Five months after a “much needed” £22m new school opened it has empty places, is considering redundancies and faces deficit. Ysgol Robert Owen in Newtown, funded by the Welsh Government and Powys Council, opened on September 1 2024 to a fanfare statement that it would “transform education” in the county.
Just a few months later staff have now been told that 20 full time equivalent jobs may go, the state-of-the-art hydro pool may never be used and it’s looking at a minimum £300,000 deficit, the National Education Union Cymru said. NEU members at the school have asked their union to ballot for industrial action in protest against the cuts, which they say is equivalent to one in six full time roles including teachers and support staff.
Soon after the new school, formerly Ysgol Cedewain, was opened Powys Council released a statement saying that it was a “much needed” and “milestone” project. The council said it would “transform education in Powys” and had improved facilities for the “most vulnerable pupils”, including a hydro-therapy pool. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
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Now a gloomier picture has emerged and the council has admitted the school is under “financial pressure”. The local authority appeared to blame a generally gloomy outlook for schools across Wales, rather than addressing specifics – but at the same time it has also announced plans to build another multi milion pound school for “vulnerable” children.
Speaking about the planned cuts at Ysgol Robert Owen Nicola Fitzpatrick, Interim Wales Secretary for the National Education Union (NEU) Cymru, said: “It is unbelievable that Powys Council have spent £22m of public money on a much-needed new school for children with additional learning needs but it appears they have not done their homework on how much it will cost to run and staff. We’re shocked they have also failed to fill all the places in the school despite a clear need for specialist provision.
“The proposed cuts will reduce the school to a shadow of what was intended as well as creating an environment that is fundamentally unsafe for staff and pupils alike. Children with additional learning needs, and our members, both deserve better. It’s clear the Council should now identify the funds to run this brand-new facility safely and at its full potential.”
NEU Wales Officer Peter Marsh-Jenks said that Powys Council told the union in mid-December about the cuts at which time it was also projecting a deficit of around £300,000 by the end of the financial year. He said at the time the council also said the hydrotherapy pool may never be used, but had now backtracked and said there was a technical problem with it.
Mr Marsh-Jenks said it was astonishing such a large scale capital project had not been accompanied by cost forecast and assessment on whether places could be filled. Local authority schools are funded per pupil so any empty spaces carry a cost.
“We are told it could be up to 20 full time equivalent posts, mostly support staff, but also tecahers, going,” he said, “this is a very strange set of circumstances and the school only opened in September.
“The cost of the school is equivalent to £170 for every woman, man and child in Powys. It is like they identified capital funds for it withoutb identifying revenue and how to fund it.
“Parents will be very upset. Staff are worried about the quality of education with these cuts and rendering it unsafe – in terms of whether there are enough staff to lift a child for instance.
“Powys have confirmed a deficit of £300,000 by the end of the financial year. If they have built a school that us too big why?.”
Asked about the precisie level of cuts and deficit and the union’s claims Powys Council spokesperson responded by saying that in general schools and local authorities are feeling financially squeezed. But it indicated the pool would open.
A spokesman said: “Schools across Wales, like councils, are facing significant financial pressures which need to be managed. School leaders will need to consider how they manage their financial pressures within the resources available to them via the agreed school funding formula and allocated delegate budget.
“The council support schools through any management of change process to ensure that they are able deliver the curriculum within their resources. There is currently a technical issue with the school’s new hydrotherapy pool which we are looking into, we are supporting the school in operating this facility.”
Following the two-year new build project the council’s statement at the time of opening said: “Completion of this much needed project is an important milestone in implementing the council’s strategy for transforming education in Powys and has provided much improved facilities for the county’s most vulnerable pupils, including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and physiotherapy rooms, garden and a community café.
“Work is continuing on Phase 2 of the development, which will provide sports facilities, additional parking and other outdoor areas on the land where the school’s former buildings were located. Some of these facilities will be shared with Maesyrhandir C.P. School, which is located next to Ysgol Robert Owen.
“The project has been delivered by Wynne Construction on behalf of the council and funded by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme and Powys County Council.”
Meanwhile Powys Council is now planning another multi milion pound new school that it again says will “transform education for vulnerable learners”. The council said it will submit a full business case for this to the Welsh Government if the cabinet members agree.
The council said the new £12.7m school would replace Brynllywarch Hall School’s current building in Kerry near Newtown which provides education for eiught to 19year-olds, with a wide range of complex emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.
Cabinet will be told in February that the funding required for the replacement school would be £12.7m with 75% of funding coming from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The remaining 25% would be funded by the council.
Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “The existing Brynllywarch Hall building no longer offers a suitable environment for the teaching and support requirements of pupils with significant behavioural, emotional or social difficulties.
“The new school for Brynllywarch would provide an environment where teaching staff can thrive and provide pupils with the facilities that enable their needs to be met their needs giving them a more enjoyable and fulfilling educational experience.
“If the full business case is approved by both Cabinet and Welsh Government, this would represent another huge investment in our school infrastructure.”
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