CAMPAIGNERS against plans to shut a Cynon Valley primary school and transfer pupils elsewhere say the proposal would mean the loss of the “heart of the village”.
Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council is consulting on plans to close Rhigos Primary School, where it says pupil numbers are falling which will affect its future financial viability, and transfer children to Hirwaun Primary School.
The council also raised the condition of the buildings and maintenance backlog but a campaign group has been set up in a bid to stop the closure due to concerns over the impact on the children and the village.
A protest against the plans will be held in the village on Sunday, October 15.
A parent’s view
Sarah Oliver is a parent and chair of the campaign committee. She said: “At Rhigos Primary, the children are all known individually and the teachers and parents know one another well.
“The smaller scale at Rhigos means intimate teaching and good links between staff and parents, good communication and an ability to discuss any issues easily.
“Our children will lose that if they are absorbed into a much larger school. We are incredibly lucky to have a school that take children from age three and my children have hugely benefited from having an education from that age. They have formed lifelong friendships and have a sense of community.
“Many children regularly walk to and from school, or ride their bikes or scooters. A move to another school will remove this opportunity from them, impacting their health and well-being.
“Whilst RCT states it will fund a bus service, many parents have told me that they wouldn’t feel comfortable putting their children on a bus, especially the younger children. This will result in more cars on the road and a bigger carbon footprint.
“It takes away independence from the children of parents who don’t drive or have access to their own vehicle.
“The most recent Estyn reports of both Rhigos and Hirwaun schools were undertaken in 2019. Rhigos was judged ‘good’ and Hirwaun school was deemed as ‘needing significant improvement’.
“I do not believe that just because a huge amount of money has been pumped into Hirwaun that the teaching provision has improved, and increasing the pupil numbers there is only going to place more pressure on teachers.
“Rhigos is a close-knit community and its school is the heart of the village. If the school closes, the children will lose a central part of the village which in turn will impact on their socialising.”
She said many children from Rhigos will not be able to access extracurricular activities at Hirwaun, because parents do not drive and the bus service might not cater for them.
“Since we heard the news about the proposed closure, many of the children have been upset, as have members of the community,” said Sarah
“The community has come together to campaign against this, and they are passionate about it.
“There would be a loss of local jobs and an impact on house prices if the school were to be closed, meaning Rhigos as a village would suffer and no further regeneration could be sustainable.
“No new families would be drawn to the village if there’s no school. Current pupils will experience huge upheaval and change to their lives, not long after suffering through school closures during Covid.
“For most of the children, it’s all they know in terms of a school life and they are desperate to save the school for themselves and for future generations.
“A closure of Rhigos Primary School will have a detrimental effect on the children’s wellbeing and mental health and upon the community as a whole. We will fight RCTCBC all the way.”
Call for more information from the council to justify the proposal
John Morris, who lives in Rhigos and is part of the action group, said the plans are “cruel”.
He said: “Parents, the children and concerned villagers are opposed to this face-saving tactic, and are actively campaigning against it.
“We as a body believe that RCT’s reasoning is heavily weighted against a school that is, according to the last Estyn report, the best in the area.
“Why would any parent want to send their child to a school that is less successful than the one they are in?”
He said that out of the five inspection areas, Rhigos was judged as good in each category while Hirwaun school was rated good in only one category. He called for evidence that Hirwaun School has improved since its last Estyn inspection.
Mr Morris said: “These facts are openly admitted by RCT, yet in a blatant attempt to justify the spending of £9.5m for the new school in Hirwaun, they are hellbent on closing a perfectly good school to boost the numbers of pupils in Hirwaun.
“Some three-quarters of the Rhigos children walk to school, it was voted the best breakfast club in Wales, attendance is exceptional – all this dismissed by RCT.
“The quality of teaching and nurturing is second to none in the area again ignored by RCT. They cite loss of opportunity to interact with a wide range of children in a small school? A failure to recognise the lifelong bonds that form in a close knit community like Rhigos.
“There’s plenty of time to make new friends in secondary school, a practice that has served the education system for many years.
“Indeed, many authorities now recognise the advantages of smaller schools and recommend their use. Rhigos school is proof of this.”
He said the group has asked for facts and figures that would give them the opportunity to challenge the council’s argument but claimed the local authority seems reluctant to provide them.
He also said the campaign has asked for information about the increase of the carbon footprint caused by the travel arrangements proposed, the cost of bussing Rhigos children to Hirwaun and if RCT factored in the price of providing travel to Hirwaun’s breakfast club and after-school activities.
He said without estimates of costs to improve the buildings at Rhigos school, the group is hamstrung to challenge RCT’s claims and that although the council said that, according to the condition survey carried out by RCTCBC in 2019, work is required on the roof, doors and windows, this work has already been carried out.
Mr Morris added: “Perhaps the greatest tragedy of this ill-thought and self-serving exercise is the undoubted effect this proposal will have on the children’s education and well-being. They do not want to go.”
The council’s stance
An RCT Council statement said: “The council recognises that Rhigos Primary School is a valuable part of the local community and has served the children and young people of the area for many years.
“However, as a local education authority, we have statutory responsibility to review surplus places and we are obligated to look at and undertake consultation on viable options for the future.
“It is the council’s duty to ensure that all our learners in Rhondda Cynon Taf have access to the best facilities possible and the school in Hirwaun is a brand new, modern school offering excellent facilities.
“A consultation is currently ongoing in relation to the school under arrangements outlined in School Organisation Code.
“The decision to carry out this initial consultation is based on declining numbers, which is 51 statutory-aged pupils, six of whom live outside of the catchment area.
“The school building has also reached the end of its design life and is in need of substantial investment.
“Following conclusion of the consultation process, the council’s cabinet will consider all matters raised by the community, school, parents/carers and learners in respect of these proposals.”
The consultation is open until November 17, after which the council is due to consider the feedback before making a decision.
