FAQs - Bassaleg School expansion

Q: This proposal will lead to an increase in traffic in surrounding areas.  Roads are already congested, will access points to the school be altered, could staggered start/end times help?

A: The additional capacity is proposed to accommodate pupils living in the new housing developments at Jubilee Park and Tredegar Park Golf Club. 

Both developments are within one mile easy walking distance of the school, and highways infrastructure for these developments has already been put in place.

The likely impact of the pupil and associated staff increase is being assessed and will be addressed within the planning application process for highways officers to comment as appropriate. 

Staggered start and finish times could be considered but this would be something for the governing body to propose and consult on.

Q: There is available capacity in other secondary schools, e.g. Llanwern High. Is there not scope to direct pupils to these other schools?

A: The only school with any spare capacity is Llanwern High School, to the east of the city. The identified demand is in the Bassaleg School catchment, in the west of the city. 

It is not appropriate to bus hundreds of children across the city every day, adding to pollution and congestion problems.  

Q: Why can’t Marshfield pupils go to John Frost and travel less distance to school?

A: The John Frost School is fully subscribed with pupils from within its own catchment area and is no closer to Marshfield than Bassaleg School.

Q: I am concerned about the construction work interfering with learning and putting pupils at risk

A: There will inevitably be some disruption on site during the building work period, work will be completed in phases to limit disruption to specific areas of the school site. 

The health and safety of everyone on site is the top priority and construction areas will be segregated from school areas with site hoardings. 

Where possible the most disruptive work such as demolition will be conducted during school holidays. 

The contractors invited to bid for the contract will all have considerable experience of delivering projects on live school sites and of working with schools to ensure pupils are able to continue to learn effectively and safely. 

Finally the construction environment provides an opportunity for students to witness first-hand the world of work and to see the variety of trades employed on a build project.