Parents' vow to battle on Swansea school future

Trusted article source icon
Friday, December 11, 2009
Profile image for This is SouthWales

This is SouthWales

THE fight to save an Eastside school goes on.

According to the chairman of governors at Cwm primary the stress of the closure hanging over the school is being felt by pupils, parents and staff.

Earlier this year Swansea Council voted to close Cwm and send the pupils to Cwm Glas primary in Bonymaen.

After an appeal from the school, the final decision now rests with Education Minister Jane Hutt.

Chairman of governors John Winchester said the time taken to make the decision is taking its toll on the school community.

He said: "Our biggest concern has to be the impact that this is having on children and families.

"The proposal has already taken one year, in which time it has caused a huge amount of unrest and insecurity for families.

"This has led to some parents suffering bouts of anxiety and depression, and children having nightmares and in some cases, bedwetting.

"For staff, for whom there have been no reassurances regarding redeployment, it is a time of huge strain as they face the very real possibility of being out of work in less than a year.

"This feels particularly harsh having only last year received an excellent Estyn report based on their hard work following an inspection in December 2008."

Visit our Education website

However, head teacher Amanda Taylor said the school would continue to fight for its future. She said: "We continue to be positive and are working hard on a number of new initiatives to improve teaching and learning within the school.

"We have continued to plan as normal, with staff showing usual dedication and commitment.

"This continues to be rewarded by parents and pupils continuing to attend the school and support us.

Check the inspection report for your child's school

"More so, our numbers are continuing to rise – we have admitted more than 11 children since September, over and above the number expected.

"This, and the continued support from the parents and community — over 2,000 objections were sent to the council regarding the proposal to close — has been an enormous boost to morale."

alex.brown@swwmedia.co.uk

9
Tweet this article
Report

9 Comments

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Megan, Bonymaen

    Thursday, December 17 2009, 5:25PM

    “Well said Paul Lloyd. its aways someone elses fault with Swansea Council. I thought, however, that Swansea Councillors were responsible for how they spend their budget, or are they told how to use our money by Cardiff or London?”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Paul Lloyd, Bonymaen Labour Party

    Thursday, December 17 2009, 11:24AM

    “Message to James Sheridan - I don't think you understand- this is your LibDem /Independent Swansea Council that's closing Cwm School.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by James Sheridan, Swansea

    Tuesday, December 15 2009, 5:24PM

    “Re:Paul Lloyd, Bonymaen Labour Party

    Save Schools, UK Businesses or the Banks!? Labour decided to save the Banks!? Whatever happened to Labour's 'Education, Education, Education!? It seems to have been replaced by, Banks, Banks, Banks! The Banks have repaid the nation, by demanding bonuses and often refusing Credit to businesses that would have survived the Recession.

    Money 'deposited' on the Taxpayers behalf, without consultation, by Labour, has been mismanaged and 'hidden'! The result is that the UK is the 'sick man' of Europe, Economically and Socially and has lost the respect of our Global Peers!”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Megan, Bonymaen

    Monday, December 14 2009, 1:31PM

    “They have to close our school in Bonymaen so that they can build six new ones in other parts of the city of course. This Council is a shambles. Unfortunately, 2012 will be too late, as, if they get their way, Cwm, Afryn and Llanmorlais will be closed, and our childrens education will be in ruins. Cllr Holley still harps on about "falling numbers" and seemed to be shocked when I pointed out to him recently that ours were not falling! Does he not check out FACTS (avilable on his own councils website after all) before he jumps into these flawed ideas?”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Paul Lloyd, Bonymaen Labour Party

    Sunday, December 13 2009, 7:58PM

    “This Lib-Dem/ Independent run Swansea Council lurches from 1 disaster to the next. The problem is that it's at the expense of our children. Ray Welsby is right, they could find the money to waste on so many pet projects to massage their egos. Now they need to sell off school site to refill their empty coffers. I can't wait until the 2012 Council elections.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by roy adams, dunvant

    Saturday, December 12 2009, 10:30PM

    “It is predicted by national news paper's that every year for at least the next 25 years there will be 180.000 immigrants settling in Britain many of which will arrive in Wales and thus our own City of Swansea, plus the fact that present birth-rates are on the increase. Where will these children have a quality state education, if schools are to close.
    There is no reason to close any schools, in fact for every child to have the finest opportunity and not forced like cattle in overcrowed schools to reach their full education, (and only chance ) potential then more schools need to be built.
    I strongly support the comments from (Ray. Welsby) who himself was a well respected ward councillor who in his term of office continually fought cabinet councillors on how much of our City's finances they were wasting.
    Our children should not be held, as scape-goats because of councillors and other politicans incompetence to have the ability to handle the finances correctly.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Ray Welsby, Clase Morriston

    Saturday, December 12 2009, 5:48PM

    “Questions must be asked of Cllr's Holley and Hague,who are leader and deputy leader, of the council. Where did they find the" £33 MILLION" for the guildhall also the £9million for the library,£2.5million they gave to the liberty stadium without repayment £350-000-000 spent on converting plush office's for themselves four personal secretary's. A chief executive costing £150-000-000. Director's of
    departments earning over £1.5 million between them plus their personal secretary's. Councillor's allowances over £1.5 million, plus on top of this there juants abroad with officer's, free tickets to the Liberty stadium for "Football and Rugby" and also free tickets to the grand theatre. Then a legal department who are incompitent and bring in outside solicitor's and barrister's which costs over £1.75 million. They also paid £83 million pound on an IT system that is not producing the savings forecast by this council. And then gave the contract to Cardiff council to do part of the work because they can do it cheaper than SwANSEA, does this make sense?. But they can also fund a Cllr's Legal cost's where she as admiited to breaking the council's code of conduct. This is some of the reasons they can not fund our school's properly to keep them open.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by vicky, bonymaen

    Saturday, December 12 2009, 12:49PM

    “Cwm school is such a brilliant school with great teachers, children and very annoyed and concerned parents the class sizes may be small but i think the children benefit more in smaller classes. My 3children attend cwm school and are finding it very difficult to understand why they might have to move schools and as a mother is finding it difficult to see them upset and distressed and cant do anything more to take the pain away. I just hope that jane hutt could make her decision based on how it would affect young children and not on saving money”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Mair (nee Hughes), Ex Winchwen

    Friday, December 11 2009, 9:22PM

    “Keep fighting to try and stop the closure of Cwm School. My late mum and her siblings went there as far back as the early 1900s, myself and my brother in the 1940s and finally my daughter & son in the 1960/70s. We saw it bombed and rebuilt, outside toilets in the yard etc, it is full of community and character, built with stone, bricks and cement etc which has lasted all these years and is worth repairing and saving.
    PLEASE DON'T LET THEM CLOSE AND EVENTUALLY DEMOLISH IT.”

        Your comments awaiting moderation

        Add your comments

        max 4000 characters