Plans to increase the number of pupils at a special school have taken a step forward.
Officials at Pen-y-Cwm special school in Ebbw Vale want to increase capacity from 120 to 175 pupils.
They hope to boost capacity by "remodelling" the existing school - which will include a revamp of former Integrated Children’s Centre (ICC), a staffroom and a shared bistro area.
An earlier consultation by Blaenau Gwent Council showed that 82 percent of people supported the proposals. A second consultation is now underway.
A statutory notice has been published on the plans which run until Friday, July 23, 2021. There any formal objections can be made and will be considered by councillors when they make a final decision..
Headteacher Darya Brill-Williams said the planned expansion would help meet the growing demand for places at the school.
She said: "Pen-y-Cwm is a happy and highly successful school which seeks to live up to its motto ‘Gwnawn ein gorau’, and be outstanding in all its activity. Our learners and their families deserve the best and we seek to offer nothing less.
“We are excited and keen to work with the council to achieve the additional capacity that is needed in order to accommodate the growing number of learners requiring specialist educational provision, and so I’m pleased that we have moved to the next step."
Planning documents say the scheme would create "additional space" and also provide more specialist areas for teaching in the school.
It read: "The former ICC which is situated on the first floor of Pen y Cwm School is not currently suitable in facilitating the delivery of teaching and learning. The proposal seeks to transform this area into a post 16 base, inclusive of a common room and life skills area, which will in turn free-up additional classroom space for secondary pupils on the first floor.
"In addition, it is planned for Ebbw Fawr staffroom and the shared bistro area to be occupied by Pen y Cwm to compliment the post 16 provision, whilst also creating a more extensive and dedicated area for the growing numbers of staff."
However a formal response from Estyn, the Welsh body for inspecting education facilities, said that more information would be needed to show how the plans would benefit pupils.
"The proposer has outlined several key benefits to extend the capacity at Pen y Cwm Special School from 120 to 175 places, with effect from September 2021," it said. "It has not however demonstrated clearly enough how the council will remodel the existing learning environment to create additional classroom spaces and associated facilities that will fully benefit the quality of provision for current pupils.
"Our opinion is that the proposal does not provide enough information for us to evaluate whether the current standards of education and provision in the area will at least be maintained or improved."
If approved, officials at the school hope the could be completed by the start of term this September.
