A REVIEW of Caerphilly council’s education system, which could see it stop offering a single sex provision, will be discussed next week.

Caerphilly is the last remaining Welsh local authority which offers parents the choice of sending children to non-mixed gender schools.

The education review, which would include a consultation into sixth form provision and surplus places in Caerphilly West, would cost between £28million and £32million.

It follows a special meeting linked to the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme, which offers match-funding to local authorities to improve education across Wales.

Cllr Wynne David, the chair of the committee, described the possible review as “controversial” but said he felt it was long overdue with regards to non-mixed gender schools.

“Single sex education is out of date,” said the Labour member for the St Cattwg ward.

“It is not the way children should be educated in the 21st century. It needs to be addressed now.”

He added that it was important to address the issue of sixth form provision in the borough also, after the committee heard a number of Caerphilly teenagers were opting to attend the college in Nantgarw.

Cllr Phillipa Marsden, the council’s cabinet member for education and achievement, attended the meeting and welcomed the possibility of reviewing the borough’s education.

“We are very much in need of a review,” she said.

“We want to look after and make sure our children achieve the best.”

The review of education will cover all aspects of the system in Caerphilly including English and Welsh provision and faith learning, the committee agreed.

The cabinet will also rule on eight education projects worth a combined £78million at the meeting.

The largest – for £33million – refers to the refurbishment of secondary and primary schools in the borough.

Cabinet will take a decision on the matter, which is earmarked as £23million for secondary schools and £10million for primary schools in terms of refurbishment costs.

Other projects, which includes £5million to expand the borough’s only facility for additional learning needs at Trinity Fields, and £1million to improve Caerphilly’s pupil referral unit, will go to consultation pending cabinet approval.