Council backs revised plan for all-through school

Senior councillors have unanimously backed moving forward with revised plans for a new all-through school in Abergavenny.

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet agreed to proceed with publishing statutory notices for the development, which will serve pupils aged three to 19 on the site of King Henry VIII school, at a meeting on Wednesday.

The new school will replace Deri View Primary and King Henry VIII Schools, opening from September 2023.

The plans which went out for public consultation included a privately-run nursery and a school for pupils aged four to 19.

But the private nursery plan was scrapped following opposition in the consultation, including objections from the governing bodies of both schools.

The nursery will now form part of the main school, while Flying Start childcare provision likely to be offered by an independent provider will also be included on the site.

Cllr Paul Pavia, cabinet member for education, said this option was “a suitable compromise” – and would allow parents to access affordable and flexible childcare.

He said: “It was clear from the responses [to the consultation] that there was little appetite to move to a non-maintained provision.

“With this in mind, I would not want to impose anything on the community that it does not want.”

Cllr Pavia added the advantages around providing additional wrap-around childcare, included in the original plans for a non-maintained nursery, could be incorporated into the new plans.

Cllr Tudor Thomas, chairman of the council’s children and young people select committee, gave his support to the decision, saying there had been “a great deal of concern” over the initial plan.

“I think generally people in the community are happy with that outcome and I think it’s important as well the authority has been seen to listen to public opinion,” he said.

“I think the community are happy in the sense that they have been listened to.”

Council leader Cllr Richard John said it was a “crucially important project”.

“This project is a massive financial commitment for us but it’s something we are confident will contribute to levelling up Abergavenny and ensuring that children from deprived backgrounds, and all children from the Abergavenny area, have the very best life chances,” he said.

The proposals include places for 30 nursery pupils, 420 primary pupils, 1,200 students aged 11-16 and 200 sixth-formers.

Specialist provision for children with complex neurodevelopmental and learning needs will also be included, with accommodation for 71 pupils provided.

Further consultation will be carried out following the publication of statutory notices.