Prof. David Reynolds

…de icWales:

Exactly three weeks ago we released our report on school closure for the Institute for Welsh Affairs. Now the dust has partially settled, where have we got to? And where now does policy need to go?

Some of the reactions to the report were predictably humorous. Kirsty Williams, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on education in the Assembly, used the word “hype” about the study, at which the words “pot”, “kettle” and “black” come to mind. The Welsh language pressure groups landed the lowest blows of all – in alleging that we had only gone to schools that were known successes as seen by Pembrokeshire Council, a total fabrication of course.

How sad that people associated with the most noble cause – the Welsh language – are now the saddest act in town. The English-based pressure groups speaking for small schools issued venomous statements even though they have publicly and privately acknowledged that schools with fewer than 50 pupils are problematic...