Report offers campaigners fresh hope that new special school will be built

Martin Shipton

Campaigners who gathered more than 9,000 signatures against the cancellation of a new special school building project have been given fresh hope by an expert report that offers six potential ways forward.

Carmarthenshire County Council commissioned David Davies, a former Head of Additional Learning Needs and Wellbeing for Vale of Glamorgan Council, to lead an independent review of the current Additional Learning Needs (ALN) specialist provision in Llanelli.

Councillors had earlier decided that building a new school to replace the existing Ysgol Heol Goffa was not, after all, affordable.

Outraged

The decision outraged parents and led to a high profile campaign aimed at changing the council’s mind again.

Following a robust analysis of all the information collated, it is considered that there are six potential options which senior officers and members of the cabinet need to consider.

Option 1: Refurbishing the current school.

The report states: “The cost of refurbishing the existing buildings is significant and estimated at a minimum of £4.212m. However, even with this investment, it is unlikely that the refurbishment of the current school will provide a learning environment which the children and young people attending the school require. Furthermore, refurbishing the existing building does not provide a future proof model to meet increasing demands for special school placements and potential growth unless the provision can be expanded.

Option 2: Review and revise current proposals to build a new special school with the same capacity (120 pupils) but with a more cost-effective design.

The report states: “It is likely that re-designing the current scheme and a new tendering process could significantly reduce the cost of building the new school without significantly impacting on the quality of provision. However, if a decision is taken that 20 the capacity of the new school should remain at 120 places, this will not be sufficient to meet current identified need in Llanelli. If this were the case, the approach to placements at Ysgol Heol Goffa would need to be reviewed to ensure that only pupils with the most complex needs were placed at the school. Not all pupils with complex ALN require the specialist environment and access to the interventions and equipment available in a specialist school. The entry criteria for the new school could be reviewed to ensure that places are matched to need. The review of placements at Ysgol Heol Goffa would need to be part of a wider review of the continuum of provision in Llanelli. Limiting the places at Ysgol Heol Goffa to the most complex would require further development of Unit provision, this would provide appropriate specialist provision for pupils with less complex needs who did not meet the criteria for entry to Ysgol Heol Goffa.

Option 3: Review and revise current proposals to build a new special school with increased capacity (150 pupils).

The report states: “Increasing the capacity of the school would require additional capital funding, however, it would ensure that children and young people who are currently unable to access appropriate education could do so, it would also provide the capacity to future-proof this provision ensuring that the Council could meet the needs pupils with PMLD [Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties] and SLD [Severe Learning Difficulties] for the immediate future. It would also provide some additional places across the County should the need arise, which increases flexibility within the system as a whole. The most compelling argument for enhancing the provision is that this would enable the Council to meet its statutory duties in accordance with the Additional Learning Needs and Educational Tribunal Act (2018).”

Option 4: In addition to implementing Option 2 or Option 3 develop new proposals to build one primary and one secondary Specialist Centre for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) attached to mainstream schools.

The report says: “Option 4 would look to create two new Specialist Centres attached to mainstream schools but unlike Option 6 they would have a much smaller capacity and would be solely designated to meet the needs of pupils with ASC. These two new Specialist Centres would be in addition to the new re-designed Ysgol Heol Goffa as set out in either Option 2 or 3.”

Option 5: Review and revise current proposal to build a new special school and design to include a provision for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) with increased capacity (250 pupils).

The report states: “When considering this option, the Council will need to assess whether the further development of the Special School model is the strategic direction it wants to take or whether the preferred model is one of developing specialist provision attached to mainstream schools. A further consideration would be whether the size of the school was felt to be problematic. This would be a large special school, however, there are examples of Special Schools in Wales that are of similar size and larger, which are very successful. Another consideration would be the feasibility and potential cost of such a school, these would only be known following further feasibility studies and if detailed plans were progressed.”

Option 6: Develop new proposals to build one primary and one secondary Specialist Centre for pupils with SLD, PMLD and ASC.

The report states: “There is no reason why Specialist Centres could not be as effective in Llanelli as they have been elsewhere in Carmarthenshire given the same level of investment, planning and effective leadership, both at a local authority and school level. However, it is also important to recognise that Llanelli currently has a very successful Special School that is delivering high quality provision. Ysgol Heol Goffa is held in very high esteem by parents/carers, many of whom have a very strong emotional attachment to the school and the staff. Staff are rightly proud of the work they do with the pupils and have a very strong affinity with the school. The whole community has been involved in planning the new school and were very excited about the prospect of moving to a bespoke building which they had helped to create.

“The expectation of all those involved with Ysgol Heol Goffa since 2017 has been that a new Special School would be built and the announcement in May 2024 came as a huge disappointment. If a decision was taken to move away from the model of having a standalone Special School in Llanelli, a huge amount of work would need to be undertaken with Senior Leaders, Governors, parents/carers, and most importantly the children and young people, to ensure that the change is seen as positive and that a smooth transition is possible.”

Final report

The council has asked for any comments to be submitted by March 13 2025. A final report will then be presented to the authority’s cabinet in order to make a formal decision on the recommendations before the summer break, this year.

Council leader Cllr Darren Price said: “We’re glad to receive David Davies’ report into the ALN provision in Llanelli and thank him for his work in this matter.

“We recognise the six possible options identified in his report and it is important, over the next three weeks, that we engage with all stakeholders involved to gather any further feedback.

“I must emphasise that no decision has been made as of yet. As a Cabinet, we await a final report following further feedback, in order for us to decide on the next steps with the needs of the pupils of Ysgol Heol Goffa and all ALN pupils first and foremost in our minds.”

Ysgol Heol Goffa’s Chair of Governors, Owen Jenkins said: “We welcome the review report and look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue with the local authority for an outcome that is fair and equitable.”

Improvements

Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith said: “This report clearly shows that Carmarthenshire County Council needs to make improvements and increase education provision for children with additional learning needs , as well as those with autism.

“The message is clear that a new school is needed – nothing less than a new school is the solution.”

Llanelli town councillor Shaun Greaney said: ‘The vast majority of people in Llanelli are in favour of a new school for Ysgol Heol Goffa – across the political divide. I have seen for myself the fantastic hwyl and hiraeth at the school.

“I know the school has had excellent inspection reports and Welsh Government civil servants have been blown away by the school’s extra curricular and sporting achievements. The school is a beacon of hope for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children in Llanelli and the surrounding community.”