500 IN RETHINK CALL ON CLOSURE OF SCHOOL

15 November 2005

More than 500 angry parents have sent a clear message to Swansea Council chiefs - save our schools. They are upset at the proposal to close Dylan Thomas Community School in Cockett and the eventual proposed transfer of its pupils to the Bishop Gore site in Sketty.

A protest petition carrying 522 names was handed over to education chiefs at County Hall yesterday urging an immediate rethink.

Council chiefs are keen to establish a £20 million super-school on the Bishop Gore site.

They say they need to react to school roll figures that are dropping right across the city. But the bid is being fought by parents of pupils at both Dylan Thomas and Bishop Gore who want to see the two schools' identities preserved.

Parents and children at the schools say the right to parental choice is being taken away.

Parents of pupils at the feeder schools have also objected to being denied the right to be involved in the consultation process.

Parent Amanda Edwards, who has two children at Bishop Gore and three primary age children, said: "We are demanding proper consultation because many stakeholders have been denied access to meetings.

"Feeder schools and people directly affected and Sketty residents were excluded from meetings."

She said confidence among the campaigners that they would win their fight was high.

She added: "Confidence is growing daily.''A Swansea Council spokesman said extensive consultation on the proposals for the schools had taken place.

"There has been more than one round of consultation regarding the proposals to close Dylan Thomas School," he continued.

"The first of these took place during a six-week period during the summer term. Meetings were staged with governors, parents, teachers and pupils at both Dylan Thomas and Bishop Gore."

The spokesman discounted suggestions that a larger school could cause problems.

"There is no evidence that larger schools are any less safe for pupils," he said.

"The council welcomes the petition and will look at the documentation submitted with it.

"A report on this and other feedback will go to cabinet in December."

He added: "Home tuition is available under exceptional circumstances only and usually only to address medical circumstances certified by a doctor or community paediatrician."