GOVERNORS at a south Ceredigion primary school are calling for it to be put “at the top of the list” for Welsh Government funding after concerns were raised over the state of the ageing buildings, and a lack of space for pupils causing overcrowding.

Governors said that the 100-year-old Ysgol Gynradd Aberporth has had very little investment over the years — and are now asking that it is “put at the top of the list for Welsh government funding”, with renovations “desperately needed.”

The 1950s-built main extension is especially showing its age, with its original single-paned glass and no modern energy efficient facilities or insulation meaning it is cold in winter and hot in summer.

Chair of governors Sue Lewis said: “Ceredigion do what they can but it is basically a patch up.

“The school needs a strategic plan to make it fit for the 21st century.”

Governors called in Ceredigion MS Elin Jones to see the issues during a visit last week and are continuing to lobby Ceredigion County Council to secure the much-needed funding.

They were also left angered when improvement works scheduled for the summer holidays failed to happen.

Governors said that council chiefs have been to see the school and recognise the need for investment, but “basically there’s no money in the pot”.

Despite being one of the largest communities in the county, the school has missed out on 21st century schools funding each time.

The school has nearly 200 pupils including the special needs unit Canolfan y Don.

“Staff do a tremendous job and the pupils are doing well, but the school desperately needs modernising,” Mrs Lewis added.

Ceredigion MS Elin Jones told the Cambrian News that after touring Ysgol she was “struck by the degraded quality of the fabric of the building and the overcrowding in classes and lack of storage space and teaching space.”

“The windows were in a particularly bad state of repair, contributing to overheating in the summer and damp in the winter,” she added.

“The governors are keen to see a capital investment programme at Aberporth and I support them wholeheartedly in this and will be working with them to achieve this aim.”

Ceredigion council told the Cambrian News that “it is aware of the condition of the building fabric and windows at Ysgol Aberporth.”

“Work to address these issues has been identified as a priority and a provisional programme of work has been developed with the appropriate approved funding already in place,” a spokesperson said.

“Our intention is to address the majority of these issues during 2023.

The school has sufficient surplus spaces available for additional pupils and there are no current proposals to extend the school, the council added.