Next step to school closure announced

Powys County Council is looking to rationalise primary school provision and is proposing to close Castle Caereinion Church in Wales School at the end of August 2022.

The decision to publish the statutory notice was taken after the cabinet considered the findings of a consultation report after the council carried out a seven-week consultation during April and June 2021.

There will be a 28-day period for those who object to the proposal to send their objections to the council, and a further report, summarising any objections received, will be considered by the cabinet to conclude the process.

Councillor Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: “Cabinet have agreed to continue with the proposal by publishing the statutory notice formally proposing the closure of Castle Caereinion Church in Wales School after carefully considering all the consultation responses.

“We are committed to transforming the learner experience and entitlement for our learners and we will achieve this by delivering our Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030.

“Our strategy is ambitious, exciting and we believe it will give our learners the best possible start they deserve. However, as we start to implement it, we will be faced with significant decisions as we look to address some of the challenges facing education in Powys which include the high proportion of small schools in the county, decreasing pupil numbers and the high number of surplus places.

“The decision to continue with this proposal has not been reached lightly. Not only has it been robustly challenged by senior leaders within the council at every step, but it has been developed with the best interest of the learners, who have been at the forefront of our discussions and decision-making."

A statutory notice proposing the closure of a small north Powys primary school has been published, the county council has said.

To view the statutory notice, visit en.powys.gov.uk/article/10560/Castle-Caereinion-Church-in-Wales-School or send objections in by writing by emailing school.organisation@powys.gov.uk or via post to the Interim Chief Education Officer, Powys County Council, Powys County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5LG.

The objection period will close on October 7.