MOVES to amalgamate two primary schools in Swansea ahead of a major new build scheme are under way.
Council chiefs want to build a new primary for 518 pupils, replacing Blaenymaes and Portmead primaries, by 2031.
The plan before that is to amalgamate the two existing schools in September 2027 to help enable what cabinet member for education and learning Cllr Robert Smith described as a more seamless transition.
Cabinet agreed to consult on the amalgamation proposal at a meeting on Thursday, March 20.
If all went to plan, the two schools would remain open until the new school was ready and it’s envisaged existing and new pupils will continue to be taught at them until 2031.
Cllr Smith said amalgamating them was a “crucial first step” which would bring together their systems, curriculum and staff development procedures. There’ll be one headteacher and one governing body.
“It’s not just about the building, it’s about the staff and more important than anything the children,” he said.
Council leader Rob Stewart said the conditions of the current schools “is not what we would wish them to be”. It was really important, he said, that pupils could benefit from the best facilities.
The council said the new school would be large enough to accommodate all children in the community and would have part-time nursery and Flying Start provision, along with a specialist teaching facility. The plan is to build it near Blaenymaes primary, which is on Broughton Avenue.
A decision whether or not to proceed with the amalgamation will be taken after consultation responses are assessed.
Blaenymaes primary has around 215 pupils on its roll, while a report by inspection body Estyn in 2019 said Portmead primary, on Cheriton Crescent, had around 10 fewer.
Cllr Smith added: “Pupils and their parents can be assured that both the existing school sites will remain open until the new state-of-the-art school is ready and parents and pupils will see very little change until then.
“While the new school building does not form part of this consultation, amalgamating the two schools is a first step towards realising this major investment in the future of the children of the area.
“We want to make sure that we get this right, so if agreed the next stage will then be to progress to detailed design work where we’ll involve staff, pupils, their families and governors.”
