DISGRUNTLED parents and governors at Argoed primary school are appealing against the decision to close the school halfway through the academic year.

The assembly made the decision to close Argoed primary school last July and at the moment the school gates are set to close from December 31.

After a public meeting at the school last Monday, school governor Frances Thompson and Islwyn MP Don Touhig are planning to write a letter to the chief executive at Caerphilly council.

They are appealing for the school to be open until July next year because they claim closing in December will be disruptive to the pupils.

Mrs Thompson said: "My son is in his last year at the school and it is totally unfair that him and the other children should be disprupted put into another school halfway through the year.

"It's unfair on the reception children who have only just started school to have to move so soon too."

But Mrs Thompson did praise Caerphilly council for agreeing to asess the route from Argoed to Markham school, which is earmarked to take on the pupils when the school closes.

In past months, parents have been complaining that the route was not safe for children to walk to school.

Cllr Allen Williams for Argoed agrees.

He said: "It's not a safe route for school children because it's open to the elements and there's a busy road as well."

A spokesperson for Caerphilly Council said: "In proposing closure the director was of the view that Argoed Primary School was not educationally viable.

"To maintain the school beyond Decemer 31 would merely exacerbate this."

The spokesperson added that keeping the school open would create a larger budget deficit and noted that some parents have already transferred their children.

In addition the spokesperson said that if the school was to remain open, the staff could leave at any time causing disruption to the children.