THE FUTURE of English-medium secondary education in Haverfordwest will be reviewed as a new consultation opens today (Jan 9).
The consultation proposes to:
- Close Sir Thomas Picton School and Tasker Milward VC School on August, 31 2018.
- Establish a new 11-19 English medium school in Haverfordwest with effect from September 1, 2018, initially utilising both existing school sites.
- Designate Johnston CP School and Neyland CP School as feeder schools to Milford Haven School, and extend the catchment area of Milford Haven School to encompass the catchment areas of Johnston and Neyland.
This consultation will supersede earlier consultations on the matter, so all interested parties are being urged to make their views known. Any previous opinions given to consultations cannot be considered.
The deadline for responses is Thursday, February 28, and there will also be a public meeting on Wednesday, February 1, during which members of the public can find out more about the proposed plans.
This meeting will be held at the County Hall from 6-8pm, in the Committee Rooms on the first floor.
Previously, the council had pushed ahead on numerous occasions with plans to create an 11-16 school despite widespread rejection of the plans.
In May 2016, the council eventually voted against plans to create an 11-16 school and have now come up with plans to create an 11-19 school.
Council Leader Jamie Adams said: “This is a simple opportunity to progress to a general consultation. There appears to have been good discussion, not just with the Trustees and governors of the school may want to confirm but there has been good consultation and discussion with both governing bodies that have proved very positive in terms of the direction of travel.”
Cllr Tessa Hodgson welcomed the progress made but added: “I still have grave concerns about trying to run a secondary school on two sites.”
Cllr Tom Tudor said: “I welcome the recommendation but the concern that has been brought to my attention by the constituents in Haverfordwest is that there is a possibility that we end up having one new school but with part of the school based on the STP site and the sixth form based on the Taskers site, away from the other part of the school.
“This is not what we were campaigning for so I strongly urge that the leader does press on the Welsh Government for guidance on this matter so we can steam this new school, on one site, forward.”
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