Madam,

The children, staff, parents and governors of Cilcennin School are outraged at your story which suggests ‘Fears about lack of experiences’ are the reason for the proposed school closure.

This term Cicennin children have been main contributors to the Cymru-Ohio project. During that week, they sang at two events and entertained the American visitors; they worked with artist Philip Huckin to contribute to the school’s exhibition at the Llangeitho Memorial Hall.

They also visited the ship in Aberaeron harbour and completed a project on this at school as well as appearing on the S4C programme Prynhawn Da talking about the emigrants from Cilcennin to Ohio.

This term the children have competed in joint sports with other local schools and been on Radio Cymru in a joint activity with Dihewyd School.

They have visited and worked on the following projects: the Ceredigion Museum, the Kyffin Williams exhibition at the National Library, the butterfly farm, Rheidol Power Station and the Dinosaur Park in Tenby. Two of our pupils played in the Ceredigion Schools Orchestra Prom. And that is just this term!

They regularly share activities with other local schools and have swimming lessons every week at Aberaeron. I challenge Cllr Bryan Davies to find a school in Ceredigion where children have had a wider experience.

At neither of the meetings I attended did any officer or member quote ‘lack of experience’ as a reason for the proposed closure. The only criteria were falling numbers and excessive cost.

I would like to know how the panel could report to the Cabinet that their main consideration was ‘lack of experience’ when this had never been mentioned at any other meeting.

Cllr Davies goes on to say: “We can’t do anything about the reduction in population”. What is he talking about? Reduction in population has nothing to do with the problem of falling numbers in Cilcennin School.

There has been a deliberate strategy to allow our school to decline. Three years ago we were told that a new area school was planned and that our school was safe until it was ready, yet we are constantly reading in the press that closure is imminent. This, of course, is a self-fulfilling prophecy because prospective parents are afraid to commit to a school unlikely to survive.

During this process, the local authority failed to comply with a number of Welsh Assembly guidelines – in particular one which refers to allowing over-subscription of admissions in schools where this is likely to have a detrimental effect on neighbouring schools. Cilcennin’s nearest neighbouring school was allowed to exceed its capacity by a third.

We are a happy, thriving community and will resist all attempts to close our school.

Yours etc,

Liz Screen, Chair of Governors, Ysgol Gymunedol Cilcennin.

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page