ANGRY parents have hit out at plans to close a Gwent primary school, saying the decision will “rip the heart out” of their community.

Blaenau Gwent’s Executive Committee yesterday approved plans to proceed with the publication of S statutory notices regarding the closure of Garnlydan Primary School, Ebbw Vale.

The plans will see the school shut on August 31, 2009, with pupils from Garnlydan then given priority admission to Rhos-y-Fedwen Primary School one mile away in Rassau.

A council report identified that the school needed to close following a significant decline in pupil numbers.

It said: “Low pupil numbers limited the school budget and the numbers of teaching staff at the school. This had resulted in a requirement to teach across a wide range of ages. In these circumstances the ability to deliver high-quality education for all pupils is restricted.”

The school currently has 30 pupils but can accommodate 118.

Protesters against the plans yesterday argued the school is vitally important to the local community and needs to be saved.

A petition against the plans signed by 70 people parents and residents was handed over to the council.

Louise Lewis, whose four-year-old daughter Courtney attends the school, said: “I am angry because the heart of our community is being ripped out.

“I am shocked that children can be taken out of their place of learning so easily and I will fight this to the end.”

Parents are also angry that the plans to relocate pupils to Rhos-y-Fedwen do not include free transport as Garnlydan pupils are not within the 1.5mile radius the council adopts.

Scott Lewis, 30, has three children at the school. He said: “The closure will have a big impact on my children’s education.

“Lot’s of people are upset about this and I think it is terrible to expect our children to walk such a long way every day to school. They will walk up and down a very steep incline and in the winter the footpaths will get icy.”

Following the Statutory Notices, interested parties have two months to object before a further report on the plans are considered.

Cabinet members yesterday asked for further research into the safety of the walking route between Garnlydan and Rhos-y-Fedwen Primary School to take place during that period.