Rural Development Sub-Committee

Inquiry into Reorganisation of Schools in Rural Wales

Response from Glynis Shaw

This is an emotive topic. Bodfari and other schools in Denbighshire were threatened a few years ago....

In the case of Bodfari it is very much the heart of the community! We have lost the post office and the Dinorben is at the present time closed. The church is awaiting a new vicar who will be based in Caerwys and the chapel in Aberwheeler seems nearly dead.

In the 18 yrs I have been here the numbers have fluctuated from over 50 to about 25 - from reception until they leave for secondary school. This means that there have been surplus places!

To close rural schools can mean that very young children have long travel times to commute elsewhere. Villages without a school seem unattractive to newcomers with children so a retirement village is developed. Rural schools can offer social and cultural activities providing a community cohesion in the village and sense of village life.

School functions could be extended- community IT centres, provide sport, exercise and adult learning . Clinics could be held and even provide a shop or post office functions. The community is likely to be supportive of enterprises at the community school and people may volunteer at a local level to help with childcare, community garden etc. Rural schools are important for maintaining vibrant communities.

When the schools become too small there are social impacts on the children -peer groups are too small and educational stimulation limited!

Also too few staff mean the children do not experience a range of teachers - with all their talents and failings. Obviously running a very small school is not cost effective - but once closed it is difficult to re-open if the demographics change!

In some instances instead of bussing rural children to the towns the reverse might help children who would benefit from the family atmosphere of a small school. In some cases small schools could amalgamate - in this area that could lead to bilingual primary schools and more integrated communities, benefiting from the best premises available and save travel time and transport costs. (Bodfari and Tremeirchion for instance).

Of course school loyalties and rivalries will have to be overcome. One could hope that staffing ratios could seriously improve -with long term benefits to all.

For sustainable rural schools, creative solutions will need to be found depending very largely on the particular community. Certainly a one size suits all will not be the answer - a cittaslow approach will need to be found! The question of rural schools cannot be solved by numbers. This situation is affecting other areas of the UK -in Northern Ireland rural schools are pioneering renewables - The 'Switched On Schools' project .

See: http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dard/news-dard-090108-rural-

schools-switch.htm.

Cheers
Glynis
Glynis Shaw