A STAR pupil who achieved outstanding success at GCSE at Oakdale Comprehensive School is criticising proposals to close the school. Rhian Hartshorn, who is 16, sat her GCSE exams this summer - achieving 11 A*s.

And Rhian - who worked "extremely hard" for her results - says her success was also down to the hard work of staff at Oakdale Comprehensive and that Caerphilly council should not proceed with proposals to close it in 2007.

"It is a brilliant school - I spent five years there," says Rhian, who is now attending Bassaleg Comprehensive for her sixth form education, where she is studying double maths, music, French and physics A-levels. "It was a really friendly school where everyone knew everybody else and it felt like a real community. "I was really happy there."

She adds that the school encouraged her in her music - she plays double bass in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales - and helped her achieve her GCSE success.

"I worked very hard but I couldn't have done it without the teachers. "They gave us extra revision lessons during the Easter holidays - I went to both maths and science - but there were also lessons in French, geography and history.

"Then we didn't have study leave but worked right up to the exams - and we had lessons during the first two weeks of exams as well."

She says that she would have worked on her own - but the extra lessons were especially beneficial to those who find it difficult to motivate themselves.

"I don't want them to close the school - I think it is ridiculous. It is still my school and our new head has turned it around so much in the last couple of years."

Rhian was once chosen to swap places with the then Archbishop of Wales, Dr Rowan Williams, for the day - spending time doing his job while Dr Williams spent the day at Oakdale Comprehensive.

Her mother Anita, of Croespenmaen, said: "I am really upset about these proposals.

"Rhian's elder brother went there and is now studying at UWIC and my younger daughter Eleri is in Year 9."

If the proposals go ahead, Eleri will have to change school when beginning her vital GCSE year.

"She doesn't want to go anywhere else, she wants to stay at Oakdale," said Mrs Hartshorn.

"They have all been very happy there and have had lots of support from the teachers."

Mrs Hartshorn, who runs Oakdale newsagents, is supporting the Save Oakdale School campaign and has a petition at the shop for people to sign.