A NURSERY attached to a Cwmbran school set to close next year could now remain open for an extra 12 months.

Upper Cwmbran Infants and Nursery School was likely to close in September 2004 because of a slump in the number of pupils it has and a potential deficit of more than £90,000.

Governors at the school and Torfaen council's cabinet agreed last November to informal consultations about closing the school.

A decision to formally propose the closure of the school is expected to be made by the cabinet in early April.

But Allan Tait, chairman of governors at the school, said it has always been recognised the nursery unit is viable and it could remain open longer.

Mr Tait said the nursery serves Pontnewydd Primary School in addition to Upper Cwmbran Infant School.

He said: "The nursery is thriving because its covers a wider area than just Upper Cwmbran. It's a very good nursery and popular. Pontnewydd hasn't got its own nursery so Upper Cwmbran's nursery serves that catchment area. Consequently the nursery is viable for that reason."

Mr Tait said eventually the nursery will be moved to the Pontnewydd school.

Torfaen council's cabinet is expected to agree to begin the formal closure process for the school on April 8. Mr Tait said no fundamental objections to the closure plan have been received during the informal consultation period.

If the cabinet does implement the process a formal notice of the school's closure will be published followed by a two-month formal consultation period.

If there are still no objections the school will close in September 2004 although it is possible it could be mothballed as early as Christmas.

In 2002 the school, which has provided education in the area for 150 years, was described as a good school by inspectors. But it now has only 44 pupils on role.