Ysgol Felinwnda

At its meeting on 7 November 2023 Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet decided to confirm the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023, and to transfer the current pupils to an alternative school nearby, namely Ysgol Bontnewydd or Ysgol Llandwrog, in accordance with parents' choice, from 1 January 2024. 

The decision came following an objection period that was held between 5 September and 4 October 2023 on the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023. 4 objections were received to the proposal and an objection report was presented to Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet on 7 November 2023. 

The report and appendices presented to the Cabinet on 7 November 2023 (Objection report) which contains a summary of the objections received during the objection period and the Council’s response to the objections is published below as well as on Cabinet 7 November 2023 page (item 6). 

Following consideration of the report, the Cabinet decided: 

  • To approve finally the proposal under Section 43 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, given through a statutory notice, to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023, and to transfer the current pupils to an alternative school nearby, either Ysgol Bontnewydd or Ysgol Llandwrog, according to parent’s choice, from 1 January 2024.
  • To approve transport arrangements for the transition phase only, where free transport would be provided for those learners who are currently registered in Ysgol Felinwnda and living in the catchment area of Ysgol Felinwnda, to Ysgol Bontnewydd or Ysgol Llandwrog, for the remainder of the learner's time in either of those schools, in accordance with Cyngor Gwynedd's transport policy.
  • To consult on the future of Ysgol Felinwnda's current catchment area to agree which school, or schools, will serve as a future catchment school for the children of Ysgol Felinwnda's current catchment area.      

In accordance with the Cyngor Gwynedd Constitution, the Cabinet's decision came into force on 22 November 2023 and a decision letter was published and circulated to all stakeholders.

The decision letter and the objection report are available to view below: 

Further information

In accordance with the Cabinet's decision on 11 July 2023, a statutory objection period was held between 5 September and 4 October 2023 on the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023. 4 objections were received to the proposal and an objection report was presented to Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet on 7 November 2023. 

In accordance with the requirements of the School Organisation Code 011/2018 an Objection Report has been published below, which contains a summary of the objections received during the objection period and the Council's response to them. 

In its meeting on 11 July 2023, following discussing the report and listening to the Local Member’s comments the Cabinet decided: 

  1. To approve commencing the process to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023 under section 43 of the Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013.
  2. Approve the publication of a statutory notice, on the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda on 31 December 2023, allowing a statutory objection period of 28 days in accordance with the requirements of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the guidance of the Schools Organisation Code 011/2018, and to transfer the current pupils to a nearby alternative school, Ysgol Bontnewydd or Ysgol Llandwrog, in accordance with parents' choice, from 1 January 2024.
  3. Approve transport arrangements for the transitional period only, which would offer free transport to those pupils who are currently registered at Ysgol Felinwnda, and live in Ysgol Felinwnda's catchment area, to Ysgol Bontnewydd or Ysgol Llandwrog, for the remainder of the learners’ period at one of those schools, in accordance with Cyngor Gwynedd’s transport policy.
  4. Subject to the Cabinet's decision regarding the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda, allow a consultation to be held on revising the catchment area boundaries of schools that border Ysgol Felinwnda's current catchment area.  

As a result of these decisions, a Statutory Notice was issued on 5 September 2023. 

Any person may object to the proposals within a period of 28 days after the date of which the notice is published, that is by 4 October 2023. 

Objections should be sent in writing to the Head of Education:

Cyngor Gwynedd, Council Offices, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 1SH 

or by sending an e-mail for the attention of the Head of Education to:
modernisingeducation@gwynedd.llyw.cymru 

Following the objection period an objections report will be presented to Cabinet for them to consider any objections received before making a final decision

Based on the PLASC (Pupil Level Annual School Census) January 2023, Ysgol Felinwnda is the smallest school in the county, with only 8 learners. Consequently, the Education Department submitted a report to Cabinet on 11 July 2023 asking for permission to hold a statutory objection period on the proposal to close Ysgol Felinwnda in accordance with the guidelines of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the Welsh Government statutory code (School Organisation Code 011/2018).   

Section 48(3) of the 2013 Act provides that the requirement to consult does not apply to proposals to close a ‘small school’ as defined in the Act, and the School Organisation Code 011/2018 states: 

"If a school has less than 10 registered pupils (or if there are no pupils left in a school) when the census is held in January, the 2013 Act allows governing bodies/local authorities to follow a simpler procedure in order to close the school officially. 

The only thing they would be required to do under that procedure would be to issue the closure notice - the requirement to consult generally would be waived, if enough places in equivalent schools had been identified which would be reasonably accessible to those pupils who have been displaced or may be displaced.” 

As there are less than 10 registered learners at Ysgol Felinwnda in PLASC January 2023, the School Organisation Code allows the authority to follow a simpler procedure to close the school. In particular, the requirement to consult in general is waived, and the only thing that would be required would be to publish the statutory notice