A Cardiff primary school is set to nearly double in size and split across two new sites in the city, according to new plans. The Court Special School, which supports 42 pupils aged between four and 11 with additional learning needs, is currently situated in Station Road in Llanishen.
However the school could be expanded to 72 places and moved to locations in Llanrumney and Fairwater according to planning applications submitted to Cardiff Council. The site currently occupied by St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School in Dunster Road in Llanrumney as well as land to the south of Fairwater Primary School are being proposed for the expanded school with an equal number of pupils at each site.
St Mellons CIW primary is moving to a brand-new home at the St Edeyrns development in Pontprennau meaning its current site is vacant. If the proposals submitted to the council are approved The Court will take over the site with existing buildings being demolished and a new school with specialist education and sport facilities being built.
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Meanwhile the Fairwater development, which is subject to a different planning application, will also see a new school building constructed with the same facilities including chill-out rooms, art and design workshops, and a five-a-side football pitch.
The proposed development at the Llanrumney site would see the current buildings knocked down and replaced with a largely one-storey building. As well as six classrooms the building will house breakout and intervention rooms, a library, multimedia room, chill-out room, and art facilities. Outside a five-a-side football pitch, sports and soft play area, 'forest school', and horticulture area are among the amenities that will be available at the new site.
A near-identical development is proposed for the Fairwater site with sensory stimulus and play equipment at the forefront of the proposals. The building is planned for what is currently the southern end of Fairwater Primary School's playing fields and would border neighbouring houses and the Sbectrwm community centre.
Pupils at The Court have additional learning needs arising from behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties with many having additional barriers to learning including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health issues. The 42 students who currently attend are split between six classes with at least one teacher and two teaching assistants in each.
The proposals for the school's expansion and relocation have been submitted to the council with a decision yet to be made. However, while it is hoped that the move will improve special school provision in the capital, concerns have been raised about the impact it may have on the surrounding area.
In response to the application Ceri Bowen, the head teacher of Pen-y-Bryn Primary School, which shares the Dunster Road site with St Mellons primary, said he and the school's governing board support the proposals, adding: "There is clearly a need for greater provision to enhance the emotional health and wellbeing of the young people of Cardiff, especially in the east of the city. We very much hope this provides the help so many children require."
However he raised concerns about the development's effect on the existing road network around the site, which he described as "already at breaking point". He added: "The road is extremely narrow and at the start and the end of the day there are numerous issues with parking and cars unable to pass each other. A one-way system or a specified turning direction out of the school sites could support this."
Questions were also posed about the repurposing of "a substantial amount of land" on the Pen-y-Bryn site for the new development with Mr Bowen writing: "Many members of the Pen-y-Bryn community would ask why this needs to happen for such a low number of pupils on a large site. Our plans to develop a forest school area in the land that is being allocated for The Court school has been put on hold due to the development".
Despite these concerns, however, the head teacher confirmed that the school "fully support" the development as he wrote: "Our main concern is that the whole school community of Pen y Bryn does not suffer any negative impact due to the proposals and in fact gains from this much-need enhancement to the provision for pupils in Cardiff who have significant emotional, health, and well-being needs".
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