Welsh schools to find out whether they will be closed as council looks to modernise education

Alec Doyle, Local democracy reporter

Saltney could witness the number of primary schools in the town cut from three to one next week.

A number of factors including falling pupil numbers have led to two separate plans to reduce the number of schools.

The first is the amalgamation of Saltney Wood Memorial Primary School and Saltney Ferry Primary School. The second is the closure of St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School as part Flintshire County Council and the Diocese of Wrexham’s Catholic super-school proposals.

Introducing the reports, Flintshire’s Education department writes: “Achieving this ambitious vision will require significant organisational change to the current Saltney school estate but will deliver a long-term sustainable model.

“All objections received have been reviewed and a summary of those and the proposer’s response has been prepared.”

According to the documents, the key drivers for both proposals are educational improvement, making school leadership more resilient, delivering more suitable buildings for modern education, addressing unfilled places and managing diminishing resources.

Both schemes will be put before Flintshire Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, March 10 for a final decision by elected members of the Labour-led coalition.

Both plans have been fiercely opposed both inside and outside the council chamber. Recently it was revealed that the Saltney Wood proposals had attracted over 3,000 objections while the super-school plans received over 4,000.

The merger between Saltney Wood and Saltney Ferry would see a new £12.5 million primary school built on the Saltney Wood site – raising fears about safer routes to school for young pupils who live on the opposite side of town near Saltney Ferry and concerns over the Saltney Ferry community being left behind with no planned investment in community facilities.

The proposed closure of St Anthony’s is part of a wider £55 million plan to close three Catholic Primary Schools – St David’s in Mold and St Mary’s in Flint are also at risk – plus St Richard Gwyn High School and create a new 3-18 super-school on the Richard Gwyn site.

Under the original plans St Anthony’s would be closed this September – but the Education and Youth Overview and Scrutiny Committee has added an option for Cabinet to delay the closure by one academic year to allow time to support pupils through any transition period.

If approved both plans will be part-funded by Flintshire County Council, which will borrow £4.5 million to fund Saltney Wood and £8.5 million to contribute to the super-school.

Parents in Saltney have led the voices of opposition, concerned about the negative impact on the community of losing beloved schools and potentially having to travel out of the area – or even the country – to access education for their children.

One opponent of the Saltney Ferry school closure said: “We have always been the forgotten area – Saltney Ferry has no shop, no bus service, nothing and now a proposal to close the school.”

Meanwhile Matina Crocombe, one of the parents opposing the St Anthony’s closure plans, said: “It’s difficult to see how this decision is in the best interest of the children and community of St. Anthony’s when it so clearly dismisses the concerns of 95% of those who responded to the consultation.

“The focus appears to be on the £55 million super school, rather than on the welfare of the students.”

In response the authority has long argued that falling pupil numbers and the need to find efficiencies makes change necessary.

Both reports before Cabinet – which each detail the case for change and the arguments against – ask that councillors on balance endorse the proposals.