School closure will kill community, warns parent

Ysgol Llangwyryfon, in Ceredigion, has been told it could shut

The closure of a village school would leave the surrounding community "more or less dead", a parent has warned.

Meleri Williams has one child at Ysgol Llangwyryfon, near Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, and another she hopes will attend in the future.

Up to seven Ceredigion schools may face closure amid strained finances at the authority, BBC Wales understands.

The council said its services faced "significant challenges" with a £14m shortfall in this year's budget.

On Wednesday evening, a public meeting will be held in Ysgol Llangwyryfon, a school that has heard it will be among the ones to be reviewed.

"The whole community revolves around the school. If the school closes, the community will be more or less dead," said Ms Williams.

"Nobody wants to see this school close, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to keep it alive."

"We’re willing to do whatever it takes", says Meleri Williams

Wednesday's meeting, called by the school's governors, will discuss a "campaign for the future of the school".

Chair of governors, Nudd Lewis, said Llangwyryfon had been on Estyn’s list of good schools for "many years" and the aim of the community was to keep it open.

"We would like to be part of the county council's solution and we also want to know why the council officers believe the school is unsustainable," said Mr Lewis.

"What is the evidence? There are a lot of children born in the area recently and on their way to school."

There are 27 pupils currently in the school, but the BBC was told there were more than 10 pre-school infants and babies in the community whose families wanted them to go to the local school.

Mr Lewis added that the school was the heart of Llangwyryfon and "the heart of Welshness".

'Welsh language stronghold'

"Welsh is the natural language of the yard... closing the school threatens one of the strongholds of the language," he said.

"By moving children to schools in larger areas they are more likely to lose their grip on the Welsh language and to have the confidence to speak it in the future.”

Farmer Owen Jewell has a five-year-old son in the school and younger son who he hopes will go to the school.

"The education is very good here and the (other) schools that would be available to us may not be as good," he said.

"Also, more kids on the roads at busy times travelling (to schools further away), I think it’s unsafe."

A campaign group has also been formed to save Ysgol Rhos Helyg, in Llangeitho

Councillor Gwyn Wigley Evans, who represents Llangwyryfon, said the council was in "a difficult situation" having to make cuts.

He said about £300,000 could be saved by closing the schools.

"As a county councillor I am fully aware of the financial crunch but of course schools are at the heart of the community," said Mr Evans.

"The budget is not only difficult, it’s very difficult and the following year is going to be a nightmare.”

Ysgol Rhos Helyg - which has campuses in the villages of Llangeitho and Bronant and has 61 pupils with a further 15 in the pre-school - is another school which has heard it will be reviewed.

Lisa Hurrell – joint chair of the school’s Parent Teachers Association – has an eight-year-old daughter in the Llangeitho campus.

'Ghost towns'

Ms Hurrell has formed an action group to campaign to keep the school open because, Lisa says, it is a huge part of community life.

“We've got a shop and a pub and a local garage in Llangeitho, and there's a pub in Bronant," said Ms Hurrell.

"Once you start shutting the rural schools, you take people away from the area, people aren't going to be supporting local businesses and we're going to eventually become ghost towns."

She also said the Welsh-medium school was crucial for ensuring the language continues to be spoken in local communities.

Ceredigion council said it was looking to "start the process" of reviewing primary schools.

"This is a period of significant challenges for schools and the council and we want to work together to ensure that we operate as efficiently as possible."

It said a proposal paper would be presented to the council’s cabinet in July and the process will adhere closely to the Welsh government's School Organisation Code.