Parents and Children Walk to Save Threatened School amid Closure Concerns
Parents and children from a school threatened with closure have walked the distance they would have to walk to a new school in a bid to show the challenges they would face.
Tref Y Rhyg Primary School in Tonyrefail is under threat of closure by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council so on Monday, October 14, those campaigning to save it undertook the walk.
If approved, the closure would see pupils from the school move to Tonyrefail Community School by September 2025, which campaigners say for the majority of families would mean a 1.3-mile walk twice a day in all weathers with no safe route.
They previously said people are “devastated” over the prospect of the school, which they described as “one big family”, closing.
Campaigners have also previously said the distances the pupils would have to walk to the new school were “unrealistic”.
They said they really want to keep the family feel and the support the school provides for families is “unreal”, adding that moving to a big school from a small school would affect the children.
An online petition aiming to save the school has now received more than 600 signatures.
The council has previously said it understands a school reorganisation such as this is very sensitive, and there are many factors to consider before coming to a final decision.
It encouraged people to take part in the consultation and said the closure is being considered based on a number of factors, including the steady decline of pupils that is anticipated, with projections showing a surplus capacity of 65.6% by 2028-29.
They also said the school site is also graded ‘C’ for condition and ‘D’ for suitability and there is a a significant backlog of maintenance.
It added the site’s limited outdoor areas are not suitable to deliver the Curriculum for Wales and said Tonyrefail Community School has first-class facilities after it was part of a £44m investment in 2020.
By BBC LDRS
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