Ceredigion Welsh medium schools saved from axe for now after 'formal challenge'

Four rural schools faced with closure have been saved from the axe for now after a last minute “formal challenge” to the local education authority. Ceredigion Council’s decision to shut the small Welsh language primaries should be reversed and closure next August is no longer achievable, councillors have been told in a report going to cabinet next week.

A recommendation going to the upcoming meeting on Tuesday, December 3 says members should now reverse their earlier decision to hold a statutory consultation on the closure of the four schools; Ysgol Craig yr Wylfa, Ysgol Llangwyryfon, Ysgol Syr John Rhys, and Ysgol Llanfihangel y Creuddyn. The threatened closure sparked protests outside the council building and a campaign by Welsh language group Cymdeithas Ir Iaith.

If cabinet agrees to the recommendation then its consultation would be treated as an “informal consultation period in order to gather more information” and not a decision to shut the four schools in August 2025, as planned. A paper going to the meeting says: “On 19 November 2024, the authority received a formal challenge to the decision made on 3/9/2024 to undertake a statutory consultation with a proposed closure date of 31/8/25 which is deemed not feasible and therefore needs to re-consider [sic] the decision made on that date.”

The recommendation going to cabinet said: "The statutory consultation process to cease to maintain the provision at Ysgol Craig yr Wylfa, Ysgol Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Ysgol Llangwyryfon and Ysgol Syr John Rhys with effect from 31 August 2025 shall instead be treated as an informal consultation on the reorganisation and future of the schools". It added that "ceasing to maintain the schools as from 31 August 2025 is not an option as the timetable is deemed not to be achievable."

It is not clear what challenge has led the council to reconsider the situation, although the report says the council received it by letter in November. Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith was reluctant to take credit, although it opposed the plans and had already lodged a formal complaint with Education Minister Lynne Neagle, claiming the council had gone against the Welsh Government’s School organization code.

Ffred Ffransis, from Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s education group, said: “Cymdeithas yr Iaith welcomes the proposal that will be put to the Ceredigion Council’s cabinet meeting next Tuesday to start listening to the communities before making decisions on their future on their behalf. This is exactly what was needed from the start, which is to seek the opinions of the schools and communities first, hold an open discussion and then seek the way forward.

“We are grateful to the governors and parents of the four schools for their stance for the future of their children and their communities. They are an inspiration to communities across Wales and are a great example for the children”.

In a letter to Education minister Lynne Neagle MS last month Cymdeithas claimed that the council had not fulfilled its statutory duties. The group claimed the council failed to follow the directives in the Welsh Government's school organization code, which states that a local authority must start the process with a presumption in favour of maintaining schools that are on its list to be protected.

Cymdeithas said at the time: "When introducing the new edition of the Code in 2018, Kirsty Williams, minister responsible for education at the time, said that a local authority should only propose to close a rural school on the list after considering all alternative options.

“In a meeting with Cymdeithas yr Iaith last month, the current Education Secretary, Lynne Neagle MS, emphasised that this should be a conscientious and careful process, not 'just ticking boxes', and the Government’s director of Welsh Language and education added that 'presumption against closing rural schools means presumption against closing rural schools'." Ceredigion council was approached for comment. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter