A CONSULTATION on plans to close four catholic schools in Flintshire and create super-school in Flint has been given the green light by councillors.
Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet has voted to open a statutory consultation on the plans, drafted by the Diocese of Wrexham and the local authority. If approved the proposals would see the closure of St Anthony’s Catholic Primary in Saltney, St David’s in Mold, St Mary’s in Flint and St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School.
Replacing them, on the site of St Mary’s and St Richard Gwyn in Flint, will be built a £55 million catholic super-school for pupils aged 3-18.
The Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning programme will fund 85% of the building, with 15% coming from the sale of the land St David’s and St Anthony’s schools currently stand on.
The move will force catholic pupils from Saltney to either travel 14 miles to school each day or face moving to schools in Shotton or across the border in England instead.
Pupils from St David’s will have to travel six miles each day with no alternative catholic schools available.
The consultation will open on April 28, and run until June 9. Documents will be published in the coming days detailing how people can make their views known.
A report on the consultation will be published in September, followed by a 28-day period where objections can be made.
Any objections will be packaged with the consultation report and considered by Flintshire County Council’s cabinet in January 2026. If the plans go ahead the implementation phases will begin from September 2026 – the date St Anthony’s is scheduled to close under the plans.
During Cabinet Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure Cllr Mared Eastwood explained why the proposals intend to close St Anthony’s earlier than the other schools – which will remain open until work on the new school is completed.
“The Diocese, the school’s governing body and the council agree that it has reached a tipping point in terms of its viability and sustainability because of very low pupil numbers and significant budgetary and operational challenges,” she said.
“An earlier closure date would ensure an orderly management of this difficult situation rather than letting the school deteriorate.”
The report also referenced that Estyn reports for St David’s in 2020 and St Anthony’s in 2019 scored both schools as ‘good’ across all areas. However it added that: ‘more recent monitoring by the council has identified some areas of concern so the school is now subject to an enhanced level of support and intervention to maintain standards’.
No additional information was provided at Cabinet about these extra monitoring assessments by Flintshire County Council.
Following the decision to move into consultation, parents and groups opposed to the plans expressed their dismay.
“I am disappointed with the decision to go to consultation,” said Martina Crocombe, who has two children at St Anthony’s. “The Saltney community will continue to fight.
“They’re needlessly disrupting so many children’s education for a school that isn’t yet built and that nobody wants. The petitions and surveys speak for themselves, yet Flintshire County Council and the Diocese of Wrexham choose to ignore the voice of the community.”
Another mum of two at St Anthony’s, Clare Smith added: “I’m devastated they have voted to move to consultation. It has left me wondering if this is just a done deal and all of this is just a box ticking exercise.
“My girls are very upset and worried about their future.”
St David’s Action Group issued a statement following the Cabinet meeting.
“The St David’s Action Group is deeply disappointed by the decision from Flintshire County Council (FCC) to move forward with the consultation process on the proposed closure of St David’s Catholic Primary School in Mold.
“On April 14, we submitted over 100 letters of objection from parents, parishioners and members of the wider community each voicing heartfelt concerns about the devastating impact this proposal could have.
“Expecting young children from Mold, Treuddyn and Leeswood to commute by bus to Flint raises serious safeguarding, convenience and community cohesion concerns. With local schools already near or over capacity -and some lacking essential wraparound care – closing St David’s would place unsustainable pressure on remaining provision.
“If the St David’s site is repurposed for housing, where will these new families send their children?
“St David’s has a proven track record, rated “Good” by Estyn, offering an inclusive environment with a strong focus on neurodiverse learners and a welcoming structure for children with Autistic Spectrum Condition. It is a small school that provides a safe, nurturing space—something a large, unproven 3-18 institution cannot guarantee.
“Indeed, the only comparable model, Christ the Word School in Denbighshire, has been in special measures since 2022. Is this the future we want for catholic education in Flintshire?”
