Newport City Council consulted on the proposal to:
Expand Ysgol Bryn Derw and increase the capacity of the school from 48 to 68 with effect from January 2020.
Download the Report to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills (pdf)
Download the associated Decision Schedule (pdf)
Download the Fairness and Equality Impact Assessment (pdf)
The consultation took place 1 May to 11 June 2019
The consultation process was an opportunity for people to learn about the proposal, ask questions and make comments that were recorded and summarised in a consultation report.
The report will be published here and will be considered when the council makes a decision.
Drop-in sessions were held at Ysgol Bryn Derw, Melfort Road, Newport NP20 3FQ, on the morning of 16 May and the afternoon of 21 May, where people most directly affected by the proposal met with council officers who were available to explain the proposals and answer any questions.
Download the letter to stakeholders (pdf)
Download the full formal consultation document (pdf)
Download the everyday summary version of the consultation document (pdf)
Download the consultation report (pdf)
Any responses made during this consultation period will be counted as adverse comments and not counted as objections to the proposal.
Objections to a proposal can only be registered after the publication of a statutory notice which is the second stage in the proposal.
The consultation ended at midnight Tuesday 11 June 2019.
The proposal
This is a proposal to expand Ysgol Bryn Derw, an existing community-maintained special school situated in the Gaer area of Newport.
Ysgol Bryn Derw serves the whole of the city and supports the provision of education for children aged from 3 years to 19 years who have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and associated learning difficulties, whose needs cannot successfully be met within either mainstream or Learning Resource Base (LRB) provision.
Expansion of the school will reduce the need to provide out of county placements for pupils living in Newport.
The school was opened in September 2017 with capacity for 48 learners across the 3-19 age range.
By the end of the 2017/2018 academic year, 47 of these spaces had been filled by pupils in Reception to Year 9 classes (ages 4-14).
A re-assessment of the school capacity in the summer term of 2018 identified that an additional eight pupils could potentially be accommodated from September 2018.
All the original and additional places were filled in September 2018 and there are currently 55 pupils on roll.
Given this position and the fact that pupils can remain on roll at the school until the age of 19, there will be limited opportunities to admit further pupils during the forthcoming academic years.
Increasing capacity by a further 12 places by making use of the refurbished annexe building within the school site will reduce the potential for future out of county placements therefore delivering long term revenue savings.
Consultation report
Download the consultation report (pdf) which summarises the consultation and engagement process, comments received and the council's response to these.
Publication of Statutory Notice
The cabinet member has considered all views expressed and responses received during the formal consultation process and has decided to proceed with the proposal to statutory notice stage.
Download the Report to the Cabinet Member (pdf)
Download the updated Fairness and Equality Impact Assessment (pdf)
Download the associated Decision Schedule (pdf)
Determination
The consultation passed through the statutory notice stage without objection and therefore a final decision was taken by the council's Cabinet Member for Education and Skills.
Final decision
The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills has made the decision to implement the proposal to expand Ysgol Bryn Derw and increase the capacity of the school from 48 to 68 with effect from January 2020.
Download the Report to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills (pdf)
Download the updated Fairness and Equality Impact Assessment (pdf)
Download the associated Decision Schedule (pdf)
Down the final decision notification letter (pdf)
TRA112450 05/12/2019