Still hope for doomed school (From Free Press Series)

Still hope for doomed school

GOVERNORS at Park Street Infants School, Abergavenny, are still hopeful of preventing its closure, despite the Assembly's decision last week.

Education minister Jane Davidson gave Monmouth-shire County Council the go-ahead to close Harold Road Junior and Park Street Infant schools and establish a new, 210-place primary school on the Harold Road site.

In October, the governors of Park Street school applied for Church in Wales status in a bid to save the 100-pupil school from closure and they say they are hopeful of the outcome.

Governors' chairman Norma Watkins said they expected a decision very soon. She said: "I really don't see how they can turn us down. Abergavenny needs a church school and there is a demand for it."

Last year Jane Davidson approved plans to close Croesonen Infants, Llwynu Infants and St David's Junior schools and build a new, 420-place primary school on the Llwynu site, which will open in September 2005.

But she delayed her decision on plans for Park Street and Harold Road because of fears about the health and safety of pupils while remodelling work went on.

Now she has given the go-ahead because the council plans to continue to educate the infants at Park Street, and the juniors will move to the St David's School site for a year while remodelling takes place from September 2005. Both new schools have yet to be named.

Karen Waters, chairman of Harold Road's governors, said: "The new school will be a substantial investment in the children of the area. Although there have been many parents who have not supported the plans, I hope we can all work together for the good of the children."

There was great sadness among parents at the latest news from the Assembly.

Park Street parent Sharon Woolley said: "We always live in hope that Park Street can be saved but realistically I think it is time we all moved forward."

Sarah Francis has a child at Croesonen School and another due to start at Park Street in September.

"It is very sad," she said. "I went to a small primary school and I always believed that small schools were better, but now we have got to work with what we have got."