Emotional parents have pleaded with Flintshire Council to keep their school open.

In a bid to convince local authority bosses to move away from a potential amalgamation, parents of youngsters at Lixwm Primary School have written to Flintshire Council to underline the importance of keeping their school open.

It is expected that, despite months of attempts to retain its independence and even federate with other schools, Lixwm Primary School will be recommended to amalgamate onto a new single site with the nearby Brynford, resulting in its closure.

Flintshire Council's cabinet is expected to recommend moving forward to a statutory consultation on the future of both schools after attempts were made to federate last
year.

In letters seen by the Leader, parents have reached out to authority cabinet members and officers pleading with them to keep the village primary school open.

Gwyn Farrell, originally from Anglesey, moved to Lixwm six years ago.

He said: “After many months of looking for a suitable area for my family, we fell upon Lixwm, a beautiful village with a growing community and a great school.

“Before purchasing our house we visited the school a few times and were always impressed with their enthusiasm and kindness. After our children had a few taster days, we were convinced we were moving to the right area to settle.”

Mr Farrell said Lixwm Primary was “by far the best” school his children had attended, seeing their education “flourish”.

He added: “Nothing has been too much trouble for the headteacher or her staff.

“I find the school different to others in the respect that it has a more personal feel to it between the teachers, parents and pupils.”

Mr Farrell said if he wanted his children to go to Brynford, “I’d have moved there six years ago.”

He concluded: “The school has been educating children for a 170 years and in my opinion is still doing a great job.”

Parent governor Dawn Wilce wrote that she had “no intention” of sending her children to the new school should an amalgamation take place.

She said: “Our family moved to Flintshire from outside of the area in 2014 and although Ysgol Licswm was located some eight miles from our new home in Rhewl-Mostyn, we chose it over more local schools in the Holywell area for many reasons.

“My youngest son had experienced significant delays with his speech and language and I want to point out that he has progressed rapidly since joining Ysgol Licswm, progress which had not been achieved elsewhere in much larger schools he has attended.

“His teachers at Ysgol Licswm have shown a genuine interest in his progress and have worked tirelessly to give him the vital support he has needed to reach his full potential.

“As a result of our confidence in the school, we’re now in the process of concluding a house move to be closer to school.”

Ms Wilce added the potential closure of “such a well-established and viable school” in a “thriving community” would impact “plenty of families who depend on the school and fully support it”.

She said: “Since learning of the decision to review the provision of rural schools in Flintshire and the threat of closure to Ysgol Licswm, the local community, parents, teachers and governors have made it clear that we wish to retain our school.

“We do not want Ysgol Licswm to close and our preference is for the status quo.”

Parents Daniel and Holly Hollingsworth said they were “particularly concerned” at the option to amalgamate Lixwm and Brynford schools on one site and “feel sure our children would feel overwhelmed by what inevitably would mean larger class sizes and as such, should this option go ahead, we would feel compelled to look for a different small rural school to suit our children’s needs.”

The school’s future will be discussed during Tuesday's Flintshire Council cabinet meeting.