Representatives from the governing body of Park Street Infant School met with representatives of the Monmouth Diocese and local clergy on Friday 16th May to discuss the process by which the school would become a Church in Wales voluntary aided school. David Davies AM the Conservative spokesman for education in the Welsh Assembly was also present. The diocesan representative explained the process to the Park Street representatives.

The governing body of Park Street Infant School met on Monday 19th May 2003 and were informed of the result the meeting with the diocesan representatives last Friday. Following discussion it was decided unanimously by the governing body that the the governing body should take the necessary steps to change the school from a Local Education Authority controlled community school to a voluntary aided Church in Wales school. This is a legal process whereby a school can make such a proposal for consideration by the Education Secretary, Jane Davidson in the Welsh Assembly Government. When the proposals are issued they will be made available to all interested parties. The LEA will also be advised of the governing bodies intentionsby a statement of intent. This will be followed by a period of consultation with local community councils such as Abergavenny Town Council and also Monmouthshire County Council as the LEA. Other interested parties who may also be affected by the proposal such as Our Lady of St Michaels Primary School and Harold Road Junior School would also be consulted. After the period of consultation the governing body of Park Street would issue a Statutory Change of School Category Notice to change the category of the school. Parties wishing to object to the change of category would submit their objections to the governing body within 2 months of the issue of the change of category notice. Any objections would be forwarded to the governing body of the school, The school would then forward those objections to Jane Davidson together with the governing body’s response to the the objections received. The process will likely mirror that undertaken by Monmouthshire County Council when conducting their Strategic Review of Primary Education in the county. The proposal is that Park Street Infant school becomes a Voluntary Aided Church in Wales Infant School and is renamed Christchurch Infant School.

The school was founded in September 1894 along with Grofield School and Hereford Road School as church schools by the then bishop of Llandaff. The school was originallycalled Christchurch Infant School. The wooden School Room behind Christchurch in North Street was the precursor of Christchurch/Park Street. The church in Wales has always accepted responsibilityfor education and by comparison the State is a relative newcomer and there was a great expansion of church schools in Wales in the 19th century. Links to St Mary’s, Christchurch and Holy Trinity are evident from reports in the Abergavenny Chronicle dating back to 1894 relating to Park Street. Visits to the school by the local clergy are abundant in the school log books held in the Gwent County Record Office. The deeds of the school in 1902 show a covenant by which Holy Trinity Church has the right to hold Sunday schools at the school. The links to the local churches have been maintained throughout the all years of the school's existence. Children from the current years 1 and years 2 have are making visits to Holy Trinity Church in the coming weeks.

The bishop is responsible for the Church schools in his diocese, but he delegates that to the Diocesan Director of Education who works closely with the officers of the LEAs. Grants are available from the Welsh Assembly Government for voluntary aided schools and staff salaries are provided by the LEA although the governing body is responsible for providing a proportion of the budget. The governing body of a voluntary aided school is the admissions authority for the school.

The school representatives were assured of funding support and logistical by both the diocese and Parochial Church Council. The school has a very active and supportive PTA who will also make further funding available. Strong support and backing for the proposal has been received from parents, community, clergy and David Davies AM for Monmouth.