Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations.

                        Councillor Roberts introduced the School Modernisation – School Standards and Organisation Act 2018 – Lixwm School Re-designation report which sought approval for Lixwm School to become a Voluntary Aided school.

                        Since the Cabinet decision not to proceed with the amalgamation of Brynford CP School and Lixwm CP School in June 2018, the Governing Body of Lixwm CP School and education officers from the Anglican Diocese of the Church in Wales had been in proactive discussions to strengthen the existing relationship between the school and the Anglican Church, with a long term ambition to pursue a federation with a local school of the same designation.  However, a statutory process had to be followed and consultation needed to be conducted under the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act.

                        The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) explained that the formal consultation period ran from 26^th September 2019 and closed on 11^th November 2019 and copies of the consultation responses was appended to the report, with 35 respondents (97%) in favour of the proposal, and 1 (3%) opposed to the proposal.  The Diocese of St Asaph, the local Member and the Chairs of Governors of both Lixwm CP and Caerwys VA Schools had all responded positively to the proposals, with their responses also being appended to the report.

                        Councillor Roberts and the Chief Officer thanked the Governors and the Headteacher for working with the Council and wished them every success.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the responses received during the statutory consultation period, and the evidence and analysis provided by officers contained within the consultation report, be considered; and

(b)       That the next stage of the statutory proposals to re-designate Lixwm County Primary Schools to a Voluntary Aided Schools be approved.