Dear Friend

We are writing to ask for your support for our unique village school, Ysgol Abersoch.

The future of the school is under review by Gwynedd Council, who, on the 12th January commenced a Statutory Consultation on the proposal to close Ysgol Abersoch on the 31st August 2021.
The Council are ploughing ahead with the consultation despite the Covid 19 restrictions and Lockdown which mean that all the County’s schools are currently closed.

As society reels from the effects of the pandemic, the Council’s review process poses a serious threat to the school’s survival, and casts an additional shadow over initiatives underway to encourage an increase in pupil numbers, such as:
- Cylch Meithrin Abersoch, early years childcare, in a dedicated room in the school
- Cylch Ti&Fi, parent and toddler group, weekly social event also in the school
- Registration as a “Beach School” akin to a "Forest School”

It is clearly extremely difficult under these extraordinary circumstances for any kind of coordinated community challenge to be organised as a response to the threat to this dearly loved school in the heart of Abersoch.
However, we are determined to fight this proposal, which, if confirmed, would deliver a devastating blow to our community, especially in terms of the survival of the Welsh language and culture.

You may have seen or heard about Ysgol Abersoch on nationwide media in December 2109, when the school’s Christmas concert was featured on the BBC and radio, celebrating the enthusiasm and determination of staff and pupils to stage a show in the face of adversity! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50809546

The teaching staff make full use of the school’s central village location and surrounding natural resources for an innovative delivery of the curriculum, whilst also promoting the themes of Welsh language and culture. Here is link to a short video of the children interacting in the community pre-pandemic https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V6kRz-pSno3twdNrTlm2-8BNZJRdxi0J/view

The consultation period is now open for comments and questions between 12th January 2021 and 1pm on 23 February 2021.
The Statutory Consultation documents (https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Residents/Schools-and-learning/Modernising-Education/Ysgol-Abersoch.aspx) outline the council’s reasons used as the basis for closing the school, however we have grave concerns regarding the foundations for this decision. We believe that many of the statements made in the consultation documents are factually incorrect, misleading and biased against the school. This is most concerning since it is these reports, prepared by the Education department, on which the Gwynedd Council cabinet have based their decisions so far.

We invite you to join in our community wide effort to change the course of events to ensure the future of our wonderful village school that has served generations so very well.

Any demonstration of support that you can give to ensure that Ysgol Abersoch can continue to deliver a high quality bilingual education to the children of the area, would be very gratefully received.

A written response in support sent to the council during the period of statutory consultation is a key action.
We realise you may not have the time to wade through all of the consultation documents, so we have prepared some observations in the attached Position Statement document which we hope you will find useful in preparing your response.

You can:
Use the pdf response document that the council have prepared see attached - please also send a copy to ourselves at cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com or
Send an email to modernisingeducation@gwynedd.llyw.cymru, please also to send a copy to ourselves at cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com or
Write a letter to Moderneiddio Addysg, Cyngor Gwynedd, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1SH, please also send a copy to Cyfeillion Ysgol Abersoch Friends, Pen y Graig, Lôn Garmon, Abersoch, Gwynedd LL53 7A

Other important ways to help:
Register to attend the Council virtual “Drop in Sessions” see attached
Share this email and information with anyone else you think may want to help us
Sign the petition
Follow this link to our online petition - click here

Sign the paper petition at Terry the Butchers and Talafon Stores.
Make a financial donation to fund our campaign to keep Ysgol Abersoch open (https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ysgolabersoch)
After the consultation closes the matter is returned to the Gwynedd Council Cabinet for further decision making. Should the Cabinet decide to proceed with the proposal to close the school, there will then be an objection period, and we may call on you again at that point for further support.

Follow this link to our Facebook page for updates
https://www.facebook.com/Cyfeillion-Ysgol-Abersoch-Friends-105616428166671

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions, suggestions or ideas.
Thank you very much for your time.

Yours sincerely
Margot Jones and Eifiona Wood
Board of Governors Ysgol Abersoch
cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com

+++++++ TESTUN GYMRAEG YMA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Annwyl Gyfaill,

Ysgrifennwn atoch i ofyn am eich cefnogaeth i’n hysgol bentref unigryw, sef Ysgol Abersoch.
Mae dyfodol yr ysgol yn cael ei adolygu gan Gyngor Gwynedd. Cyhoeddodd Ymgynghoriad Statudol ar Ionawr 12fed ar y bwriad o gau Ysgol Abersoch ar Awst 31ain, 2021. Mae’r Cyngor yn bwrw ymlaen â’r ymgynghoriad er gwaethaf cyfyngiadau Covid-19 a’r cloi a olyga bod holl ysgolion y Sir wedi cau ar hyn o bryd.

Wrth i gymdeithas siglo dan effaith y pandemig, mae proses adolygu’r Cyngor yn fygythiad difrifol i barhad yr ysgol, gan daflu cysgod mawr dros fentrau sydd ar y gweill i annog cynnydd mewn niferoedd disgyblion a gynhelir megis:

- Cylch Meithrin Abersoch – gofal plant blynyddoedd cynnar mewn ystafell benodol yn yr ysgol

- Cylch Ti a Fi – grŵp rhiant a phlentyn bach, gweithgaredd cymdeithasol wythnosol eto yn yr ysgol

- Cofrestru fel ‘Ysgol Traeth’ tebyg i ‘Ysgol Goedwig’.

Yn amlwg, mae’n hynod anodd oherwydd y sefyllfa eithriadol sydd ohoni i gydgordio a threfnu her gymunedol o unrhyw fath i ymateb i’r bygythiad a wyneba’r ysgol sy’n agos at galon pawb yng nghanol Abersoch. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn benderfynol o ymladd y bwriad hwn a fuasai, o’i gadarnhau, yn ergyd drom i’n cymuned, yn arbennig i fodolaeth y Gymraeg a’n diwylliant.

Efallai i chi weld neu glywed am Ysgol Abersoch ar y cyfryngau cenedlaethol ym mis Rhagfyr 2019 pan ddangoswyd cyngerdd Nadolig yr ysgol ar y BBC a’i chwarae ar y radio – yn dathlu brwdfrydedd a phenderfyniad y staff a’r disgyblion o lwyfannu sioe yn wyneb adfyd https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50809546

Defnyddia’r staff addysgu leoliad ac adnoddau naturiol yr ardal yng nghanol y pentref yn fodd o ddysgu’r cwricwlwm yn arloesol tra, ar yr un pryd, yn hyrwyddo themâu’r iaith Gymraeg a’i diwylliant. Dyma linc at fideo byr o’r plant yn rhyngweithio yn y gymuned – cyn y pandemig https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V6kRz-pSno3twdNrTlm2-8BNZJRdxi0J/view

Derbynnir sylwadau a chwestiynau rhwng Ionawr 12fed ac un o’r gloch ar Chwefror 23ain, 2021. Amlinella dogfennau’r Ymgynghoriad Statudol (<https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/cy/Trigolion/Ysgolion-a-Dysgu/Moderneiddio-Addysg/Ysgol-Abersoch.aspx>) resymau’r Cyngor dros gau’r ysgol. Fodd bynnag, mae gennym bryder gwirioneddol ynglŷn â sylfaen ei benderfyniad. Credwn fod llawer o’r datganiadau yn y dogfennau ymgynghori yn ffeithiol anghywir, camarweiniol a rhagfarnllyd yn erbyn yr ysgol. Mae hyn yn gryn bryder oherwydd ar y rhain, a baratowyd gan yr Adran Addysg, y seiliodd Cabinet Cyngor Gwynedd ei benderfyniadau hyd yma.

Fe’ch gwahoddwn yn ein hymdrech gymunedol i newid cwrs digwyddiadau i sicrhau dyfodol ein hysgol bentref ardderchog a wasanaethodd genedlaethau mor arbennig.

Derbynnir, yn ddiolchgar, unrhyw gefnogaeth i sicrhau y gall Ysgol Abersoch gyflwyno addysg ddwyieithog o’r safon uchaf i blant yr ardal.

Gweithred allweddol yn ystod y cyfnod ymgynghori statudol fyddai ysgrifennu gair o gefnogaeth at y Cyngor.

Sylweddolwn nad oes gennych yr amser i bori drwy’r holl ddogfennau ymgynghori felly, paratowyd rhai sylwadau yn y ddogfen atodedig a obeithiwn fydd o gymorth i chi baratoi eich ymateb.
Gallwch:

Ddefnyddio’r ddogfen ymateb pdf a baratôdd y Cyngor – wele’n atodedig isod – hefyd buasem yn ddiolchgar o dderbyn copi cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com neu
Anfon e-bost at moderneiddioaddysg@gwynedd.llyw.cymru – a chopi atom ni cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com neu
Ysgrifennu lythyr at Moderneiddio Addysg, Cyngor Gwynedd, CAERNARFON, Gwynedd. LL55 1SH – a chopi atom ni Cyfeillion Ysgol Abersoch Friends, Pen-y-Graig, Lôn Garmon, Abersoch, PWLLHELI, Gwynedd. LL53 7AL
Ffyrdd Pwysig Eraill o Gynorthwyo:
Cofrestrwch i fynychu un o ‘Sesiynau Galw Heibio’ Rhithwir y Cyngor – gweler atodiad
Rhannwch yr e-bost hwn a’r wybodaeth ag unrhyw un arall a hoffai ein cynorthwyo
Arwyddo’r ddeiseb
Dilynwch y linc hon at ein deiseb ar-lein: (<https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-arbedwch-ysgol-abersoch-rhag-cau-save-ysgol-abersoch-from-closing?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=02950190-0e59-11eb-8afe-651c152e2bb6>)
Arwyddwch y ddeiseb papur yn siop Terry’r Cigydd Teuluol a siop Talafon.
Cyfrannwch at ariannu ein hymgyrch o gadw Ysgol Abersoch ar agor (https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ysgolabersoch)
Ar ddiwedd yr ymgynghoriad trafodir y mater ymhellach gan Gabinet Cyngor Gwynedd. Pe penderfyna’r Cabinet barhau â’r cynnig o gau’r ysgol, bydd yna gyfnod gwrthwynebu a gallwn ofyn am eich cefnogaeth eto'r adeg honno.
Dilynwch y linc hon i’n tudalen Facebook am ddiweddariadau https://www.facebook.com/Cyfeillion-Ysgol-Abersoch-Friends-105616428166671/?view_public_for=105616428166671

Cofiwch gysylltu os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiwn, awgrymiadau neu syniadau.

Diolch yn fawr iawn am eich amser.Yn gywir iawn,
Margot Jones ac Eifiona Wood
Corff Llywodraethol Ysgol Abersoch
cyfeillionysgolabersochfriends@gmail.com