The Digital Classroom of Tomorrow Project

Centre for Research into Online Communities and E-Learning Systems

The Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park,
Swansea, West Wales & The Valleys, SA2 8PP, Wales, GB.
Telephone: 01792 345105 Web: www.dcot.org.uk
10 November 2012

Christopher Bradshaw
Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC
Ty Trevithick
Abercynon
CF45 4UQ

Dear Mr Bradshaw,
Re: Proposal to Close Glantaf Infants School
I am in receipt of your letter, dated 7 November 2012, regarding the proposal to close Glantaf
Infants School. I write to you as both a school governor at Parc Lewis County Primary and as
the Chairman of The DCOT Project Classroom 2.0 in Wales.
My overriding view is that it should not be for the local authority to make decisions about
which schools to close or maintain it should be driven by the market, which is what is in the
best interests of the children and parental choice. On this basis, if there are enough parents
who want to send their children to Glantaf Infants and that school is best able to provide for
the individual development of their children, then it should remain open, regardless of any
efficiency gains that the local authority may wish to make to its overall education budget,
which should not come into the decision for its maintenance of schools.
As a governor at Parc Lewis, I am please the local authority has confidence in the Head
teacher and governors to take in an expanded number of pupils. However, I think this would
be best achieved by abolishing catchment areas and allowing parents from outside the area to
send their children to our school. We are one of the best in the county for supporting children
with special educational needs, and our headteacher supports my view that providing further
technology enhanced learning as part of our current budget plans will best provide the
individual education not only to SEN pupils but all pupils of all abilities.
I therefore oppose in principle the local authoritys proposal to close Glantaf Infants School,
which appears to be solely based on financial issues. If there are enough parents willing to
subscribe their children to that school it should stay open. Equally, if there are not enough
parents in the locality willing to send their children to that school, then parents outside the
area should also be given the chance to subscribe their children to this school. Catchment
areas are completely improper in this day and age, as the right for a pupil to attend a school
should be what is in the interests of their individual development and parental choice, and the
local authority should not interfere with the market where it is not needed, as in this case.
With best regards,

Jonathan Bishop FBCS CITP