Wrexham school facing closure over 'Welsh-medium drive'

Ysgol Pontfadog is part of the Ceiriog Valley Federation of schools

Supporters of an English-medium school claim it is facing possible closure because of efforts to "channel children" into Welsh stream education.

The closure of Ysgol Pontfadog is an option in a Wrexham council consultation on the future of education in the Ceiriog Valley.

The council said demand for English-medium education was low in the area.

But campaigners for the school said they are "very much contesting the assertion".

Ysgol Pontfadog is part of the Ceiriog Valley Federation of schools, with dual-stream Ysgol Cynddelw and Welsh-medium Ysgol Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog.

Its supporters claim the option to close the school is part of a bid to increase numbers of Welsh-medium pupils in the federation.

'Dramatic inequality'

Campaigner Jules Payne disagrees there is a "growing demand" for Welsh-language education in the area.

She claims there is a "dramatic inequality of opportunity" because there is a feeder system into the Welsh-speaking stream but not for the English-language stream.

But Richard Jones, whose grandchildren attend Ysgol Cynddelw in Glyn Ceiriog, said: "This is not being driven from above. The head teacher and staff are extremely hard working.

"This has come from the parents. The parents of most of the children are non-Welsh speaking. It's their decision."

Phil Wynn, lead member for education for Wrexham council, encouraged anyone with views to make them known.

The consultation ends on 21 February.