Powys' smallest school to close doors as council agrees move
The smallest school in Powys will close its doors at the end of August after Powys council cabinet members 'regretfully' backed the move.
A meeting of Powys County Council's Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet on Tuesday, June 10, saw members receive the objections report on the proposal to close the 25-pupil Ysgol Bro Cynllaith in Llansilin near Oswestry.
Cabinet member for education Cllr Peter Roberts explained that receiving the objections report is the 'final stage' in the process of closing the school.
Pupils from the school are expected to transfer to Ysgol Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.
But fears have been raised that children will leave Powys and attend primary schools around Oswestry, which is much closer to the village.
Director of education Dr Richard Jones explained that the proposal had received 20 objections during the period.
Dr Jones said: 'Having considered the objections received it is recommended that the council proceeds with the implementation of the proposal to close Ysgol Bro Cynllaith from August 31 as outlined in the statutory notice.
'It is recognised that the decision to proceed with the closure at the end of this term only provides a month's notice to the school community of this decision.
'It is the council's view that a transfer at the end of this summer term is preferable to pupils that are moving to a new school so they can move at the start of a new fresh academic year.'
Cabinet member for legal and statutory services, Cllr Richard Church (Liberal Democrat) brought up the issue of losing pupils over the border into Shropshire and the Oswestry area.
He questioned whether it 'would be right' to make an exception to keep small schools open because they are 'next to or close ' to an border either with England or another local authority in Wales.
Cllr Church said: 'Closing rural schools is difficult and unpopular.
'But we have to accept that a school with only 25 pupils is not going to offer the range of education that we expect our young people to receive in our day and age.
'I don't believe it is sustainable to continue operating schools of this size, we can't make exceptions.
'I believe we will be making the right decision to proceed with the closure of this school.'
Cabinet member for children's social service and the Welsh language Cllr Sandra Davies (Labour) pointed out that she had campaigned vigorously against school closures in the Ystradgynlais area in the recent past.
But she now saw things differently.
Cllr Davies said: 'Having bigger schools does enhance children as individuals they do thrive, and they are given more opportunities to grow.'
Cllr Roberts added: 'Regretfully the objections do not override the reasons for transition.
'We have met the terms of the schools organisation code.'
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