Anglesey council Amlwch schools shake-up plan put on hold

Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones was the UK's first purpose-built comprehensive school

A controversial schools shake-up on Anglesey has been put on hold until similar projects are sorted out.

Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, a secondary school in Amlwch, faces merger with local primary schools or even closure to reduce the number of empty spaces.

Similar proposals for Beaumaris and Llangefni on Anglesey fell foul of Welsh Government guidelines to protect rural schools.

Council officers say the Amlwch plans will be revisited at a later date.

They were unveiled in October, following the approval in July of the Beaumaris proposals and before the Llangefni shake-up was rubber-stamped in December.

However, alarm bells rang in March when Education Minister Kirsty Williams revealed she was investigating a complaint the council did not follow proper procedure in deciding to close Ysgol Gymuned Bodffordd as part of the Llangefni plan.

The Welsh Government's School Organisation Code works on the presumption rural schools should remain open.

Anglesey's ruling executive agreed in May to cancel its decisions on Beaumaris and Llangefni, asking officers to "look afresh" at the matter.

Anglesey is trying to cut surplus school places to save money

A council spokesman has now told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there will be no consultation on the Amlwch proposals this year.

"Local schools, parents and other interested parties have been kept fully informed about the situation regarding the School Modernisation Programme in the Amlwch area," the spokesman said.

"All interested parties in the Amlwch area will be kept updated of any further developments."

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The first purpose-built comprehensive school in Britain, Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones opened in 1950 and had more than 1,200 pupils during the 1970s.

Last October's report on reorganisation said it now had room for 971 pupils but there were only 479 on the register.

Options included an expansion of the building to accommodate pupils from up to six local primary schools which would then close.

Alternatively, it was suggested Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones could shut completely with pupils relocating to Anglesey's four remaining secondary schools.