School closure risks schoolchildren being educated 'across the border'

Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

Campaigners hoping to prevent the closure of Powys’ most northerly primary school have been challenged to find alternative proposals that could keep it open or face losing pupils to schools over the border.

The proposal to start the legal process to close Ysgol Bro Cynllaith primary school in Llansilin near Oswestry was discussed at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet on Tuesday, September 17.

The report explains that the school has 26 pupils, and they cost £8,831 each, which is well above the county average spend per pupil of £4,729.

Head of school transformation Marianne Evans said: “We feel that the best option to address low pupil numbers, high budget per pupil and combined age classes is for children to transfer to Ysgol Gynradd Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant which is seven miles from Llansilin.”

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"Massive loss"

The Learning and Skill scrutiny committee had probed the proposal last week and its chairman, Conservative Cllr Gwynfor Thomas spoke at the meeting.

Cllr Thomas said:  “I beg you to really consider what comes out of the consultation.

“There seems to be a thought that Llanrhaeadr will be the only receiving school, 90 per cent of these pupils live closer to the Shropshire border and Shropshire schools.

“I hope the consultation will identify where those pupils will go because it will be a massive loss to Powys if they go over the border.”

He pointed out that primary schools in Trefonen and Selattyn near Oswestry in England are “very close” to this area.

Cllr Thomas added: “It’s difficult to go to a closure when we don’t know the bigger picture.

“The main point is: if we lose those pupils across the border to the primary sector, we lose them to the high school sector, as that’s the natural progression and there are very strong high schools in Oswestry.

“They will be forever missed in Powys.”

Conservative group leader and member for Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin, Cllr Aled Davies said: “This is of massive importance to our small corner in the very north of Powys between Wrexham and Shropshire.

“It will cause untold damage to the area if we lose this school.”

Education portfolio holder Liberal Democrat Cllr Pete Roberts said: “I look forward to submissions that come forward to see if there is a better answer.

“I am open to listening to it.”

He advised opponents of the closure to “craft their arguments” around rebutting education officers reasons for closing the school.

“Demonstrating there is a better case gives a reason for officers to change their minds and different proposal brought to Cabinet,” said Cllr Roberts.

Council leader Liberal Democrat, Cllr James Gibson-Watt stressed that no decision to close the school was being taken at the meeting, the decision was to “just” go out to consultation,

Cllr Gibson-Watt said: “This is by no means the end of the story; we are a long way from that.”

Cabinet unanimously agreed to start the consultation process which could see the school close on August 31, 2025.