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 BBC Wales's Melanie Doel reports"The education authority says that within a few years, the school could run up an unacceptable deficit of �65,000."  real 28k |
Santa asked to save school
 The pupils have turned to Father Christmas for help |
Children at the smallest school in mid Wales are asking Santa for a most unusual present this Christmas - to save their school from closure.
Powys Education Authority has said Libanus Primary near Brecon - which has a head teacher and two part-time teachers - is too expensive and too small to offer the best education.
So for Christmas, the pupils have written to the North Pole asking Santa to save their school.
Although there are just 15 of them, the pupils at Libanus are determined this will not be the last Christmas concert at the school.
School is 'heart of the village'
Headmistress Jane Jones said that like many schools in rural Wales, it is a central part of the community.
"The school is very much the heart of the village. If the school went the village would be in a dire situation," she said.
Small schools offer a "family" atmosphere and teach their pupils to care, she said.
Mrs Jones is also confident that the school can continue to fulfill the needs of the curriculum.
"I think we showed in our last inspection that we can do that and hopefully the education authority have faith that we can do the same in the future."
Parent Angela Samuel said the great thing about the school was that it offered each pupil the chance to compete.
"They don't all win, but they don't mind - they actually enjoy competing and the fact they don't win is neither here nor there," she said.
But despite the pupils' letters to Father Christmas, the education authority said the school could run up an unacceptable deficit of �65,000 within a few years.
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 | 15 Jul 99 | Special Report |
| Parents protest as schools close |
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| 28 Oct 99 | Education |
| Extra cash for small schools |
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| Powys County Council |
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