A new Cardiff primary school has been named. Fairoak Primary, which opens in September 2025, replaces Allensbank and Gladstone primary schools .
The school will open at the junction of Fairoak Road, Crwys Road, Cathays Terrace and Whitchurch Road, occupying the site currently shared by Gladstone and St Monica's Church in Wales primary schools. It will have a catchment from Cathays and parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd.
Applications for reception places are now open for the 420-place English medium school. It is named in honour of a 600-year-old ancient oak tree which once stood near the new site. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
A new school council has been formed with pupils from both Allensbank and Gladstone Primary schools. Pupils have helped design the new school logo and uniform, which will be launched in the new year.
Headteacher Paula Shipton-Jones said: "We are delighted to embark on this exciting journey of bringing together two well-established schools to form one new primary school. This unification not only builds upon the remarkable successes each school has already achieved but also creates a unique opportunity to unite our community.
"Together, we will share expertise and resources, enriching the learning experiences for all our learners. This collaboration will foster a vibrant environment where every child can thrive and reach their full potential."
Chair of governors at the school, Cllr Chris Weaver added: "Bringing these two schools together in the new Fairoak Primary offers the chance to create a wonderful new school community, and it's so fantastic to see children already forming friendships and working together. We want to acknowledge the great history of Allensbank and Gladstone, whilst creating a supportive and creative new school that will help pupils succeed for many years to come"
Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools will formally close on August 31, 2025. Applications are now open for reception places to start at Fairoak Primary School in September 2025. The deadline for applications closes on January 13, 2025.
Pupils currently on roll at Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools will be able to transfer over to the new school and information will be communicated to parents directly, the council said.
The new school is part of Cardiff Council's reorganisation of four primary schools in Cathays and parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd. The reorganisation aims to improve learning and "financial pressures currently being experienced in the area" as well as "helping to achieve the correct balance of English and Welsh medium primary provision," the council said.
Cardiff Council's Cabinet agreed the following plans in January 2024:
- Amalgamating Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools to establish a new 420-place (2FE) English medium primary school with nursery on the current shared Gladstone Primary School / St Monica's Church in Wales Primary School site.
- Transferring Ysgol Mynydd Bychan to the current Allensbank Primary School site.
- Increasing the capacity of Ysgol Mynydd Bychan from 192 places to 420 places and increase the number of nursery places at Ysgol Mynydd Bychan from 64 to 96.
- Transferring St Monica's Church in Wales Primary School to the current Ysgol Mynydd Bychan site allowing the school to have nursery provision, following agreement of the Governing Body of St Monica's Church in Wales Primary School.
The speech and language early intervention class currently hosted by Allensbank will continue and will transfer to the new school.
