‘Don’t kill off 140 years of history’

One of the county's oldest Primary Schools has launched its fight for survival.

 

Trefnanney Primary School, near Guilsfield, is included on a Powys County Council hit list for schools to possibly close next year under drastic cost cutting measures.

 

But the 140-year old school is preparing to fight for its survival by enlisting the local area’s support as well as hundreds of pupils past and present to send a united message to council chiefs not to kill off a vital part of the community.

 

Its Chair of Governors said the closure news has had a “devastating” effect on the community and is calling upon anyone who has been associated with the school to step forward and show their support before it is too late.

 

“Since the news was leaked to the press (that 11 schools could close) it has had a devastating effect on the teachers, staff, parents and most importantly children,” said Mr Martin Pearce, the Chair of Governors who said his father attended the school during the Second World War.

 

“Since I can remember people have always questioned the future of our wonderful school, possibly because of its size and location. I am wholly aware that because of this, many local parents have passed our gates to educate their children elsewhere within the area. We now aim to oppose the closure of Trefnanney School, promoting its high standards, providing children with a close knit, family style education and providing a solid foundation for higher education and future careers.”

 

An open evening will be held on Friday from 6-8pm when residents from the local and wider area can visit the school to speak with staff, governors, parents as well as pupils past and present.

 

Mr Pearce explained that this will be the opportunity not to “shout and rant at politicians and councillors” but to “witness what a wonderful, caring and family oriented place it is for a child to be educated”.

 

In January, Powys County Council revealed a list of 11 schools under threat saying that those schools’ numbers were expected to drop below 30 pupils.