Ysgol Bryn Derw is a special school which provides education for children aged from 3-19 who have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated learning difficulties.
The council is looking to increase capacity at the school as the demand for ASD school provision in Newport is higher than the number of places currently available.
Increasing capacity within the city would provide better outcomes for local children, as there would be less need to use out-of-county placements, reducing travel time.
Out-of-county placements also cost the council, on average, almost twice as much as placing a pupil in Ysgol Bryn Derw.
The extra places will be provided by extending the school into the former Lodge Hill infant school building, currently being used by Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Gwenlli, at Hadrian Close in Caerleon.
Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Gwenlli will be leaving the Hadrian Close site in April 2025 to move into its permanent home in Pillgwenlly. The building will then be adapted to ensure it is suitable for Ysgol Bryn Derw to use.
Ysgol Bryn Derw currently operates out of two sites, one in Gaer and one in Bettws. This expansion would increase that number of sites to three.
The site at Hadrian Close would become a dedicated Primary/Key Stage 2 site for the school.
Speaking about the proposals, Councillor Deb Davies, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for education and early years, said: “I’m very pleased to be able to launch the consultation on our plans to expand Ysgol Bryn Derw.
“The school already provides an excellent service to pupils. These plans set out how we will expand that service to meet the growing demand for ASD school places, while maintaining existing high standards.
“Repurposing the old Lodge Hill infants building will ensure that this expansion is also as cost effective as possible, while delivering a better service for our children.”
A consultation on the proposals has opened and will run until midnight on Wednesday 16 October. Further details about the plans, along with a link to the survey, are available on the council’s website.
