Stepaside School saved from closure after Council reversal!

The Governing Body of Stepaside Community Primary School are delighted to share the exciting news that the school will remain open for many years to come!

The School which sits next to the village of Kilgetty, was being earmarked for closure by Pembrokeshire County Council, as part of proposals to establish a new 3-11 primary school on the Saundersfoot School site, discontinuing both Saundersfoot School and Stepaside school.

However, the Local Authority’s deputy leader, Cllr Paul Miller who has recently taken on Cabinet member responsibility for education, recently recommended that the school doesn’t close, in the form of a notice of motion, which went before a full council meeting on July 16.

Cllr Miller said: “Following a thorough review, I have decided to recommend to Council that it not proceed with the closure of Stepaside School. I believe the school is providing good educational outcomes for its local population and is sustainable in its current form.”

Laura Burnett Chair of Governors of Stepaside Community Primary School stated: “This is a tremendous achievement for the community that is served by the school in Kilgetty. The Governing Body continues to believe that the original proposal to close Stepaside School and transfer all pupils to Saundersfoot was ill-informed.

“We remain concerned that the school capacity, projected pupil numbers and budgetary figures used to inform the proposal were outdated and did not provide a reliable basis for decision-making. In addition, we feel that the potential impact on the local community was not explored in sufficient depth, with limited engagement undertaken with those most affected.

“We were deeply disappointed that those responsible for developing the proposal had not visited the school to gain a first-hand understanding of its unique strengths and the community it serves.

“The appointment of new Cabinet Members provided a valuable opportunity for a fresh perspective. We are grateful to Cllr Paul Miller, along with the many County Councillors, Members of Parliament and Senedd Members who took the time to visit the school and see first-hand the high-quality education it provides, as well as the significant impact that its closure would have on pupils, families and the wider community.

“These visits gave us the opportunity to demonstrate what Stepaside School is all about – the values we uphold, the high-quality education we provide, and the vital role the school plays in supporting both our pupils and the wider community.

“Those who visited saw first-hand what Estyn recognised in its recent inspection: "a happy place where pupils feel safe and are eager to learn", "a school with a nurturing ethos", and "a welcoming, calm and purposeful learning environment", where "pupils make good progress in their learning" and "are proud of their achievements".

“We maintain that closing successful schools is not the right approach to educational development. Rural schools are far more than places of learning; they are at the heart of their communities, and their loss has far-reaching consequences for local families and community life.

“We also question whether replacing well-performing medium-sized primary schools with much larger schools represents the best use of public resources, or delivers the best outcomes for children's wellbeing, particularly in rural areas. Approaches that may be appropriate in cities should not automatically be applied to counties such as Pembrokeshire, where vibrant rural schools play a vital role in sustaining thriving local communities.

“We are delighted that Stepaside School will continue to serve the children and families of our catchment area for many years to come. As we look ahead to September, we look forward to welcoming new pupils into our thriving school community.

“If you are looking for a school where children are happy, valued and inspired to achieve their best, we would love to welcome you. Come and see for yourself the nurturing environment, high-quality education and strong sense of community that make Stepaside School such a special place to learn. To arrange a visit or find out more about joining our school, please contact us at: [email protected]

“We look forward to welcoming you and showing you why Stepaside School is a place where every child can thrive,” she added.

Wales football star and Swansea City player, Liam Cullen, a former pupil at the school, reacted to the news, stating: "Stepaside is a school that me and all my family attended, from my mum and auntie to now my nephew and niece. It is a school that provided me and every other student with an amazing education and set me and others up perfectly to move on to secondary school.

“I met so many friends at school that I am still in contact with and always will be close to. Alongside my brilliant education from all of the staff, they also facilitated my aims and dream of making it to where I am today being a footballer.

“Me and my family couldn’t have done it without the help of the school's staff, allowing me to train and play most days whilst keeping on top of my education and giving me exactly what I needed to succeed both in school and out of school."

Local County Councillors for the ward, Alistair Cameron and Alec Cormack said that they were delighted at the unanimous decision taken by Pembrokeshire County Council earlier to keep Stepaside School open.

Cllr Cameron commented “Stepaside School should never have been considered for closure. The number of pupils at the school have been stable since 2022 at between at between 110 and 115. We are looking at another good intake of pupils in September which shows just how popular this school is.

“Thank you to Mr Jones, Headteacher at Stepaside School, and all of his colleagues for their continued dedication and hard work for the children in their care. Thank you also to the Chair of Governors, Laura Burnett and all of the governors for their leadership as well as the parents and wider Kilgetty community for their support.

“The school staff can now concentrate on what they do best, which is to provide excellent education in a caring and nurturing environment.”

Cllr Cormack added: “I am very pleased that the decision taken in Council was unanimous.”