Gwynedd’s Primary headteachers welcome financial support

24/01/2012

Headteachers at Gwynedd's primary schools have welcomed the extra financial support that will be available for schools that are facing increased class sizes. 

Plaid Cymru's Finance Portfolio Leader in Gwynedd, Councillor Siân Gwenllian, announced that schools will once again be able to bid for a grant from the "Class Size Fund." 

Gwynedd Headteachers Federation Chair, Bethan Morrris-Jones said: “As a Federation, we are grateful to the elected Councillors at Gwynedd for safeguarding this extra financial support of £200,000 to the education budget for the 2012-2013 school year.  With the addition of the primary schools contribution to the fund, the full total comes to £300,000.

“By ensuring efficient partnership work between Gwynedd Council and headteachers, we are committed to ensuring the best possible education for Gwynedd primary pupils taught in the largest class sizes,” said Bethan Morris-Jones. 

Many primary schools are facing the unenviable task of lowering staffing levels and the only way forward for many is to increase class sizes," said Plaid Schools Portfolio Leader, Liz Saville Roberts.  "We, as Plaid Cymru Councillors believe that if a class gets too big or has too many pupils from a wide age range, some pupils risk being placed at a disadvantage.  This has been proven in a number of educational studies.

"Some children may not be able to reach their full potential because of reduced school budgets.  This results in large classes in some of the poorer parts of the County while some medium sized schools are facing the prospect of major staffing changes.  I am concerned that this will have a detrimental impact on how well children achieve at school. 

"This is the message that I am hearing in discussions with School Heads, School Governors and parents and I am delighted that some schools will benefit from a cash injection in September 2012 to help alleviate some of the problems,” said Councillor Lis Saville Roberts

She concluded: “As a county, we already subsidise our smaller schools and we must remember that the 30 primary schools in that category do not have the budgetary problems faced by the other 70 primary schools.  The 30 smaller schools have guaranteed staffing levels, no matter how small the class sizes," she said.