Cardiff Primary School will almost double in size and will be divided into two new city areas under the new plans. Supporting 42 students aged 4-11 with additional learning needs, Cort Special School is currently located on Station Road in Llanishen.
However, the school could expand to 72 sites and move to sites in Llanrumney and Fairwater, in line with planning requests submitted to Cardiff Council. The site currently occupied by St Mellon’s Church of Wales Primary School on Dunster Road in Llanramney and the land to the south of Fairwater Primary School is proposed for an extended school with the same number of pupils on each site.
St Mellons CIW Primary is moving to a new home in the St Edeyrns complex in Pontprennau, which means its current location is vacant. If the proposals presented to the City Council are approved, the court will take possession of the site with the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of a new school with sports and special education equipment.
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At the same time, the Fairwater development, which is subject to a different planning application, will also feature a new school building constructed with the same facilities, including classrooms, art and design workshops and a mini soccer field.
The proposed development on the Llanrumney site will see current buildings demolished and replaced with single storey buildings. In addition to six classrooms, the building will house recreation and intervention rooms, a library, a media room, a recreation room and artistic spaces. Along with a mini-soccer field, soft play and sports areas, a ‘forestry school’ and a garden area are some of the amenities that will be available in the new location.
An almost identical development is proposed for the Fairwater site, with sensory stimulation and recreational equipment at the forefront of proposals. The building is planned for what is now the southern part of Fairwater Elementary School’s playing fields and will border neighboring homes and the Sbectrwm Community Center.
Court students have additional learning needs stemming from behavioral, emotional and social difficulties, many of whom have additional learning difficulties such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder and mental health issues. The 42 students who currently attend are divided into six classes, each with at least one teacher and two teaching assistants.
Proposals for the expansion and relocation of the school have been submitted to the board for consideration, a decision has yet to be made. However, while the measure is expected to improve the supply of special schools in the capital, concerns have been raised about the impact it could have on the periphery.
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Responding to the request, Ceri Bowen, principal of Pen y Bryn Primary School, which shares land on Dunster Road with St Mellons Primary School, said he and the school’s governing board supported the proposals, adding: “There is a clear need to improve the emotional health and well-being of young people in Cardiff, especially in the east of the city. We really hope this will help many children.”
However, he expressed concern about the impact of construction on the existing road network around the site, which he described as “already on the verge of ruin”. He added: “The road is extremely narrow and there are numerous problems at the beginning and end of the day with parking and cars not being able to pass. A one-way system or designated conversion direction by schools can help with this.”
Questions were also raised about the re-use of a “significant amount of land” at the Pen y Bryn site for new development, with Bowen writing: “Many members of the Pen y Bryn community would question why this should happen to such a large number . small.” of students over a large area Our plans to develop a forestry school on the land allocated for the Court School have been put on hold due to development.”
However, despite these concerns, the principal confirmed that the school was “fully supportive” of the development, writing: “Our main concern is that the entire school community of Pen y Bryn is not harmed in any way by the proposals. benefit from this much needed improvement for Cardiff students who have significant health, wellbeing and emotional needs.’
Source: Wales Online
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
