.

It is currently estimated that if the proposal progresses to completion, the new school could open in January 2025.