Parents and governors have launched an impassioned bid to keep their 170-year-old school from closure.

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 next week to recommend moving forward to a statutory consultation on the future of both schools after attempts were made to federate last year.

A pause and review was confirmed by the local authority in September after governors at Lixwm and Brynford could not reach an agreement on a shared approach.

Now parents and governors have rallied against the potential amalgamation in a bid to keep Lixwm school open.

In a letter to sent out to parents, the school's board of governors wrote: “Thank you for your continued support of the school and allowing the governing body to look for ways to secure the future of the school.

“As governors we are determined to keep our school in Lixwm and to achieve this have worked extremely hard over the past eight months towards a federation with Brynford and Cilcain schools.

“However, so far this has been without success.

“In October 2017 we had a meeting with the director of education for the Diocese of St Asaph to explore becoming a church school and a possible federation with Nannerch school.

“Unfortunately, the Diocese did not support our request. However the governors are investigating this route further.”

School officials have liaised with MPs, Assembly Members and councillors as they try to prevent the doors closing and moving to a new site.

The governors added: “We the governors wish to make it clear to you that this process can be halted if we are successful at finding a school that will federate with us or find an alternative solution.

“We, the governing body, are determined to fight to keep our school in Lixwm open to serve what is a thriving and growing community in Lixwm and its surrounding area.

“We are now asking you to support us in this fight and we strongly urge you to write and express your wishes for the future of the school and your children, making clear your thoughts on an amalgamation with Ysgol Brynffordd.”

Mark Cockburn, vice-chairman of governors at Lixwm School, told the Leader that should their efforts be unsuccessful, campaigners would explore any avenue of appeal they could.

He said: “We'd be happy to work with anyone.

“The parents of Lixwm want to keep the school open and the feeling is that if it goes, they won't go to Brynford anyway.

“We want to keep our school open and if it goes against us we'll go to any appeals process we can to overturn it.”