Schools plan 'risks dividing Llanfyllin community'

Sending Welsh and English speaking children from Llanfyllin to separate schools would lead to a divided community, parents have claimed.

A survey carried out by the Friends of Llanfyllin School has shown that 90 per cent of Llanfyllin parents believe the move would split the area.

The survey was undertaken to gauge local opinion towards Powys County Council's school modernisation proposals.

There are fears the council may decide that Llanfyllin High School should become a single language school with a much reduced sixth form provision.

Diana Dunn, secretary of the friends, said: "For years we had been a fundraising body supporting school events. But with the recent threat to our school we felt that we needed to take our role further.

"We decided to commission a survey to canvas local opinion on our school and the county council proposals.

"The survey included 22 carefully targeted questions aligned with Welsh Assembly Government guidance on consultation for school reorganisation.

"Respondents from both Welsh speaking and English speaking backgrounds were equally opposed to the school losing its current designation as a bilingual school and local parents have described the proposals as 'cultural apartheid'."