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| Ystalyfera: Landslip fears shut Godre'r Graig primary school | Ystalyfera: Landslip fears shut Godre'r Graig primary school |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A school has been forced to close after concerns about the possible risk of a landslide from quarry spoil in the Swansea Valley. | |
| A "medium" risk has been identified to Godre'r Graig Primary School near Ystalyfera, parents have been told. | A "medium" risk has been identified to Godre'r Graig Primary School near Ystalyfera, parents have been told. |
| Residents in nearby Pantteg moved out of their terraced homes in 2017 due to concerns over landslips. | Residents in nearby Pantteg moved out of their terraced homes in 2017 due to concerns over landslips. |
| Work to relocate to a single school site by September is under way and the summer holiday was brought forward. | |
| Teachers at the small village school were told on Thursday afternoon and children were given letters to take home to parents. | |
| Council leader Rob Jones said when he became aware of the risk his first thoughts were about an incident involving another school which ended in tragedy. | Council leader Rob Jones said when he became aware of the risk his first thoughts were about an incident involving another school which ended in tragedy. |
| In 1966, the Aberfan disaster claimed 144 lives, including 116 children, when a coal tip slid down the mountainside, engulfing a school and the village. | In 1966, the Aberfan disaster claimed 144 lives, including 116 children, when a coal tip slid down the mountainside, engulfing a school and the village. |
| He said the hillside around Godre'r Graig was known locally as a "moving mountain" which had been an issue for more than a century. | He said the hillside around Godre'r Graig was known locally as a "moving mountain" which had been an issue for more than a century. |
| And over the years a number of homes have had to be demolished in the Pantteg and Godre'r Graig areas. | And over the years a number of homes have had to be demolished in the Pantteg and Godre'r Graig areas. |
| The letter to parents said the closure decision had been taken based on concerns arising from a geological survey. | The letter to parents said the closure decision had been taken based on concerns arising from a geological survey. |
| "Further investigative work is needed and, as a precautionary measure, the school will close early for summer," it said. | "Further investigative work is needed and, as a precautionary measure, the school will close early for summer," it said. |
| "We will be keeping parents informed of developments and arrangements made to relocate all pupils and staff on to an alternative single site ready for September." | "We will be keeping parents informed of developments and arrangements made to relocate all pupils and staff on to an alternative single site ready for September." |
| In an interview with BBC Wales, Mr Jones said he convened an emergency meeting with staff on Wednesday to discuss the report and a decision was then taken to shut the school and to extend the holidays by a further week. | In an interview with BBC Wales, Mr Jones said he convened an emergency meeting with staff on Wednesday to discuss the report and a decision was then taken to shut the school and to extend the holidays by a further week. |
| "All the actions we have taken in this area are in order to protect and save life and when we are talking about children in a school, even low risk to me is too high a risk," he said. | "All the actions we have taken in this area are in order to protect and save life and when we are talking about children in a school, even low risk to me is too high a risk," he said. |
| "But I have got to stress that these are preliminary findings and even with preliminary findings, I'm not prepared to take any risk where children are concerned. | "But I have got to stress that these are preliminary findings and even with preliminary findings, I'm not prepared to take any risk where children are concerned. |
| "I think anyone will draw comparisons to, shall I say, schools that have been involved in this type of disaster previously and the potential of a disaster taking place here, and that was my first thought," he said. | "I think anyone will draw comparisons to, shall I say, schools that have been involved in this type of disaster previously and the potential of a disaster taking place here, and that was my first thought," he said. |
| During the last school inspection in 2017 there were 158 pupils, from nursery school age up to 11. | |
| Plans were drawn up in 2017 to consider merging Godre'r Graig primary with three others to create a new super school. | |
| Thousands of tonnes of rock, soil and trees slipped down the hillside near houses on Cyfyng Road, in 2012, before further landslides caused some gardens to drop away in 2017. | Thousands of tonnes of rock, soil and trees slipped down the hillside near houses on Cyfyng Road, in 2012, before further landslides caused some gardens to drop away in 2017. |
| Residents of 11 terraced homes were then issued with a prohibition order requiring them to move. | Residents of 11 terraced homes were then issued with a prohibition order requiring them to move. |
| But one man ended up in court after returning to carry out repairs to his home. | But one man ended up in court after returning to carry out repairs to his home. |