Parents have voiced their concerns over plans to turn a Powys school into a Welsh medium school.

Powys County Council's proposal to move Ysgol Bro Caereinion in Llanfair Caereinion along the language continuum from a dual-stream school to a Welsh-medium school are being considered by cabinet, parents have raised their own concerns.

The cabinet consideration comes after a seven-week consultation between October and December 2023, but some parents feel they have been left out of the process.

Helen Law, a local parent with children in the Welsh stream, said: “This is not what I signed up for, I want my children to be educated in a bilingual school that reflects the people in the local community and the wider world.

“I’m really worried that we won’t get free school transport if we are compelled to apply to Newtown High School, as it is out of catchment. 

"We could be hundreds of pounds out of pocket each year paying for transport to an English-stream school, which is unbelievable in a cost of living crisis. Powys County Council obviously don’t care about hard working families.

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“If we lose the dual-language system, children in the English stream will lose the benefit of being exposed to the Welsh language and culture all day every day. How does that align to the ambition to have more Welsh speakers?”

Gabrilla Davies, also a parent with children attending Ysgol Bro Caereinion added: “I haven’t spoken to one person in the village, Welsh or English, that is in favour of this plan being moved forward.

“We have nothing against our kids learning Welsh and am very happy for that, but to make the school full Welsh is going to affect the children's futures in my opinion.”

"I was utterly shaken when I read the proposal,” said Sam Francis, who has three children in the English stream. “Under these plans, my youngest child will not be attending the same high school as their older siblings.”

In March, when announcing that the consultation report was being considered by cabinet, Powys Council acknowledged that concerns had been raised regarding the proposal, adding that he transition planned to be carried out on a phased basis from September 2025 to September 2026.

The council also confirmed that that free transport will be provided to pupils currently in years 4 and below at Ysgol Bro Caereinion and Ysgol Rhiw Bechan to the nearest English-medium secondary school when they finish primary.