Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Education Secretary to take action to ensure that the Welsh Government’s School Organisation Code is not breached by local authorities in respect of rural school closures.
Mr Isherwood, who in July expressed concern about figures showing that 41 schools have been closed in North Wales since devolution in1999, has previously called on the Welsh Government to respond to concerns that Flintshire County Council was using old and inaccurate data and acting in breach of the School Organisation Code in respect of school closures.
This week in the Assembly Chamber, he asked the Education Secretary, Kirst Williams AM, to provide an update on Welsh Government proposals for the closure of rural schools.
He said:
“As you're aware, concerns are regularly raised that Welsh Government criteria for ‘21st Century Schools’ funding is driving Council decisions on which schools to close. When I attended the call-in on the rural school closures in Flintshire last year, evidence-based presentations were made in accordance with the Welsh Government's own School Organisation Code. Despite that, the schools were closed after an entirely party political speech, which ignored the Code completely, by the Council Leader.
“I recently wrote to you regarding proposals by Anglesey Council to close Ysgol Talwrn under their review of primary education provision in the Llangefni area. You concluded that letter by explaining that the strengthening, as you put it, of the statutory School Organisation Code, following consultation, will follow, but any changes to the current version of the Code would not be retrospective.
“What action can you and the Welsh Government take if and when communities have evidence to show that the School Organisation Code and the data being used by the Council are in apparent breach of the Welsh Government's requirements?”
The Secretary replied:
“I am very clear that there can be real benefits—academic, cultural and social—to pupils in communities through the delivery of high-quality education in small and rural schools. I know, and parents across rural Wales know, that small, rural schools can play an important role in raising standards and extending opportunity for all.
“I'm convinced that there is an opportunity to strengthen the Code. It's a promise that I made in opposition and it is a promise that I am fulfilling and following through on with the consultation, but it is correct to say that it will not be retrospective.”
Mr Isherwood added:
“Too many good schools have closed their doors due to the policies of successive Labour Welsh Governments and it is our rural areas that have been hit hardest. Small and rural schools can provide real academic, cultural and social benefits, but time and time again this has been overlooked. No good school that is able to deliver the national curriculum should be forced to close without the agreement of parents, teachers and governors.”