New site option for city school

Parents and children took part in a protest outside the school

A new option on the future of a primary school threatened with closure has been unveiled.

Plans to close Lansdowne Primary School in Canton, Cardiff still stand but the new proposal involves transferring the school to a new building.

Around 30 parents and children protested on Friday morning. The school's governors said they and staff were unhappy with both options.

The plans will be discussed by Cardiff council's executive next month.

The proposals are part of the authority's response to falling pupil numbers and an increased demand for education through the medium of Welsh.

The council's executive decided the fate of some of Cardiff's primary schools in July, approving recommendations to close or merge schools and to swap sites between English medium and Welsh medium schools.

But a decision on Lansdowne was deferred. There has been a strong campaign to save the school since it was proposed that the Welsh-medium primary school Ysgol Treganna - which is in need of more room - should be relocated there.

We will still continue to fight to keep Lansdowne school as a two-form entry school on the Lansdowne site Stuart Clack - Chairman of Lansdowne governors

If it closes pupils will be distributed between Radnor, Severn and Kitchener primary schools.

However, if the council executive approves the new proposal, Lansdowne will be transferred to a new building on land at the nearby Fitzalan High School.

A report on options for the reorganisation of primary schools in Canton will be discussed on 6 November.

Consultations will take place in January and February and a further report will be delivered in April 2009.

Stuart Clack, chairman of Lansdowne governors, said they and staff were informed about the new proposal on Friday.

"The bottom line is, as I keep saying to the officers, my priority as chair of governors is to defend the education of the children at Lansdowne school," said Mr Clack.

"If these plans are put into place it will effect the quality of the education of the children of Lansdowne school.

"Any change from us not being on the Lansdowne school site is going to cause problems in this respect.

"We will still continue to fight to keep Lansdowne school as a two-form entry school on the Lansdowne site."