DISCUSSIONS about a federation that could save a Welsh medium primary school began well before Christmas, it has been revealed.

David Hytch, chairman of governors at Ysgol Maes Garmon in Mold, said he and his colleagues were approached by members of Ysgol Mornant last year over the possible shared-service approach.

The two schools have since reached a formal agreement to explore the possibility – a scheme that could yet save the primary school in Picton.

Flintshire Council’s cabinet ratified a three-point proposal for the two schools to explore the possibility of federation with a view to its full implementation by September.

Ahead of the meeting, it had been recommended that the cabinet should not issue a statutory order to Ysgol Mornant but work towards establishing a federation with another Welsh medium school instead.

Mr Hytch said his school had a responsibility to act when Ysgol Mornant was threatened with closure.

“We took the view at Ysgol Maes Garmon as the only Welsh medium high school in Flintshire that we should take a step to defend Welsh medium education,” he said.

“We’re looking to highlight and publicise everything that that is available through the Welsh medium sector. Welsh medium schools can’t be exempt from the triggers that bring about reviews but we are trying to find creative ways to maintain the school.”

Flintshire Council chief executive Colin Everett stressed at last week’s cabinet meeting that it was up to the two schools to now make the federation work with the “really good skeleton proposal” upon which discussions were being formed.

Mr Hytch told the Leader he would prefer to work to a deadline of January 1, 2017 as the process would be “multi-faceted and cumbersome”.

He added: “The upshot is we are embarking on a process of federation.

“First of all we must maintain the confidence of the local community that there will be sustainable education and we hope to encourage people to take up more opportunities at Ysgol Mornant.”

Mr Hytch also had sympathy with the position of the “supportive” Flintshire Council in having to consider school closures.

He said: “This is austerity at the sharp end and we risk losing services across the board.

“Flintshire, with regret, has a rolling programme of review and it looks very likely now that Ysgol Maes Edwin in Flint and Ysgol Llanfynydd will close as a result.”