Sam Rowlands MS visits North-East Wales school threatened with closure

Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is continuing to back a campaign to save a Saltney school from closure.

Flintshire County Council is currently consulting on its plans to close four schools, including St Anthony’s in Saltney and merge them to form one ‘superschool' for pupils aged 3-18 from 2026 to 2029. 

Mr Rowlands, who is totally against the proposal, which also means the closure of St David's in Mold, St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School and St Mary's in Flint, recently met up with staff, governors and children at St Anthony's Catholic Primary School.

He said:

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit St Anthony’s and talk to the pupils about my role as a MS in the Welsh Parliament and to visit their excellent Forest School.

“As chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Outdoor Activity Sector, it was also great to see children engaging with outdoor learning experiences in their very own forest.

“I am a great believer that everyone should be able to take part in activities outdoors and in particular that all young children should have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor education.”

The Forest School is designed to provide children with an outdoor learning experience that fosters personal growth, social skills, and environmental awareness and has been a great success.

However, this experience is under threat because of the Council’s school modernisation programme, where investment has been identified in partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Wrexham and Welsh Government. The proposal would amalgamate several schools and create a new a school.

The latest proposal seeks to close St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, St David’s Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School and St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School and open a new 3-18 all through Catholic school.

Following an assessment of all existing sites, the proposed new school will be developed on the existing sites of St Richard Gwyn and St Mary’s in Flint with St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School due to close by September 2026.

Mr Rowlands added:

“I know there is real concern over this controversial proposal and I am determined to help all my constituents who would be affected by such a plan.

“I am a firm believer in keeping schools local and I do not think merging four local schools into one “superschool” is the right way forward. St Anthony’s has been part of the Saltney community for over 150 years and provides education grounded in Christian values.

“I would urge everyone who has view on these proposals to please take part in the consultation as the Council needs to realise the strength of opposition to such plans.”

Pictured - Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales, with Kerry Hunt from the Parent Action Group at the entrance to the Forest School at St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School in Saltney.