Abersoch principals resign because they refuse to do ‘dirty work’ of council with staff

Governors at a school in Gwynedd have resigned en masse after refusing to approve the layoffs.

Ysgol Abersoch governors said it was “the final insult” to a council that had vehemently opposed the school’s closure.

Having to fire staff was therefore a “conflict of interest,” they said in a statement.

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“It is the decision of the Gwynedd council to close the school,” they said.

“Will won’t do their dirty work for them.” “

The seven volunteer governors – nearly one for each student at the school – resigned immediately after a recent board meeting because they felt their positions were “untenable.”

Gwynedd council decided to shut down Ysgol Abersoch at the end of December after concluding that there was no viable future for the Welsh language school as the number of pupils is unlikely to increase significantly. significant in the years to come.

Currently, the authority is spending £ 17,404 per pupil compared to the county average of £ 4,198, with young people moving to Ysgol Sarn Bach at the end of the third school year.

But the governing council said it was being asked to go through a process that was “not fit for purpose.”

As a result, the board had felt “pressured” to respond to the planned closure within a “time limit”.

Another concern was the “threat” that Ysgol Abersoch would be labeled a school with poor governance.

“This does not reflect the many years of commitment, effort and dedication to be the best version of a governing body we have worked towards,” the Governors wrote.

Beyond statutory advice, there had been a “complete lack of communication or engagement” with parents, staff and governors by the Gwynedd Education Department during the shutdown process, “they said. fulminated.

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Ysgol Abersoch’s review by the Gwynedd council found that the school had 76% excess places based on September 2020 figures.

At this point, there were only eight full-time students and two kindergarten students in the school.

All 10 were taught in a single mixed age class with an age range of up to five years.

The council said the decision to close the school and transfer the students to Ysgol Sarn Bach had been “difficult”.

A spokesperson said: “The council, as an education authority, has a duty to ensure that we provide the best education and experiences possible as well as the best learning environment for all children in the county. .

“We recently received correspondence from the governing body of Ysgol Abersoch advising of the resignation of seven members.

“In the meantime, we thank them for their hard work and dedication to Ysgol Abersoch and the student’s education over the years.”

On December 17, Ysgol Abersoch is organizing an open day to “share happy memories”.

This, the staff said, will be a “last chance to visit Ysgol Abersoch before his doors close forever.”

From 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will need to adhere to Covid restrictions such as wearing masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing.

Former school governors support the event.

But they added: “It is a source of deep sadness and regret that, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure Ysgol Abersoch’s future.

“We are both furious and devastated that the board has seen fit to close all schools during the school year and, in particular, at Christmas.”

Should the school have remained open? What impact will this have on the Welsh language? Give your opinion in the comments section below.