BROOKFIELD is one of three primary schools facing closure as part of Torfaen council's bid to deal with a growing surplus places crisis. The others are Ponthir and Pentwyn primary schools.

Director of education Mike de Val told the meeting 26 per cent of places will be surplus by 2008 if nothing is done.

The council estimates this will cost £250,000 per year in lost revenue. He said: "If we cannot demonstrate the closure is going to have a positive effect on education, then we cannot win the argument."

The council's criteria for chosing which schools close include the number of surplus places, capital expenditure, academic standards and the number of pupils from outside the catchment area. Brookfield currently has 51 surplus places.