Consultation on plans for two Tenby schools moves forward

A public consultation is to be held on discontinuing Tenby’s secondary school and the Tenby Church in Wales VC School - with the aim of establishing a new 3-19 community school.

In a report before Pembrokeshire County Council’s meeting of July 16, members were asked to back a public consultation into establishing a new 3-19 community school in the Tenby area, discontinuing Tenby Church in Wales VC School and Ysgol Greenhill comprehensive.

Back in December councillors backed authorising the Director of Education to commence statutory consultation on establishing a new 3-19 school, a split site initially, but as part of an investment to rebuild/extend Tenby’s Greenhill site, or on a new site.

It included a consultation with the St David’s Diocese to discontinue Tenby Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to discontinue Ysgol Greenhill before the report before members in July.

A report for members, presented by the council’s deputy leader, and now Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Paul Miller said that, since the December meeting, St David’s Diocese responded by conditionally supporting the Tenby VC School element, subject to the newly established 3–19 school retaining a religious character, either as a Voluntary Aided (VA) or Voluntary Controlled (VC) school.

The report added: “In accordance with the decision of council at its meeting on December 12, and the statutory requirements of the School Organisation Code, consultation has been undertaken with the St David’s Diocese.

“In relation to the council’s proposal for Tenby VC School, the comments received from the Diocese do not provide any reason not to proceed with general consultation.”

It added: “As most pupils within the cluster attend community primary schools, it is recommended that consultation be undertaken on the basis of establishing a community primary school.

“It should be noted that, whatever the decision, this would merely reflect the preferred option outlined within the general consultation document.

“Members would still be required to give due consideration to feedback received as a result of the consultation, which may include a preference by consultees for a different governance model.”

Members, by 41 votes to two abstentions, backed the formal consultation, which had been moved by Council Leader Cllr Tessa Hodgson.