Broadlands Catchment Consultation Ends Tomorrow

Please be aware that the closing date for responding to the catchment proposals is tomorrow. This will mark the end of the public consultation and move into the council's processes to summarise the findings and put forward a final recommendation to cabinet in June.

Keep up to date here on this blog and more on our facebook site: Here

Option B's route to Laleston school from north Broadlands.....

The below map has photographs along the route that BCBC proposes as the safe route to school.Originally, the cost of footpath construction was estimated at £400,000.


View Broadlands to Laleston in a larger map

The council have now estimated £60,000 for the development of a path with lighting up to the main road - however, this excludes the purchase of land - a project which has been said could cost in excess of £100,000*.

These costs are being incurred to overcome a short term "spike" in demand at the school. Based on the age range of residents on the Broadlands development - this is felt to be a short term issue. Surely short term issues should be dealt with by short term measures?. This is all being done at the cost of families who have made their home here - many residents already have children at Maes-Yr-Haul School; Option B+C will cause split schooling. The Bridgend LEA need to take action to protect the existing residents of Broadlands from having this issue and at least consider Sibling priority.


* - there are no published figures for the land aquisition and this was mentioned at the meetings by the officers as a potential figure for the implementation

Catchment Changes - the figures are not clear enough to make the change!

A week before the meeting at Maes-Yr-Haul, the following questions were posed by Arfon Hughes of the residents association to the officers responsible for reporting to cabinet.  There is still no formal response.

This proposal was first presented to committee with a scenario of the school pupil numbers at 2011 (excluding nursery) reaching 621. Your latest data puts the figure for 2011 at 532. This is a material difference that begs the question as to whether change is necessary at all. Can you please explain?

On a related point, the actual intake for Reception at MYH fell from 80 in September 2009 to 68 in September 2010. Again, this is a material change that suggests that your earlier forecasts were incorrect. Again, are you able to explain?

We would also note that the latest forecasts expect the number of Year 1 pupils to increase from 68 to 96 between 2010 and 2011, a 41% increase over a single year, and for similarly high levels to be sustained every year until 2018. What is the justification for this? 

You have indicated that your forecasts are predicated on the numbers of live births in Broadlands. The figure for 2007 was cited in the August 2008 officer report as 106. The most recent report (consultation letter of 1 February, para 4.2) simply states an average of over 100 live births over the past four years. Both the Residents’ Association and the Governors have asked for this evidence base to be explained but no such explanation has been forthcoming. Can you please supply this information?

The assumptions made in the most recent forecasts of school place demand which you kindly supplied to me by email this week present what I think is the nub of the issue: You forecast an intake over a sustained period of 87 pupils against a PAN of 69.

In simple terms, the ‘over subscription’ of MYH is predicated on 87% of all births on the estate translating into demands for school places. Yet in both the Option B and Option C reports prepared by your department, between 31% and 33% of all children in Broadlands attend other schools, for reasons including language and religion. Applying this, existing ratio of children to pupils to future growth would yield a demand of 67-69, matching exactly the PAN figure for the school.

It is the adoption of a higher ‘take up’ rate of places at MYH from new births than trend data indicates which forms the basis for change. Please can you explain why you have adopted such a take up rate?The assumptions made in the most recent forecasts of school place demand which you kindly supplied to me by email this week present what I think is the nub of the issue: You forecast an intake over a sustained period of 87 pupils against a PAN of 69.


It is the adoption of a higher ‘take up’ rate of places at MYH from new births than trend data indicates which forms the basis for change. Please can you explain why you have adopted such a take up rate?In simple terms, the ‘over subscription’ of MYH is predicated on 87% of all births on the estate translating into demands for school places. Yet in both the Option B and Option C reports prepared by your department, between 31% and 33% of all children in Broadlands attend other schools, for reasons including language and religion. Applying this, existing ratio of children to pupils to future growth would yield a demand of 67-69, matching exactly the PAN figure for the school. 

It is the adoption of a higher ‘take up’ rate of places at MYH from new births than trend data indicates which forms the basis for change. Please can you explain why you have adopted such a take up rate?

Community being split in two and Sibling Split schooling

The Local Gazette have published another article this week. This is the 2nd front-page coverage in the last month. A clear issue with all of these options is family unity  - there seems to be little focus on family issues around the options - there are many families who have commented within OPTION B's established areas during the entire consultation period in areas such as  Clos Henblas and Rhodfa Mes where split schooling will certainly impact them; this view is echo'd in the OPTION C's residents views.  The officers at BCBC are not using their powers to influence family unity for either of the options - this should be at the forefront of their paper however was not a real focal point.

Initial article can be found here: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/bridgend-maesteg/2011/01/27/school-places-furore-91466-28061343/ 

and today's article here: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/bridgend-maesteg/2011/02/24/our-community-is-being-split-in-two-91466-28223626/

The consultation continues and residents should be writing to the following people

Ellen.Franks@Bridgend.gov.uk; Cabinet_Committee@bridgend.gov.uk;  Mark.Beauchamp@bridgend.gov.uk; Cllr.Alana.Davies@bridgend.gov.uk

Option A - A logical option

Residents and Children on Gypsy Lane

The meetings took place last week at the 2 schools in question, it was clear from the meetings that the figures presented by the LEA brought with them some  "health warnings".

The evidence within the catchment change report suggests there is 100 live births each year and a sustained intake of 87 children, this is an unsubstantiated figure.  Arfon Hughes from the residents association has raised this point in correspondence with the LEA

In simple terms, the ‘over subscription’ of MYH is predicated on 87% of all births on the estate translating into demands for school places.  Yet in both the Option B and Option C reports prepared by your department, between 31% and 33% of all children in Broadlands attend other schools, for reasons including language and religion.  Applying this, existing ratio of children to pupils to future growth would yield a demand of 67-69, matching exactly the PAN figure for the school. 

This is a clear indication of OPTION A being the most logical option. Both of these options are going to cause a major issue for families with children already at the school

Make sure you write into the LEA with your feedback by March 1st.

School Catchment Consultations

A presentation was made yesterday evening 8 February at Maes yr Haul by the education department about their revised plans to change the catchment of the school. Essentially what is proposed is that areas to the north of the school, including those immediately adjacent to it, be taken out of the catchment and placed in the catchment for Trelales. 

Unfortunately the event wasn't advertised beyond parents of children at Maes yr Haul at present. There is a deadline of 1 March for representations. 
The Residents' Association has already made representations highlighting that the case for change hasnot been made and the effect that the proposal will have on the community and parents with more than one child who may end up with children attending two different schools. 

There is a further consultation event at Trelales school TONIGHT Feb 9th at 6pm 

Please email arfon@broadlandsresidents.org for further information, or join our facebook group "Leave Maes yr Haul's Catchment Alone!"

2nd Consultation at Maes Yr Haul School

All views must be received by no later than Tuesday 1^st March 2011.

            You are also welcome to attend the open meeting at one of the two schools concerned:

            Maes yr Haul Primary School:    Tuesday 8^th February 2011 at 7:00pm

            Trelales Primary School:             Wednesday 9^th February 2011 at 6.00pm