Parents want their school to stay open
PARENTS fighting to save a Cardiff primary school took their campaign to the council ahead of a crucial meeting later this month.
Campaigners, parents and pupils met Councillor Sarah Merry, cabinet member for education, on Thursday to discuss council plans to close Glan yr Afon Primary School in Llanrumney.
The council is proposing to close the school in August 2019 as a possible way to address the “unsustainable” amount of surplus school places in the Llanrumney area.
But parents are leading a campaign to save the school. They handed in a petition of 175 signatures to Cllr Merry calling for the school to be saved. A separate petition of more than 370 signatures was handed in to Cardiff full council in October.
Glan yr Afon has been through a succession of three interim head teachers in recent years following the suspension of head Kevin Thomas in March 2016. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in October. The school is now following the dismissal process for Mr Thomas.
Parents and councillors have also said Glan yr Afon had suffered a “chronic lack of investment” over the years and have appealed for the school to be given a chance.
A council report says the school building is rated as C for condition and suitability – and has reached the end of life after 60 years.
Concern has also been raised about where the children at Glan yr Afon would go instead – with some parents concerned their children may be sent to nearby Catholic school St Cadoc’s.
The council has said no parent will have to take their children to a Catholic school if they don’t want to.
Gavin Randall, who has a daughter in year three at Glan yr Afon, said: “It’s an absolute disgrace what they’re doing. They’re not thinking of anyone – the parents, the teachers, the kids – they’ve been friends for years – they’ll have to be split up. It’s a joke as far as I’m concerned. The teachers, everyone – they’re amazing. My daughter’s come on so well.”
There are 1,342 English-medium primary school places in Llanrumney, but in January 2017, the number of pupils enrolled was 1,073 – a surplus of 269 places.
Cardiff council says surplus places have a significant impact on school budgets, as an element of the funding is determined by pupil numbers.
Cardiff council’s cabinet will consider the responses to the consultation on December 13.
Cllr Merry, answering questions at Cardiff full council Thursday, said no decision has yet been taken about the future of the school. She said: “The reason for the council consulting to close Glan yr Afon was to reduce the number of surplus places in schools in the Llanrumney area, not because the condition of the buildings.”
In January 2017 overall surplus capacity in Llanrumney primary schools was 20%, and in May 2018 the surplus capacity of Glan yr Afon was 48%, Cllr Merry said.
“This has an impact on the schools in terms of their budgets, and the schools ability to carry out maintenance and invest in their buildings.
“Where there are any proposed changes due to surplus places, the council must also consider the condition and suitability of buildings, quality and standards and the effect on all changes on stakeholders.”
The consultation said the condition to Glan yr Afon was similar to other schools in the area.
Cllr Merry said she understood the concerns raised by parents and that responses to the consultation will be very carefully considered by the cabinet.
She added: “The council is not instructing parents to send their children to any specific school, nor would it wish to do so.
“But for some parents this may be their preferred option.
“If Glan yr Afon Primary School was to close all children would be placed in community primary schools within walking distance if that is what the parents prefer.
“There’s no suggestion that anybody who doesn’t wish to should to send their children to a Catholic school.
“Nearly half the children at St Cadoc’s are actually not Catholic as it is, so it is clearly a choice that many parents in the area are making.
“There’s no suggestion whatsoever that parents should have to make that choice if it is not what they wish.”