FEASIBILITY STUDY

However, authority plans [June 20011] are still on the table with respect to ‘Aberdare Secondary
School Reorganisation’ that might offer the following preferred authority option of building:
“a new secondary school and FE College for Aberdare on the Ynys site. If that is not affordable, the
alternative options are to build a secondary school and FE College at the Coleg Morgannwg site in
Cwmdare or a secondary school, only, at the current Aberdare High School site.” [RCT Cabinet minutes,
6.06.2011] The latest view by the local authority is that there is no longer room for the College to
be located on the Ynys site. The College would consider an alternative site in the town centre of
Aberdare and has submitted an expression of interest to the Welsh Government.
If this option were to be approved by the Minister, it would offer a vibrant new campus in the
North of the authority. Additionally, Welsh Government ‘regeneration’ funds may be accessible to
facilitate a new FE campus location at Aberdare. If this site were to materialise in the short to
medium term, both Directors of Education and Lifelong Learning at Caerphilly Borough Council
and Rhondda Cynon Taf felt it would: “offer a powerful education and training ‘triangle’ of provision
for the ‘Connections Corridor’ and parts of the ‘Heads of the Valleys Plus’ areas of the South East Wales
‘Capital Network’ region.”
The Llwynypia [Rhondda] campus of Coleg Morgannwg, near Tonypandy is not the easiest campus
to access by road, being situated at the northern end of a substantial provision of early 20 th century
terraced housing. However, the Llwynypia campus has, relatively recently, seen a new building
initiative investment, which has increased community engagement and participation and
enhanced curriculum provision for Media & Performing Arts. The Performance Centre offers a 200
seat auditorium and dance, rehearsal and recording studios. This provision has already helped to
improve quality outcomes in the performing arts. This latter example of estate development
shows what might be possible for existing Ystrad Mynach, Rhymney, and Rhondda campuses were
external funding be able to be sourced via a new, merged College venture, and, what might still be
available via innovative partnership working with Rhondda Cynon Taf authority and secondary
schools in Aberdare and Caerphilly Borough Council authority and local schools in Rhymney.
Recent Estyn reports, commenting on ‘resource management,’ noted that at Ystrad Mynach:
“accommodation in teaching and social areas is of a very good standard. The college has significantly
improved the quality of its estate,” whilst reporting on Coleg Morgannwg, inspectors commented,
since 2008: “the college has been able to provide additional resources for improving the estate.”
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