Consultation Over Wrexham Super Schools Begins

A survey regarding the future of Ysgol Rhosnesni and Ysgol Clywedog was made available to the public yesterday.

The survey, which can be found on the Council website, comes just days after the Executive Board passed the recommendation to send the future of the two super schools to public consultation.

The two schools were put under special measures earlier this year, and as a result the Council have put forward three possible options to help improve the schools. Although  academic results at both schools showed some improvement in Summer 2013 compared to the previous year, but not enough.

Falling numbers of secondary school children in and around the town centre, as well as increasing demand for primary places, means that there is scope to review and to make significant changes to the way that education is provided in Wrexham town centre. But only if this is the best way to improve outcomes for local young people. The Council wants to understand the opinions, hopes and concerns of local people in coming to a decision on the best way forward.

Now the Council is reviewing schools in the town centre to consider the best way to improve learning and attainment for children and young people.

On Tuesday the Executive Board discussed the three options which are now available for public consultation. These include allowing the schools to continue as two separate education presmises, but provide the support needed to help them out of special measures. The second would be to create two ‘Through Schools’, which would again allow the two schools to remain separate, but would teach students from primary school age through to the age of 16. The final option would be to merge the two schools together and create a single ‘Through School’. You can read our report of the meeting on our website here.

Speaking at the Council Executive Board meeting, Cllr Michael Williams said: “The purpose is to consult with local people over proposals to review and perhaps make significant changes to education in Wrexham. I don’t want to dwell on the problems of the two schools at the moment.

“The schools made some progress but not at the pace that would satisfy Estyn.  There are two schools that are need challenge and support to get out of the position that they are in at the moment.”

The survey itself is relatively straightforward, asking you to choose your ‘preferred option’ between the three that are available. These consist of  Option 1 – support and challenge existing schools, Option 2 – Creating ‘Through Schools’; and Option 3- Creating a single ‘Through School’. Although interestingly there isn’t an ‘Other’ option available.

Underneath there are also two boxes asking to explain your choice, along with a third box asking you what other options that you think should be considered. Although as mentioned above, there is no ‘Other’ option available in the initial tick box question.

However as warning, don’t do what we did and flick through to see what the questions are, as the survey will assume it’s been completed and won’t let you look at the questions again!

The closing date for responses to this evidence gathering exercise is February 14th 2014.