Huge changes could be made to the makeup of four Cardiff schools under new proposals. Plans to reorganise primary school provision to serve communities in the centre and north of the city are set to go to public consultation following agreement by Cardiff Council's cabinet, with potential changes including site swaps, mergers and a reduction in school places.
The proposals are aimed at achieving the correct balance of English and Welsh medium primary provision able to meet current and future demand in Cathays, as well as parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd. The plans have been developed for consultation with schools, governors, parents and children.
The schools that would be affected by the potential changes are Allensbank Primary School in Heath, Ysgol Mynydd Bychan in Gabalfa and Gladstone Primary School and St Monica’s Church in Wales Primary School in Cathays. Get the latest news from across Cardiff sent straight to your inbox for free by signing up to our newsletter.
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Three potential options have been put forward as part of the plans, which went to the council's cabinet at its meeting on Thursday, March 23. As well as achieving the right balance of provision, the proposals are also designed to relieve any financial pressures faced by the affected schools. If progressed, the proposed changes for each of the three options could take effect from September 2025. The options are as follows:
Option One
Under the first option, Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools would amalgamate to establish a new 420-place, two-form entry English-medium primary school with a nursery on the current shared site at Gladstone /St Monica’s CiW Primary School. Meanwhile, St Monica’s would transfer to the current Ysgol Mynydd Bychan site and establish nursery provision at the school. In turn, Ysgol Mynydd Bychan would transfer to the current Allensbank Primary School site and increase from 192 places to 420 places with the number of nursery places increasing from 64 to 96.
This option would be subject to guidance and agreement with The Llandaff Diocesan Board of Finance, which is the registered Proprietor of the St. Monica’s site.
Option Two
Alternatively, the second option would see Allensbank Primary School transfer to the current shared Gladstone/ St Monica’s site, with the school reducing in capacity from 315 places to 210 places. Nursery provision would also be scrapped, bringing the school's age range down from 4-11 to 3-11 years. To make up for this, the number of nursery places at Gladstone Primary School would increase by one-third, from 64 to 96, while St Monica’s would transfer to the current Ysgol Mynydd Bychan site and establish nursery provision there,
Meanwhile, Ysgol Mynydd Bychan would transfer to the current Allensbank site and more than double in size. Under this option, the school would increase from 192 places to 420 places with the number of nursery places also increasing from 64 to 96.
Like Option 1, this option would also be subject to guidance and agreement with The Llandaff Diocesan Board of Finance, while it would also allow for consideration to be given to collaboration or formal federation between Allensbank and Gladstone primary schools, meaning they could share work and expertise while also making better use of resources.
Option Three
Finally, a third option would also see Ysgol Mynydd Bychan more than double in size, while the number of Allensbank Primary School would be cut significantly, with the two schools swapping sites. Allensbank would transfer to the current Ysgol Mynydd Bychan site and reduce in capacity from 315 to 192 places, while Ysgol Mynydd Bychan would transfer to the current Allensbank site and increase from 192 places to 420 places. Like Option 2, the number of nursery places at the school would increase from 64 to 96.
This option would also allow for consideration to be given to collaboration or formal federation between Allensbank and Gladstone primary schools.
The three options are now set to go to public consultation after the cabinet agreed that a long-term plan for local school places was required. Councillor Sarah Merry said the proposals would support schools in "becoming more sustainable" while also addressing demand for Welsh medium places, improving resources and maintaining existing school buildings.
“At the start of 2021, an interim proposal for Ysgol Mynydd Bychan and Allensbank Primary School was consulted on and having listened to the feedback, it was agreed that a long-term plan to address school places in the area was needed," she said.
“Each of the new options have been carefully devised to ensure that there continues to be the right number of English-medium places provided within improved facilities in the Cathays and Gabalfa wards, and that these are organised in a way that supports the schools in becoming more sustainable whilst addressing demand for Welsh Medium places.
“If progressed, the proposals would help to rebalance the number of Welsh and English medium school places meaning that a greater number of children will gain entry to their local school," she added. "In addition, by reusing existing assets more efficiently and through collaborative working, the schools involved would enjoy a number of benefits including improved resources and learning opportunities for pupils and staff. The proposals keep all the existing buildings so the school community can be reassured there will be sufficient places to respond to any future population changes."
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