CHANTS rang out as parents protested against closing a 170-year-old-school.

Lixwm Primary School's yard was filled with a chorus of angered parents, grandparents and governors who sang "save our school" at Flintshire Council staff as they entered the building for a meeting yesterday.

Members of the community were making a last-ditch attempt to stop Lixwm school from being amalgamated with Brynford Primary School, to create one large facility on the site of the latter.

The proposal, which remains in a consultation period until Tuesday, May 10, follows pressure from Welsh Government to address the issue of surplus places - currently 15.37 per cent in Flintshire's primary schools - by lowering it to the national target level of 10 per cent.

But members of the Lixwm community are adamant that the school has enough spaces "to meet the local demand."

Tony Griffiths, owner of the Crown Inn in the village, said parents are "up in arms" over the controversial proposal, and are dedicated to an "ongoing campaign" to stop the amalgamation of the schools by September 2019.

Rebecca Blackwell, of Babell, said closing the school would have a "devastating" effect on her family and the whole community.

She said: "This is a fantastic school, and was our first choice for a reason. It's nice, it has a communal, safe feel, and it's a high performing school.

"As a small school, teachers are really dedicated and can push him forward. We don't want to lose that. It would be so disruptive."

Her husband Stephen Blackwell added that the "growing population in Lixwm" calls for a facility for younger generations, and is one of the few places "that really needs a school."

Nia Cockburn, from Halkyn, said: "The whole situation seems immoral as we have not been given the option for anything. We chose this school, and our son has come out like you wouldn't believe since being here. The school has given him confidence.

"With the new housing development, Maes y Goron, it's expected Lixwm school would be full by 2020 because everyone is at the stage in their life of getting pregnant and having babies."

Kevin Weston, of Nannerch, wonders why Lixwm "has to suffer" due to the surplus across the county. As the expectant grandfather of a potential Lixwm School pupil, Mr Weston fears for the educational and social impact shutting the school would have on the village.

He said: "Flintshire Council has created affordable housing at Maes y Goron, but now everyone is thinking of selling their houses because there's nothing left."

Flintshire Council said in a statement: "We have a legal obligation to ensure there are a sufficient number of school places of the right type in the right locations to deliver quality education services for pupils.

"This is not straightforward in that there are a large number of surplus school places in some areas of the county whilst other areas don't have enough places to meet the local demand."

Mark Isherwood, Conservative AM for North Wales, is backing parents' campaign. He Tweeted: "The Education Secretary [Kirsty Williams AM] is amending Wales’ School Organisation Code to introduce a presumption against the closure of rural schools and ensure that local authorities conscientiously consider all viable alternatives to closure, including federation with other schools.

"As she said in the Assembly last week, 'my expectation is that local authorities should be working with the grain of the new code. They are well aware of my intentions and my policy intentions."

To comment on the consultation online, visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BLA016