A PETITION of more than 4,000 signatures was handed to Torfaen council calling for Llantarnam School to be saved from closure.

The Argus reported how Torfaen council proposes to close Llantarnam School and Fairwater School and invest £6 million from Torfaen’s 21st Century Schools scheme to refurbish Fairwater.

The Fairwater site would re-open in September 2015 and house all of the pupils following the merger.

But Llantarnam School’s parents and governors argue their school is the better option for the refurbishment and launched a petition against the closure.

Parents and The Education Action Group collected 3,410 signatures, while pupils collected 690.

Llantarnam School governor, Sue Tamplin, and pupil, Jody Burns, presented the petitions to Torfaen council.

Ms Tamplin said: “We just want what’s best for the children and we believe Llantarnam School can be a grade A school when refurbished and for less money than the Fairwater site.”

Ms Tamplin said parents are concerned children will be in demountable classrooms on the Fairwater site for up to three years.

But at Llantarnam these would not be needed as it has a capacity of 1,475, which is higher than the projected figures of the new school of 1,318 pupils. Fairwater holds 1,312.

Torfaen council said a single high school should help tackle the issue of surplus places for both schools and Fairwater is proposed as the most suitable site due to its more central location. The proposals would save £698,000 a year.