Governors from under-treat schools demand ‘national moratorium on closing small schools’

Stephen Price

Governors of three under-threat schools have called on the Welsh Government to announce a moratorium on any decisions to close Welsh-medium schools.

In a letter to the Welsh Government, Andrew Barlow, Tudur Jones and Elin Cullen, the chairs of governors for primary schools in Bancffosfelen, Carwe and Pontiets respectively, suggest Carmarthenshire County Council are “throwing further fuel on a bonfire that is already burning out of control” as they are threatened with consultation on closure, along with Ysgol Blaenau near Llandybie.

In the letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Welsh language, Anna Brychan, the governors of the three schools call for a national moratorium to allow for the recommendations of the Commission for Welsh-speaking communities to be put into practice.

The Commission has drawn up reports with a raft of suggestions on how Welsh-speaking communities can be supported across a variety of policy areas in order to promote their long-term viability.

Campaigners argue that if the relevant recommendations were in place – which include denoting areas with a high-density of Welsh-speakers – then the current plans to close three schools in neighbouring villages, in the most Welsh-speaking community in Carmarthenshire, would never have been considered.

Chair of Governors at Ysgol Pontiets, Elin Cullen, notes: “Once you lose a school, it never comes back. And what lies ahead for us in the future?

“Are more schools going to close? And are more villages going to find themselves in the same situation as us in Cwm Gwendraeth?”

Whilst some have suggested that bigger schools with greater facilities offer a potential boon for the language, those affected in the community (that inspired the long-running soap, Pobl y Cwm), point out that the Council has not offered any ideas of investment in an area school, and simply plan to ship young children from one dilapidated school to another.

The Prifardd Makes the Case

In setting out the case for moratorium, the letter to Welsh Government quotes Emeritus Law Professor and Prifardd Emyr Lewis.

He argues, “It is well understood that village schools in communities where Welsh is a viable language are absolutely essential to maintaining that viability. Without them, there is a real danger that everyday Welsh life will wither to such an extent that it can no longer be said that a Welsh community exists there.

“This happens rapidly, and once it has happened, it is gone forever. The longer we wait, the greater the loss.”

He goes on to suggest that a moratorium “would serve several purposes, including:

1. Providing an opportunity for the Welsh Government and county councils to engage in joint strategic planning on how to implement what they all claim to support—namely, the sustenance and maintenance of the Welsh language as a community language—while viewing schools as valuable assets in that context, rather than as problems.
2. Reassuring parents and pupils that there is a political commitment to finding ways to safeguard these valuable community assets for the benefit of both the community and the Welsh language, thereby fostering confidence in the future of the schools themselves.
3. Signifying that the protection of the Welsh language (and Welsh-speaking communities) is a core national objective—a cause that transcends narrow ‘policy areas’.”

Immediate Action

An initial response to the letter from Welsh Government noted “Welsh Ministers cannot comment on school reorganisation proposals, as they might be required to make a decision on them” and that “planning school places is a matter for local authorities.”

In reply, Huw Williams, a Parent Governor at Pontiets, stated “that we expect that in due course, when Welsh Government has taken some time to consider the proposal, they will recognise that they must take action without further delay.”

“The letter is not requesting comment on the proposals for Cwm Gwendraeth. It is advocating for a national, strategic solution that begins with a moratorium in order to put into practice recommendations that were first agreed to back in 2025 by the previous government.”

“As for the claim that planning School places is a local authority matter this obfuscates the working reality that councils work in partnership with central government within national frameworks and funding agreements.”

“It’s already been revealed that Carmarthenshire County Council have agreed a grant with Welsh Government to extend a neighbouring school to Bancffosfelen to accommodate the children from the proposed closure.”

“This decision has apparently been taken even before the consultation itself has begun.”

“Furthermore, this would seem to promise more money to a Council that has got an estimated £16 million overspend on education – largely due to secondary School expenditure – and which they claim to be addressing through closing small schools, that offer comparatively little in the way of long-term savings.”

“Rather than Welsh Government denying responsibility, the Cabinet need to take collective ownership with regard to the Commission’s recommendations as they cut across a number of policy areas from housing to economic development. Whilst the letter is addressed to the Minister for Education and Welsh, this work requires corporate responsibility on their part.”

“Plaid Cymru are already coming up to half a year in government and people are beginning to wonder when they will start making decisions that will impact people’s lives for the better.”

“Here they have an opportunity to support Welsh-language communities, before it’s too late.”

The Welsh Government said: “Welsh Ministers are unable to comment on school organisation proposals as they may be required to determine them.

“Planning school places is a matter for local authorities, any proposals affecting rural schools must be considered carefully, with full regard to their educational, language and community impact.”

Full Text of the Letter

Dear Minister

We are governors of three neighbouring schools in Cwm Gwendraeth that are facing a consultation which threatens to lead to their permanent closure.
We are writing to urge you to place a moratorium on the closure of any Welsh-medium school, until you and the Cabinet have implemented the principles to which you have committed as a Government, based on the recommendations of the Welsh Communities Commission.
We earnestly request that you and your fellow Ministers do not delay any further, and that you proceed without delay to take the steps recommended by the Commission, in order to safeguard our communities and our language.
You are undoubtedly aware of the importance of Cwm Gwendraeth—not only to the Welsh character of the county, but to the survival of the language on a national level.
Among the communities of the former South Wales coalfield, it is here that the highest concentration of Welsh speakers is found. According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of Welsh speakers in the wards served by Ysgol Pontiets (Glyn) and Ysgol Carwe (Llangyndeyrn) exceeds 50%, while Pontyberem—the ward served by Ysgol Bancffosfelen—has a population that is 60% Welsh-speaking, the highest percentage in the entire county.
While we fully understand the County Council’s need to take action in the field of education, it is astonishing that their policy involves targeting Cwm Gwendraeth and closing village schools in one of the strongholds of the Welsh language. We greatly fear the consequences, especially in communities where English-medium educational options are ubiquitous, and where many parents are already choosing them.
The situation here in Carmarthenshire clearly encapsulates the need to implement the Commission’s recommendations without delay, ensuring that policy decisions across various sectors—but particularly in education—are carried out with the central, long-term objective of securing a future for Welsh as a community language.
To quote the solicitor, Prifardd, and Professor Emeritus Emyr Lewis:
“It is well understood that village schools in communities where Welsh is a viable language are absolutely essential to maintaining that viability. Without them, there is a real danger that everyday Welsh life will wither to such an extent that it can no longer be said that a Welsh community exists there.
“This happens rapidly, and once it has happened, it is gone forever.” “The longer we wait, the greater the loss.
A moratorium would serve several purposes, including:
1. Providing an opportunity for the Welsh Government and county councils to engage in joint strategic planning on how to implement what they all claim to support—namely, the sustenance and maintenance of the Welsh language as a community language—while viewing schools as valuable assets in that context, rather than as problems.
2. Reassuring parents and pupils that there is a political commitment to finding ways to safeguard these valuable community assets for the benefit of both the community and the Welsh language, thereby fostering confidence in the future of the schools themselves.
3. Signifying that the protection of the Welsh language (and Welsh-speaking communities) is a core national objective—a cause that transcends narrow ‘policy areas’.”
This is not a matter for consultation. You have already acknowledged that we are facing a crisis. Our Welsh-speaking communities are shrinking to an unprecedented extent and are confronting unparalleled challenges across a wide range of areas. Carmarthenshire County Council’s policy is adding further fuel to a bonfire that is already burning out of control; urgent intervention is required before the whole situation is reduced to ashes.
We therefore trust that you and your fellow ministers will be prepared to act effectively and decisively—in line with your own principles and objectives—by declaring a moratorium on school closures until an appropriate policy is in place, in accordance with the recommendations of the Welsh Communities Commission.
Should you wish to discuss this matter further, we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you. We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Barlow – Chair of Governors, Bancffosfelen School
Elin Cullen – Chair of Governors, Pontiets School
Tudur Jones – Chair of Governors, Carwe Gwynfryn Ponthenri Federation

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