Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn parents fight for future of school

Jun 24 2010 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

PARENTS are planning to take to an open-top double-decker bus today to tour the streets of Llandudno, driving forward their campaign to keep a much loved school open.

Over 500 signatures have been collected on a petition calling for Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn at West Shore to be kept open and the parents say they are thrilled with the tidal wave of support coming from the public.

“It’s fantastic, it’s going better than we hoped,” said chairman of the school’s Parent Teacher Association Melanie Brook.

Around 40 parents, many wearing t-shirts with Save Our School slogans, demonstrated outside the school on Tuesday to protest against the proposal to merge it with nearby Ysgol Tudno.

Parent Graham Jones gave a speech, in which he said: “This is a serious threat that needs to be met. One of the best ways to get into the fight is to write to the council or e-mail them to make your representations known. The more letters they get the better.”

Mum Annejennette Stephenson was unable to attend the protest because of work commitments, but is backing it.

She commented: “My eldest child is in Ysgol John Bright and is studying for A-levels, gaining A B and C grades in her GCSEs last year.

“She attended Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn for all her primary and junior years and had such a wonderful experience there, not to mention the standard of education.

“My middle son is now in John Bright and my youngest son is at Ffordd Dyffryn and goes to John Bright this September.

“I have to say that all of my children have had a fantastic educational experience within Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn.

“I’m really hopeful the school can remain open, but I was told off the record that it will be turned into a community centre for the area when it’s closed, so it raises the question – has the closure already been decided?”

And she said the school had a special function in caring for children from a refuge run by charity Women’s Aid.

“At present the refuge has a close relationship with the school and takes in children from the refuge without a problem, giving them security and solace in their time of need,” she said.

“I know the school’s intake figures fluctuate because of this too.”

Mostyn ward councillor Janet Haworth is a former teacher and college lecturer and says she understands the worries of the parents, but fears that the high cost of maintaining old buildings and predictions of falling pupil numbers may mean a merger is the best way forward.

“I have had personal experience of merging two schools. I worked in one of them and it wasn’t one of the happiest times of my life. It wasn’t easy, but the outcome in the long term was probably the best for the pupils,” she said.

“It is the children who must be the priority in this and we must get the best possible long term outcome for them.”

Activities at Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn over the next few days include a special film night tonight for infants and juniors, and an end of term disco on July 8. The school then breaks up for the summer holidays on July 16.

judith.phillips