Pupils full of praise for primary school at risk of closure

Pupils in Rudry who may see their primary school close down have praised its small and intimate atmosphere.

Caerphilly County Borough Council has proposed shutting Rhydri Primary next summer because of problems balancing its budget and falling pupil numbers.

The plans have proved contentious with some in the school community however, who argue more should be done to make the site viable for the future.

A new consultation report collected many of those objections and also gave the council a chance to respond to those claims.

Of the 52 people who took part, the vast majority (46 people) said they did not support the proposal to close Rhydri Primary.

That group included pupils, parents, staff, governors, a councillor and local residents.

Objectors raised concerns about claims of falling pupil numbers, telling the council parents had worked to market the school and encourage more families to send their children there.

The council said it recognised the parents’ “proactive” campaign and “while an increase in pupil numbers was noted, unfortunately the numbers were not sufficient enough to bring the school out of deficit”.

Some people had requested the council consider federating with another school, but the council said this would only mean new arrangements for governing bodies, and each school in a federation “remains an individual entity” – crucially, with responsibility for its own budget, which the council says Rhydri Primary is unable to balance.

It said it “recognises that the school community would like consideration of alternative funding opportunities to retain the school”.

But the “projected pupil numbers and [the] resultant financial outlook for the school provides a significant challenge to the head and school governors to agree a balanced budget to maintain the school and an appropriate staffing level”, according to the council’s report.

Pupils who took part in engagement sessions, on the council’s proposals, spoke highly of their school.

“I like Rhydri because it is small, and I can always find my friend,” one said.

Another pupil said: “I also like the school because the teachers will help you no matter what, they make the learning at your level”.

“I don’t like being in a big school, it is too noisy for me. I can learn better and feel better in a small school,” a third student said.

The council said it had found 79% of Rhydri Primary’s pupils live outside the school’s catchment area, and if it closes down parents will be able to apply for a place at any other schools, subject to availability.

The nearest primary school able to accommodate all of the pupils currently at Rhydri is St James Primary School, on the eastern edge of Caerphilly town.

The council’s education committee this week voted to recommend the cabinet moves to the next stage of the process and publishes a statutory notice outlining the intention to close Rhydri Primary.