PUPILS, parents, teachers and governors at an under-threat Valleys comprehensive are launching a campaign to save their school.

Glyncoed Comprehensive is one of four schools in Blaenau Gwent facing closure after the council announced plans to overhaul its schools and education.

As reported in the Argus last month, the council is consulting on proposals to close schools, create a 420-place primary at The Works in Ebbw Vale and merge secondaries in the town.

Glyncoed headteacher Colin James, said: "Closing this school would be the biggest educational mistake the borough would ever make. I'm not against the development, but not at the expense of this school being closed."

Mr James said 77 percent of its GCSE pupils got five A* - C grades last year, in the top ten for Wales in state-run schools, and he is already over-subscribed for new pupils in September.

He said he was "gobsmacked" when he heard the school, which has a pupil roll of 770, could close.

He added: "We're going to do everything we can to fight the closure - we're doing the business here, everything that's asked of us, so why are they even thinking of closing us? "

Chairman of governors at Glyncoed, Ioan Edwards, 61, said: "We've worked hard to produce a first-class school, it's yet another mess by the borough council - they have no idea."

Pupil Jess Griffiths, 16, Ebbw Vale, adedd: "I was devastated when I found out, I believe in this school and it's quite upsetting that all the memories from this school could be taken away and put somewhere else and the community spirit we've got at the school is being taken away. They feel they've got to spend this money - the things we could have in Ebbw Vale with this money when we've got a good school already, why would they want to spend money on that?"

Jess' mum Helen said one of Glyncoed's major strengths is the support for pupils and teachers' dedication to the school.

"Jess is doing her GCSEs at the moment, and there are revision classes and other things to support that. It is a very good atmosphere and if they are going to go into a bigger school, will they still have that?" said Mrs Griffiths.

"Also, I chose Glyncoed for my daughter, but parental choice will be taken away by The Works plan."

The council has £100 million of Assembly money to develop education facilities at the former Corus steelworks site - and is facing 'crippling' maintenance bills for existing buildings.

Executive member for education, Steve Bard, said: "We understand that the reorganisation of schools and education is always an emotive subject - but these proposals are carefully planned to deliver more educational success and opportunity."

The proposals

OPTION 1 Closure of Waunlwyd and Pontygof primary schools and Ebbw Vale and Glyncoed comprehensive schools; second stage - change the age range of Brynmawr and Tredegar secondary schools to 11-16, and, if Ebbw Vale and Glyncoed were not to close, also make these 11-16.

OPTION 2 Relocate Pen-y-Cwm special school to The Works site by August 2012, in a new facility for around 120 pupils.

OPTION 3 First stage - Develop a three-16 school at The Works, primary by September 2012, secondary by September 2013. The primary part would be for around 420 pupils, the secondary part for around 1,100.

Stage two - develop an integrated children's centre linked to the new primary facility.

Four: Set up a new sixth form facility, developed by an independent provider.