REACTION has been mixed from the Torfaen schools affected by the council proposal to re-configure post 16 education and training in Torfaen.

The plan would see a new integrated post-16 centre built on land next to Morrisons supermarket in Cwmbran, complimented by an associated Engineering Centre of Excellence serving the South East Wales region.

The existing sixth form provisions in the borough would end, if approved.

Matt Hutt acting head of Croesyceiliog School said: “Obviously we are going to be continuing to develop our sixth form and have more courses starting in September.

“We continue to broaden the range of courses we have got [and] we are committed to first providing the best post 16 provision in Croesyceiliog School in to the future and as far as the council proposal goes we will wait to see what happens.

“[We have] a strong belief in the quality of provision of post 16 education.”

But Abersychan High School, which does not currently have a sixth form, believed the plans would be a positive one for students in the north of the borough.

Head of Abersychan High School Michael Conway said: “We support the proposal that will give pupils in the north of the borough equity at last compared to pupils in the south who have the opportunity to stay in at sixth form.”

Llantarnam School, St Alban’s RC High School and Fairwater High School did not wish to comment.

During February, the council’s cabinet and the College Gwent Board will be asked to agree a strategic outline case for a tertiary model for post-16 education in Torfaen.

The proposal will then be submitted to the Welsh Government for approval before engagement with stakeholders and statutory processes can commence.

The proposal aims to provide better education and training to young people across Torfaen and addresses the Welsh Government’s ‘Transforming Education And Training Provision in Wales’ agenda.

Executive Member for Education, Cllr David Yeowell said: “This site would take advantage of excellent road and rail links and benefit from the wide ranging amenities accessible to pupils and staff in Cwmbran town centre.”

Once the new post 16 centre opens, existing sixth forms in Torfaen would close and proposed sixth forms at West Monmouth and Abersychan secondary schools would no longer be established.

The sixth form at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw which is the Welsh Language secondary school serving the region would be unaffected by the proposal and a new build comprehensive school on the Croesyceiliog site would be built for pupils aged 11-16.

Leader of Torfaen Council, Cllr Bob Wellington CBE, said: “This is a transformational proposal which is part of the council’s 21st Century Schools Programme to improve education in the borough.

“The joint working with Coleg Gwent over the past year has resulted in this exciting proposal which could be delivered in the next couple of years if supported by Welsh Government.”

Torfaen’s Cabinet committee will receive the report on 10 February.