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Education boss sets out 'ideal' size of a local school
02/12/2021 @ 08:09
The ideal size of a school in the area is a minimum of 210 pupils made ups of seven classes of 30, according to an education boss.
Out of 78 schools in Powys,14 have between 150 and 210 pupils.
Under the question at anytime process, Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, asked for clarity in what he meant as “middle hundreds.”
In his answer Cllr Davies said: “For a single form of 30 in a primary school, the school size would be 210 learners.
“This would consist of one class teacher per year group from reception up to year six plus the headteacher.”
Documents that were used last month at meetings when the future of Llanbedr Church in Wales primary school was discussed, showed cost per pupil and school pupil numbers for all schools in Powys.
According to the data shown, only four of 78 primary schools in the whole of Powys have 210 pupils or more.
The need to have a school big enough to implement the new national curriculum in Wales, has become an important consideration in closing a primary school and has been discussed in depth at several council meetings this year.
The new curriculum for Wales is based on six broad areas of learning and experience.
Literacy, numeracy, and digital skills need to be integrated into all lessons.
It sets a framework around which individual schools are meant build their own curriculum tailored for their pupils and communities.
Education officers and their advisers have argued that small schools with small numbers of staff would find it difficult and time consuming to develop the curriculum and ensure that pupils have equality of access across all six areas.
They believe that bigger schools can share the burden across their teaching staff and could “play to a teachers strength” by having them look after one of the areas that they could have specialist knowledge in.
The Welsh Government defines a small school as one of 91 pupils or under.
Out of 78 schools in Powys,14 have between 150 and 210 pupils.Cllr Phyl Davies, a Llanidloes Powys county councillor and Cabinet Member for Education, explained in a meeting that in his opinion the ideal school size should be in the “middle hundreds.
This would put many more primary schools under threat of closure.Under the question at anytime process, Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, asked for clarity in what he meant as “middle hundreds.”
In his answer Cllr Davies said: “For a single form of 30 in a primary school, the school size would be 210 learners.
“This would consist of one class teacher per year group from reception up to year six plus the headteacher.”
Documents that were used last month at meetings when the future of Llanbedr Church in Wales primary school was discussed, showed cost per pupil and school pupil numbers for all schools in Powys.
According to the data shown, only four of 78 primary schools in the whole of Powys have 210 pupils or more.
The need to have a school big enough to implement the new national curriculum in Wales, has become an important consideration in closing a primary school and has been discussed in depth at several council meetings this year.
The new curriculum for Wales is based on six broad areas of learning and experience.
Literacy, numeracy, and digital skills need to be integrated into all lessons.
It sets a framework around which individual schools are meant build their own curriculum tailored for their pupils and communities.
Education officers and their advisers have argued that small schools with small numbers of staff would find it difficult and time consuming to develop the curriculum and ensure that pupils have equality of access across all six areas.
They believe that bigger schools can share the burden across their teaching staff and could “play to a teachers strength” by having them look after one of the areas that they could have specialist knowledge in.
The Welsh Government defines a small school as one of 91 pupils or under.
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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