New super school for Llanfyllin

Powys County Council yesterday voted to go out to consultation on a through school for the town, amalgamating the current primary and high schools.

Councillor Peter Lewis a High school governor, said it could stop the exodus of college age students across the border into Shropshire for their education.

He told the council's cabinet meeting that it had been 10 years since the policy of school modernisation had been mooted.

"Llanfyllin has taken knock after knock after knock and I believe this next step will bring the beginning of the end of uncertainty for the teachers, pupils and parent," he said.

"By supporting a through school we can begin to redraw the future of education in north Powys, a new dawn for all feeder schools working alongside Llanfyllin."

Councillor Lewis said there was no limit to the new school's ambition.

"We must have more of a vision and provide pupils who know what vocation they want, college courses and work based learning. We must work with colleges in Wales preventing the exodus to colleges in England which is occurring in the north of Powys."

"With Welsh Government providing more nursery care hours facilities for two to 20 years could be achieved - from nursery to vocation. But to achieve an education that can deliver all this we will need the investment to go with it.

"Today is starting the process for securing a modern and first rate education provision in north Powys for the next 50 years."

A report to Powys council's cabinet said that pupil numbers at both schools are forecast to fall in the coming years with a combined total projected to fall from 844 in January next year to 702 by January 2023.

If the recommendation for formal consultation is approved, it is anticipated that consultation will start in October.

The target date for closure of the two schools is August 31, 2020, with the new school opening on the September 1, 2020.