Campaigners carry on fight for school (From Free Press Series)

Campaigners carry on fight for school

THE ROW over the planned closure of Ponthir CV Primary School rumbled on as campaigners continued in their bid to save it.

At a three-hour public meeting to discuss proposals on Monday, emotions ran high as the Ponthir Action Group, county councillors and pupils defended their school.

The protest group criticise Torfaen council's argument for closing Ponthir, claiming a new nursery and housing development will boost the school's numbers.

Ponthir parent Lynn Grant, said: "The LEA have included a demountable building in their figures - it's not used.

This artificially increases the number of surplus places at Ponthir."

Director of Education Mike de Val outlined the case for closure, claiming that in three years 44 percent of the school's desks will be empty.

Campaigners pointed out that Ponthir had the best SATs result in Torfaen last year and an excellent Estyn inspection report.

The group also claim that a new nursery being built next door and a planned 600 home development will boost numbers on the school roll.

One by one they refuted each of the criteria and accused Mr de Val's arguments of being flawed.

Mr de Val was faced with a heart-felt plea when former pupil 12-year-old Eleftherios Williams expressed concern about the pressure of change on pupils.

He said: "What about the health of children? In a bigger school they might not get an opportunity to speak out for themselves and they might be worried about making friends - all this will cause them stress and could affect their family lives too."

Mr de Val assured him that the council would not "drop pupils cold into a new school." There would be a process of introduction, staff swaps and joint trips.

Mr de Val said: "In the interests of fairness we have to make a judgement on what is best for pupils throughout the whole of Torfaen."

He vowed that all the points would be presented to the cabinet when they make a decision on the school's future early in the summer.