Shutting school could have 'terrifying' effect on families in one of county's most deprived areas

Concerns have been raised about the “terrifying” effect a school closure could have on one of the most deprived areas in a Welsh county. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is consulting on a proposal to close Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary School in Tonyrefail, with pupils transferring to Tonyrefail Community School by no later than September 2025 with the catchment area of Tonyrefail Community School being extended.

A special meeting of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s education scrutiny committee discussed the proposals on Thursday, October 24, where Councillor Danny Grehan, who represents Tonyrefail East on the council, said: “The closure of this community school will have a terrifying effect on a number of families.” He said a group of parents had recently done the walk that the children would have to do and he said that it was 1.5 miles and took 45 minutes with the children.

He said: “Imagine on a wet, cold winter morning or even on a very warm day in the summer walking for 45 minutes with a couple of children and then the parents have to walk all the way back home. It’s not just the children who are going to suffer here.” He said it’s going to have a very big effect on children’s education as they’re going to be very tired before even starting the school day.

Cllr Grehan added that the children learned as part of an Eco project in the school that 60% of parents don’t own a car and 56% of parents qualify for free school lunches. He said: “This is one of the most deprived areas in our county.”

He said that going on a bus would cost £64 a month for parents with one child but would be more if they have more than one child, adding: “Our parents can’t afford to do that.” Cllr Grehan said the school has looked at the officers’ figures on the number of pupils for the years to come and that staff say these aren’t correct although the council’s director of education Gaynor Davies said the council is confident about its data.

Cllr Grehan said that the new headteacher has transformed the school and added that it offers an atmosphere where children feel they have a voice and an influence over their future. Cllr Grehan said: “Education is the best tool to help any child. Many of our children need more help.”

He said Tref-Y-Rhyg was already having difficulty with attendance and that if they need to walk 45 minutes in all weathers: “I can assure you that the situation will get worse.” He added that some children have to find their own way to school which they can do for Tref-Y-Rhyg because it’s only five minutes away but when that journey turns into a 45-minute walk that will be much more difficult.

Cllr Grehan said: “Once again the children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds will suffer here.” Councillor Dan Owen-Jones, a fellow Tonyrefail East councillor, outlined concerns about the consequences of increased capacity due to new housing proposed in the Tonyrefail area and he queried the council’s pupil number projections, adding that he’s opposed to the proposal. To get all the latest daily Wales Online news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Steve Burgess, the chair of governors of the school, said the breakfast club, which he said was fully subscribed with a waiting list, plays an important role at the school and the council is not only asking pupils to walk a long way before having breakfast, they’re also making them leave the house very early in all weathers. He said: “Our pupils love their school. They feel comfortable, safe and happy. They receive a high quality education.”

He said they are given a wealth of experiences and are proud to be pupils at the school and have a real sense of belonging. Jamie Freeman, a parent governor and co-chair of the PTA at the school, said the school is a safe haven for families and that the staff at the school go above and beyond to support families.

She added that parents feel it’s “unfair that the local authority is wanting to disrupt their education causing anxiety, upset and potential trauma”, adding that some children need a smaller environment in order to learn and be themselves. She said that she hoped cabinet would consider the human cost of this proposal and the impact on the young children and their families and that they are deprived area which is only going to increase in size.

Cabinet agreed in September to consult on the proposal and in that cabinet report it said Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary has a capacity of 157 pupils, and pupil numbers are projected to steadily decline in future years. Data in the cabinet report said that 82 pupils attend the school, meaning there are currently almost 48% surplus places, and this is projected to reduce to 54 pupils attending by 2028/29 (65.6% surplus places).

It said that the school building was built in around 1899, and a property condition survey in 2022 indicated it is graded ‘C’ for condition and ‘D’ for suitability, where ‘A’ is the highest rating and ‘D’ is the lowest. It added that the building needed major repair or refurbishment, with a backlog of maintenance of £381,040 – not including extra funding that is required for the school to reach 21^st Century standards.

In addition, it said the school’s limited outdoor areas are not suitable for staff to deliver the Curriculum for Wales through outdoor learning. The site is graded ‘D’ for accessibility, and does not fully comply with the Equality Act 2010. Meanwhile, the report said that Tonyrefail Community School is a 3-19 school with a 385-pupil capacity in the primary phase. It was part of a major £44m investment in 2020 that provided first-class education and sports facilities. It is also the school that provides secondary education for Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary’s catchment area.

The cabinet report said that the school is projected to have 7.5% surplus places by 2028/29, and a planned capacity increase in the primary phase (by 30 to 415) will further increase the number of available school places. It also said that all Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary pupils could be accommodated by Tonyrefail Community School in September 2025.