Closure plans for four Ceredigion schools discussed

Cilcennin School has the lowest number of pupils and the highest percentage of surplus places in the catchment area

Controversial plans to close four primary schools in Ceredigion have been discussed as part of a review into education in the area.

Proposals include closing Cilcennin, Ciliau Parc, Diehwyd and Felinfach schools.

On Tuesday, Ceredigion council decided an informal engagement would be carried out within the Aeron Valley.

Discussions will be carried out with parents, staff and governors before a decision is made.

At the cabinet meeting, it was recommended that the preferred option would be to develop an area school in existing buildings on the Felinfach theatre campus.

This would would also secure the future of the theatre, which currently costs the council more than £250,000 a year to run.

Dihewyd School is a small school with 36 pupils

Other options are to continue with the current situation of 10 schools; to close Cilcennin School; or to build a new area school for pupils of Ciliau Parc, Cilcennin, Dihewyd and Felinfach.

The informal discussions with the community will be held before the schools finish for summer and will be discussed by the cabinet in September.

The council is restructuring education, saying there are 1,000 fewer children in Ceredigion than a decade ago.

The four schools under threat have a total of 171 pupils.