Ysgol Glanadda primary school in Bangor closed its doors for the final time on Friday.
The closure is part of a £12.7m investment scheme in primary education in Bangor, that will see the closure of Ysgol Glanadda and Ysgol Babanod Coed Mawr, with pupils allocated places at either the new Ysgol y Garnedd or the increased capacity Ysgol y Faenol.
The new Ysgol y Garnedd will increase capacity to 420 pupils, work has also started to extend and refurbish Ysgol y Faenol in Penrhosgarnedd, which will increase the primary school’s capacity from 186 to 315 pupils.
In addition to the significant improvements to the current school building at Faenol, a new Penrhosgarnedd Community Centre will be built which will be connected to the school building.
Former headteacher at the school, Gwenda Jackson said: “For me today is a very sad day as it sees Ysgol Glanadda, one of the oldest schools in Bangor, closing its doors to pupils for the final time having provided Primary School education for the children of the area for 120 years since it was first opened in 1900.
“I myself was a pupil there for 5 years before I left in 1960 only to return in 1979, firstly as a teacher and then as its headteacher for 8 years until my retirement in 2006.
“I only hope that its closure would have had a more befitting end had it not been for the restrictions imposed because the Coronavirus with so many ex pupils, parents and staff expressing their wish to have had the opportunity to visit the beautiful old building one more time. Hopefully we might still have an opportunity to do this at a future date.”
Local councillor Medwyn Hughes commented: “This is a very sad day for our community.
“As a former pupil I both have happy and scary memories (especially of tables on Friday mornings with Mr Williams) in the 60’s!
“The school building is sound, the educational standards are good and improving and the School is at its capacity and not in “debt”.
“I fought to keep this School open on many fronts, a very sad day.”
