Sioned Williams gains Government commitment to visit Godre’r Graig School

Concerns raised over impact on learners “who have never been educated in a permanent school building in their own community”

Sioned Williams has gained a commitment from Lynne Neagle, the Cabinet Secretary for Education to meet with school leaders from Godre’r Graig Primary School.

Today in the Senedd (Tuesday 8 October), Sioned Williams MS raised again the plight of Godre’r Graig Primary School, whose pupils have been taught out of portacabins for the last six years, miles from their community, following the closure of their school building and its subsequent demolition.

While an application for a replacement school in Godre’r Graig has been submitted to the Welsh Government, concerns have been raised with Ms Williams that this is being assessed as a new school.

A letter from a Welsh Government official to officers at Neath Port Talbot Council references the impact a ‘new' school would have on pupil numbers in other schools, but not the impact that the existing situation is having on pupil numbers at Ysgol Godre'r Graig.

Ms Williams invited Lynne Neagle to “meet with leaders, to understand the exceptional context of this application for support” to which Ms Neagle confirmed that she was “very happy to visit the school.”

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said:

After again raising the need for a replacement school for pupils of Godre’r Graig Primary School, and trying to get the Welsh Government to understand the unique context for the application for support, I was very glad to get a commitment from the Cabinet Secretary to visit the school and meet with school leaders.

This isn’t a ‘new school’ because the school already exists, so when I hear reference made as to the impact a ‘new school’ for Godre’r Graig could have on other neighbouring schools, it is a moot point, because Godre’r Graig Primary School is already in existence.

What is of concern to me is the impact on the many learners at Godre'r Graig School who have never been educated in a permanent school building in their own community, and in safeguarding the future of this successful school.

This story was also covered by the following news outlet:

Wales Online: Questions over funding for demolished Neath Port Talbot school

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