THE STUDENTS OF an infants school that has been forced to close this week had one final special hurrah on closing day. 

Parents of children at Cwm Glas Infants School in Llanbradach, Caerphilly, announced the sad news it would be closing this month at the end of the current school year in June 2023, after a consultation took place in April this year. 

In a letter seen on social media sent to parents dated Friday, June 30 2023, headteacher Helen Owen-Williams explained how a decreasing level of children forecasted to attend the school in the future and increased costs had led to the decision to close. 

She described it as a "very difficult situation" and mentioned that all "staff are devastated", as the school's closure will be "a great loss to our community". 

Cwm Glas Infants School originally opened in 1977, and has since provided education to over a thousand children, including some current staff and parents. 

Ms Owen-Williams reassured parents that there are enough places at the nearby Coed-y-Brain Primary School, which shares its catchment area with Cwm Glas Infants, and remained committed to providing the children with the "best possible start". 

In light of this, with the school having closed for good on Friday, July 12, students of the school were given the opportunity to take over the Wynne Evans Show on BBC Radio Wales on Friday morning. 

In a post shared to the Llanbradach Facebook group on Sunday, July 7, it was revealed that the children, aged between three and seven years old, had chosen their 'question of the day', a regular feature on the show, and would be responding to the question "with their own stories, in their own words". 

While some parents thought it could be "a risk" , others also believed it would be "a funny one". 

Many commenters on the post were former pupils, reminiscing about their time at Cwm Glas, and expressing dismay that the school was being forced to close, but wished the pupils good luck, with the takeover highly anticipated. 

One person even said: "That’s one way of making sure the school is not forgotten!"