Council investigates why Swansea pupils switch schools

Changing schools can be "stressful" for children

Nearly 2,000 pupils went through the "stress" of switching schools in Swansea in the last academic year and now the council wants to know why.

The local authority has been told 1,800 schoolchildren within its area made the switch during the 2017-18 term.

So the council has employed an officer to specifically look into the reasons.

Councillor Jennifer Raynor told a cabinet meeting: "Children find moving school very stressful. We need to understand what is going on here."

More pupils switched during the academic year than are educated at Swansea's largest comprehensive school.

Mrs Raynor, who holds the education brief, wanted to "challenge" some of the possible explanations offered by the officer.

The cabinet was also told Ysgol Crug Glas special school on Croft Street was "well beyond its sell-by date", in terms of facilities.

However work is under way on a new pupil referral unit at Cockett House in the Cockett area of the city, due to open in 2020.