Community fears over losing school ‘must be heard’
TWO politicians have waded into the debate surrounding the future of Ysgol Gynradd Mynyddygarreg, near Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.
Llanelli’s MP Nia Griffith and MS Lee Waters are urging all affected by the Carmarthenshire Council proposals to shut the school to speak out and have their say.
A public consultation is under way and will go to the council executive board on December 21.
Council chiefs are proposing to shut Ysgol Gynradd Mynyddygarreg as it has low pupil numbers, mixed age classes and stubborn budget deficits.
Carmarthenshire Council want pupils to utlimately transfer to a new Ysgol Gymraeg Gwenllian in Kidwelly in three years.
A report which went before Carmarthenshire Council last month stated that the school only had 36 pupils as of January this year but 55 places.
Of the 113 pupils living within its catchment area, only 22 attended the school.
The report said pupil numbers at Gwenllian primary, Kidwelly, have remained constant but are expected to rise.
This will be a challenge, it said, due to the school’s poor condition and lack of adequate space.
The proposals include: Discontinue Mynyddygarreg primary at the end of August 2021. From September, all pupils to be registered at Gwenllian primary, which would operate on both sites and increase its capacity. Alter Gwenllian primary’s catchment area to include that of the Mynyddygarreg area. Relocate Gwenllian primary to a new site and increase its capacity to 210 pupil and 30 nursery places, with the new school ready in 2023.
An online public meeting was held by parents and those concerned about the closure plans.
Now, Llanelli MP Nia Griffith is urging people to make their case to the council.
She said: “We encourage everyone who will be affected by this proposal put forward by the Plaid Cymru Carmarthenshire Council cabinet to make their voice heard during the consultation.
“Pupils, parents and staff at the schools, as well as everyone living nearby, have an important role to play in the future of education provision in the area and their input will be vital when any decision is made.”
Ms Griffith added: “This is the sort of far-reaching decision which needs proper community consultation, and a realistic appraisal of the needs in years to come.
“There has been a very large number of new houses built relatively recently on the Mynyddygarrreg side of the bypass, and full account needs to be taken of the impact of these new developments on future school numbers.
“Even in a couple of years the situation could have changed significantly. Every child deserves the best education and the best start in life that can be provided.
“This proposal will impact on many future generations as well and needs to be considered very carefully by everyone involved.
“This consultation needs to be the start of a conversation about what’s best for children in the area and I hope that the council will listen to what local people have to say about it.”
MS Lee Waters said: “I know this is an issue which the school governors have wrestled with for some time.
“There is clearly a delicate balance to be struck between maintaining a strong sense of community with a school at its heart, and allowing children access to the best facilities and a teaching body with enough capacity to give them the best education.
“It’s important the council don’t rush into making any decisions here. I’m particularly concerned about the impact closing Mynyddygarreg will have on travel patterns.
“Just at the moment when we’re trying to help people leave their cars at home more often, the relocation of educational facilities could have the opposite effect. The issue of small rural schools and their future viability is a really difficult one.
“I think the case of Mynyddygarreg is far from settled, so I hope the council do their upmost to listen to residents.”
Speaking at the meeting last month, councillor Glynog Davies, who has the county education portfolio, said the council was finding it hard to recruit head teachers to rural primary schools.
Mr Davies said the higher cost per pupil for small rural primaries could not be avoided in this debate, and added that Carmarthenshire - with 95 - had the highest number of primaries anywhere in Wales.
Also earmarked for closure is Ysgol Gynradd Blaenau, between Llandybie and Ammanford.