Protests over future of Llanfechain school

More than 100 placard-waving campaigners packed a public meeting to show the strength of feeling over the proposed closure of a Mid Wales primary school.

Posters urging people to fight against the Powys County Council plans to close Llanfechain Church in Wales School have also been placed along the village’s roadsides.

The school is one of 11 on a closure hit-list drawn up by the council because they have fewer than 30 pupils.

Llanfechain currently has 32 pupils and the number is expected to go down to 22 by 2013. But at last night’s meeting at the school, pupils, staff, governors and residents called for it to be taken off the list.

The school’s chairman of governors, Leigh Kellaway, urged people to sign an online petition, which now has more than 160 signatures. And parent Paul Pritchard, from Llansantffraid, said: “If the school closes it will be devastating because it is a real lifeline.

“Our son, who has cerebral palsy, has been welcomed into the school with open arms. It is a real family- orientated school so when we come and drop him off in the morning we feel he is safe all day. We don’t know what we would do if it closed.

“To have a centralised school means it would be bigger and our son could become lost. We would not be so assured that he would be safe and looked after.”

Another parent, Sian Davies, said the community would be left devastated if the school closed.

She said: “I think it is a tragedy really. I went to this school as a child and so did my brother and sister. It is part of the community.

“I have two daughters here and it’s a lovely school. Everybody knows each other and it is a real family.”

Mother-of-two Flavia Murton said: “The school does a lot with the older people in the community. It will be a great shame and will kill the village.”

Pauline Wheeler, who has two boys at the school, said: “It is part of the village and is a great school.”

Trevor Evans’s son attends the school. He said: “It is disgraceful and I’ll help fight for it.”

The petition can be found at www.llanfechainschool .org.uk

Powys County Council said it intends to meet governing bodies of all schools.

By Chrissy Symmons

View more: Powys County Council news.

1
Chris Bacon

February 16, 2011 at 17:07

With budgets across the country becoming ever tighter in all areas, schools of this size should be closed.
Yes, the community won’t like it, but with only 22 pupils due at the school by 2013 it won’t affect too many people, and it’s hardly fair on the rest of the children of Powys that money which should go to funding their education is being wasted to prop up a school with so few pupils.
People may think I’m being harsh and mean-spirited, but with this current government (and YOU voted ‘em in!) harsh and mean-spirited is the way of the world.

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- Dick Row
  
  February 22, 2011 at 09:17
  
  Chris, if our school numbers were to be as low as 22 for years to come I would have to agree with you. As it is the projected numbers were incorrect and stand at 27 for the year in question. After that our projected numbers increase to above 30 and steadily rise significantly above that in subsequent years.Llanfechain school is viable that’s why we are fighting for it.
  
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2
Andy Brown

February 18, 2011 at 15:17

Chris, eductaion is not just about pupil numbers and cash. Powys County Council’s rationale and calculations are very innaccurate in respect to these school closures and it’s irresponsible of them to make the general public in Powys think it’s a cut and dried case of money-saving.
People spend a lot of time complaining about “the youth of today” – well, if you carry on closing schools like Llanfechain you’re going to get a lot more social problems caused by adults who grew up with no sense of community .

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3
Andy Brown

February 18, 2011 at 15:19

P.s – Powys County Council have been trying to close small schools across the county for years – it’s got nothing to do with the government of the day, however much PCC would like you to believe that.

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