The Story of Godre’r Graig Primary School

On the final day of the 2019 summer term, the children of Godre’r Graig Primary School returned from their end-of-year school trip to an unexpected scene. As they stepped off the buses, television crews were already assembled, and a letter was handed to each pupil: their school was closing—immediately. There would be no return in September.

The closure was abrupt and unexplained. There had been no storm, no subsidence, no emergency drill. The children and parents had been told nothing in advance.

The reason, the council said, was a geotechnical inspection report that raised concerns about a potential landslide risk from a disused quarry tip situated upslope from the school. This tip—associated with a sandstone quarry closed long before the school was built—had shown no visible signs of movement or distress. The school itself had stood undisturbed since 1908.

In the weeks and months that followed, the school was fenced off, its children relocated to temporary accommodation, and its building ultimately demolished. But as documents slowly emerged through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and community group Tegwch pressed for answers, a more complex story began to surface—one involving contracted consultants, conflicting inspection regimes, and a growing sense that the school may have been closed not by geology, but by politics and policy drift.

This is the story of Godre’r Graig Primary School: a school closed not by a landslide, but by layers of bureaucracy, media choreography, and strategic silence.

1908
November 16 1908
Godre’r Graig School Opening day
2017
May 26 2017
Coal Authority are contracted by NPTCBC for a 2 year program of high, medium and low risk spoil tip inspections
June 5 2017
ESP send offer proposal for ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide, Tawe Valley Preliminary Landslide Assessment’ to NPTCBC
October 19 2017
NPTCBC record first entry of Cilmaengwyn Tip on the councils asset register – reference number L44
NPTCBC record first entry of Cilmaengwyn Tip on the councils asset register – reference number L44
December 12 2017
NPTCBC instruct ESP ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide assessment’
2018
March 29 2018
ESP deliver ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide, Tawe Valley Preliminary Landslide Assessment’ NPTCBC
2019
May 13 2019
NPTCBC email CA to ask

“do you know when you are able to send the inspection reports for last years work?”

May 14 2019
CA reply to NPTCBC

‘They will be with you by end next week’

May 16 2019
NPTCBC instruct Earth Science Partnership Ltd to undertake ‘Landslide and hazard risk assessment’ on the hillside above Godre’r Graig School
May 17 2019
ESP email CA

“Hi, We’re looking at Godregraig School for NPTCBC; and have asked if you can implement an inspection of the tips above as shown on our plan (too large to email): They want something similar to what was produced for Pantteg – can you provide a cost to us for this? NPTCBC…
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May 22 2019
CA internal email

We’ve been asked to carry out another site inspection for NPT but this time through their consultants (ESP – see email below). It’s a day of my time and a day for – can you price it up with the current rates please. An email to them setting out costs…
Read More

May 22 2019
CA internal email

“Who will the costs need to go and who is paying the bill? If its NPT then that would be quicker as I have got an account set up, if its their consultants then it may take longer (if not set up). XXXX is doing the internal docs which need…
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May 23 2019
CA internal email

RB signing the docs off now; will scan and send over to you both along with saving the signed copy in the BD folder on the shared drive.

May 23 2019
CA internal email

As promised, Have a good evening both. Regards, Approval Board Docs OP19-100795.xlsm Costing Workbook 1920 OP19100795 Quarry Tip inspections.xlsx Signed Approval Doc NPT OP19-100795.pdf  

May 28 2019
CA email ESP

Good morning, Many thanks for your enquiry regarding the Tip/Spoil above Godregraig School. I can confirm that the price for the inspection of quarry tips at Godregraig, near Ystalyfera will be £1,470 plus VAT. If you are happy to proceed, please can you sign the acceptance form to agree to…
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May 29 2019
CA email ESP to say they will carry out the inspection alone

Good morning , There has been a slight change to the quote as XXXX will be carrying out the inspection alone. The amended price for the inspection of quarry tips at Godregraig, near Ystalyfera is now £855 plus VAT. As per my email yesterday, if you are happy to proceed, please can you…
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May 29 2019
ESP email CA

‘Please find attached our signed Acceptance form on behalf of NPTCBC, for an inspection of tips above Godre’r Graig School for the agreed sum of £855 plus VAT. Our Desk Study (which includes an aerial photo Interpretation exercise with stereopairs suggests that there is two coal tips above Godre’r Graig…
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May 30 2019
CA email ESP

Hi Please see attached RAMS for the inspection. I visited site yesterday to carry out a recce and note that access is only available via third party ownership. Could you mark the exact locations for inspection on your plan please – my proposed access route is attached. Can you please…
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May 30 2019
ESP email CA

Hi , Thanks for the RAMS, Ann as recently sent through some forms for the Coal Authority to become an ESP Approved Supplier and we need this done prior to your visit please. We received that attached land ownership plan from NPT. As you can see, parts are unregistered, including…
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June 5 2019
ESP email CA

“Hi , Just wondering if you’ve had time to complete our Approved Supplier forms yet, we’re keen to get you to site quickly”

June 6 2019
CA email ESP

Hi I’ve chased this up with our commercial team and will get back to you asap. Regards

June 11 2019
ESP email CA

Any news on the below, we’re being put under a fair bit of pressure from NPT.

June 11 2019
CA email ESP

Hi It should be with you today. Regards

June 11 2019
CA email ESP

Importance: High. Good morning both, Apologies for the delay in returning the attached forms; please advise if you require any further information or assistance. Many thanks for your patience. Kind regards,

June 12 2019
ESP email CA

‘All the forms and information look in order, we just need a signed copy of the attached form. If you could get this back to us today then that would be everything we need and XXXX could undertake his visit tomorrow’

July 2 2019
Coal Authority send Report L44 Godre’r Graig Tips to ESP
July 3 2019
ESP interpret CA L44 Report and designate Godre’r Graig School as medium risk for a quarry spoil landslide
July 4 2019
NPTCBC receive ESP Report Godre’r Graig: Preliminary Landslide and Hazard Risk Assessment
July 11 2019
NPTCBC Provide advice to the Governing body to close school immediately
October 10 2019
NPTCBC appoint Nicola Pearce as its new Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration
NPTCBC appoint Nicola Pearce as its new Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration
October 14 2019
NPTCBC instruct ESP for ‘Godre’r Graig Wider Assessment’
2020
February 15 2020
Storm Dennis
February 26 2020
ESP send Godre’r Graig, Additional Assessments (wider Village) Report to NPTCBC
March 3 2020
CA and NPTCBC agree – Coal tips – collaborative project – further to our meeting on Tuesday 3 March 2020

CA email to NPTCBC – Coal tips – collaborative project – further to our meeting on Tuesday 3 March 2020

September 21 2020
CA email NPTCBC: WG Tips Project – Data Cleanse progress and winter tip Inspections requests or reports.

Hi all I appreciate this email arrives whilst C19 continues to impact on our respective personal and professional lives and has necessitated our priorities and working practices adapting to new ways of working. This said, thank you for your on-going support for the WG Tips Project as it continues along…
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September 30 2020
NPTCBC email CA

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you about the second visit for the C & D tips. We would like to utilise the Coal Authority for these inspections and will contact in the near future to arrange programming them in

September 30 2020
CA email NPTCBC: WG Tips Project – Data Cleanse progress and winter tip Inspections requests or reports.

Many thanks We will be in contact and build NPT tips into the inspection schedule

December 21 2020
Welsh Gov Award Funding for Super School subject to a satisfactory Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA)
2021
January 15 2021
CA email NPTCBC: WG Tips Project – inspection report request for high risk C/D tips

This is an update to my previous emails about the 2nd series of winter inspections of the high risk category D/C tips in South Wales. Following the 3rd WG Tip Summit on 22 December (after the Wattstown tip slip on 19 December), we have been asked to provide further assurance…
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February 19 2021
Welsh Gov (WG) program of tip safety – assessments refine the boundary of the L44 Tip.
Welsh Gov (WG) program of tip safety – assessments refine the boundary of the L44 Tip.

Assessment undertaken by The Coal Authority under contract to Welsh Gov. L44 A – reference T37552 L44 B – reference T11695 L44 C – reference T42668

March 2 2021
CA email NPTCBC, RE: Initial meeting with CA to discuss Tips data

Good Morning to you all…I hope you are all safe and well. I am dropping you a quick email further to email dated 23rd February (attached for info). Hopefully you have seen the individual tip plans we produced, and also the A0 pdf plan showing your Category C&D rated coal…
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March 3 2021
Leader of NPTCBC steps down after comments made about Godre’r Graig school and other matters
Leader of NPTCBC steps down after comments made about Godre’r Graig school and other matters
March 3 2021
CA email to NPTCBC, RE: Initial meeting with CA to discuss Tips data

I have copied from my team who was involved in terms of NPT’s data – and he leads on the NRW non-coal tips too. Just wanted to know if you are in a position to confirm a date for the initial meeting outlined in our previous email?

March 5 2021
NPTCBC write to residents to inform that properties are low or very low risk
March 16 2021
WG email NPTCBC RE: Coal Tip Safety Funding 2020/21

Good morning, Please find attached a partially completed application/claim form for the above funding. We have inserted the information that you have previously provided in relation to inspections/works to be carried out. Could you please complete the additional information and final costs associated with each line. 2 Once your final…
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March 17 2021
CA email NPTCBC RE: Initial meeting with CA to discuss Tips data

 Hi Paul Can we catch up later today on the phone – just conscious we haven’t started any cleanse with NPT and the WG deadline of end of March is soon approaching. What’s the best number for you? Best regards Principal Mining Consultant & Information Manager

March 17 2021
NPTCBC email CA, RE: Initial meeting with CA to discuss Tips data

Can we do it on teams? As I’d like XXXX there too. How are you fixed Thursday pm or Monday pm & Tuesday pm next week. Cheers

March 17 2021
NPTCBC email WG, RE: Coal Tip Safety Funding 2020/21

Attached is the Final expenditure form for Neath port Talbot CBC as requested. Many thanks Bridges & Highway Structures Manager Attachments: Grant Application_Claim 2020-21 – Neath CBC – 17.03.21.pdf ,

June 16 2021
NPTCBC send Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA)for super school proposal to WG – requested Dec 2020
June 18 2021
NPTCBC email WG, RE: Coal Tip Safety Grant 2021/2022 – Neath Port Talbot CBC

Please find attached Neath Port Talbot CBC’s application for funding for Coal Tip Safety in 2021/22 with supporting documents. If you require any additional information please let me know. Regards Bridges & Highway Structures Manager Attachments: L44 Godr’r graig Tips Inspection Report -2019-06-13.pdf; Application Form – Coal Tip Safety Grant…
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Timeline

2017
May 26 2017
Coal Authority are contracted by NPTCBC for a 2 year program of high, medium and low risk spoil tip inspections
June 5 2017
ESP send offer proposal for ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide, Tawe Valley Preliminary Landslide Assessment’ to NPTCBC
October 19 2017
NPTCBC record first entry of Cilmaengwyn Tip on the councils asset register – reference number L44
NPTCBC record first entry of Cilmaengwyn Tip on the councils asset register – reference number L44
December 12 2017
NPTCBC instruct ESP ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide assessment’
2018
March 29 2018
ESP deliver ‘Cilmaengwyn Landslide, Tawe Valley Preliminary Landslide Assessment’ NPTCBC
2019
May 13 2019
NPTCBC email CA to ask
“do you know when you are able to send the inspection reports for last years work?”
May 14 2019
CA reply to NPTCBC

‘They will be with you by end next week’

May 16 2019
NPTCBC instruct Earth Science Partnership Ltd to undertake ‘Landslide and hazard risk assessment’ on the hillside above Godre’r Graig School
May 17 2019
ESP email CA
“Hi, We’re looking at Godregraig School for NPTCBC; and have asked if you can implement an inspection of the tips above as shown on our plan (too large to email): They want something similar to what was produced for Pantteg – can you provide a cost to us for this? NPTCBC want us to engage you and incorporate findings into our geomorphological work. We’re under a bit of time pressure to complete our report in 3-4 weeks. If there’s any problems let me know.”
May 22 2019
CA internal email
We’ve been asked to carry out another site inspection for NPT but this time through their consultants (ESP – see email below).
It’s a day of my time and a day for – can you price it up with the current rates please. An email to them setting out costs and our standard T&C’s will be sufficient. They’d like a price for the end of this week, and I’ve provisionally pencilled in next Wednesday to do the inspection. The site is series of quarry tips at Godregraig, near Ystalyfera and the report will feed into a wider piece of work that ESP are doing for the council. The work is exactly the same as that which we’ve already been doing for NPT.  
May 22 2019
CA internal email
“Who will the costs need to go and who is paying the bill? If its NPT then that would be quicker as I have got an account set up, if its their consultants then it may take longer (if not set up). XXXX is doing the internal docs which need signing off by Richard Bond, which she will chase tomorrow”
May 23 2019
CA internal email
RB signing the docs off now; will scan and send over to you both along with saving the signed copy in the BD folder on the shared drive.
May 23 2019
CA internal email
As promised, Have a good evening both. Regards,
Approval Board Docs OP19-100795.xlsm Costing Workbook 1920 OP19100795 Quarry Tip inspections.xlsx Signed Approval Doc NPT OP19-100795.pdf
 
May 28 2019
CA email ESP
Good morning, Many thanks for your enquiry regarding the Tip/Spoil above Godregraig School. I can confirm that the price for the inspection of quarry tips at Godregraig, near Ystalyfera will be £1,470 plus VAT. If you are happy to proceed, please can you sign the acceptance form to agree to the price and also our standard T&C’s. Thank you. Should you have any further queries / enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Best regards,
May 29 2019
CA email ESP to say they will carry out the inspection alone
Good morning , There has been a slight change to the quote as XXXX will be carrying out the inspection alone. The amended price for the inspection of quarry tips at Godregraig, near Ystalyfera is now £855 plus VAT. As per my email yesterday, if you are happy to proceed, please can you sign the acceptance form to agree to the price and also our standard T&C’s
May 29 2019
ESP email CA
‘Please find attached our signed Acceptance form on behalf of NPTCBC, for an inspection of tips above Godre’r Graig School for the agreed sum of £855 plus VAT. Our Desk Study (which includes an aerial photo Interpretation exercise with stereopairs suggests that there is two coal tips above Godre’r Graig School, and one a little further down the valley as per the attached plan, we trust that the visit will visually inspect these three tips/features and report accordingly.
Prior to the site works, would it be possible for you to send over site specific risk assessment and method statements for the walkover please? Any invoices for the work should quote PO number 8094 as this will help process them and clear them for payment faster. Invoices should be sent to myself and copies to enquiries@earthsciencepartnership.com. As mentioned below, we are under time pressure to complete our assessment for the area and a timely visit and report would be greatly received’
May 30 2019
CA email ESP
Hi Please see attached RAMS for the inspection. I visited site yesterday to carry out a recce and note that access is only available via third party ownership. Could you mark the exact locations for inspection on your plan please – my proposed access route is attached. Can you please confirm that permission has been gained to access via the following registered titles: WA73104 WA70942 Also, is the western quarry (Cwar Pentwyn) registered land ? During my visit yesterday, it was apparent that recent tipping and quarrying has been taking place here (see attached photos) and the site is clearly owned by somebody. On confirmation I will undertake the inspection as soon as possible. Regards
May 30 2019
ESP email CA
Hi ,
Thanks for the RAMS, Ann as recently sent through some forms for the Coal Authority to become an ESP Approved Supplier and we need this done prior to your visit please. We received that attached land ownership plan from NPT. As you can see, parts are unregistered, including Cwar Pentwyn, but an owner may come out of the woodwork during our work up there. NPTCBC have written to WA73104 & WA70942 telling them that we would be looking to undertake an inspection. Just for your info too, CYM25613 is owned by NPTCBC. CYM625348 was owned by Gerald Morris who has passed away. NPTCBC were in touch with his family previously as he used to own most of Pantteg slip and they are ok with us inspecting the land. I’ve attached an annotated plan, labelling the tips identified from the aerial photographs 1 to 3. Could you inspect all these as part of your visit. We have not ourselves been that far up the hill, so if you encounter other probable spoil tips could you review those too. You proposed access route looks like it will get near all three of the tips. There is a series of adits northeast of tip 3 and there may possible be more spoil up that way adjacent to the adits but your planning on walking up there so you may see this. If you need any further information please let me know. Best regards,
June 5 2019
ESP email CA
“Hi , Just wondering if you’ve had time to complete our Approved Supplier forms yet, we’re keen to get you to site quickly”
June 6 2019
CA email ESP
Hi I’ve chased this up with our commercial team and will get back to you asap. Regards
June 11 2019
ESP email CA
Any news on the below, we’re being put under a fair bit of pressure from NPT.
June 11 2019
CA email ESP
Hi It should be with you today. Regards
June 11 2019
CA email ESP
Importance: High. Good morning both, Apologies for the delay in returning the attached forms; please advise if you require any further information or assistance. Many thanks for your patience. Kind regards,
June 12 2019
ESP email CA
‘All the forms and information look in order, we just need a signed copy of the attached form. If you could get this back to us today then that would be everything we need and XXXX could undertake his visit tomorrow’
July 2 2019
Coal Authority send Report L44 Godre’r Graig Tips to ESP
July 3 2019
ESP interpret CA L44 Report and designate Godre’r Graig School as medium risk for a quarry spoil landslide
July 4 2019
NPTCBC receive ESP Report Godre’r Graig: Preliminary Landslide and Hazard Risk Assessment
July 11 2019
NPTCBC Provide advice to the Governing body to close school immediately
October 14 2019
NPTCBC instruct ESP for ‘Godre’r Graig Wider Assessment’
2020
February 26 2020
ESP send Godre’r Graig, Additional Assessments (wider Village) Report to NPTCBC
December 21 2020
Welsh Gov Award Funding for Super School subject to a satisfactory Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA)
2021
March 5 2021
NPTCBC write to residents to inform that properties are low or very low risk
June 16 2021
NPTCBC send Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA)for super school proposal to WG – requested Dec 2020
July 13 2021
NPTCBC instruct ESP for Tip Remediation Study
Concern! This study is based on ESP previous work, not the new Tip Boundary identified by CA as part of Welsh Gov Program of tip inspections. 
August 26 2021
ESP send NPTCBC ‘Tip Remediation Study’
October 20 2021
NPTCBC cabinet unanimously approved a proposal to close Alltwen, Godre’rgraig, and Llangiwg Primary Schools, which were to be replaced by a new £22.7m “super school” at Parc Ynysderw
October 22 2021
WG write to NPTCBC: concerns that decision to proceed with Superschool was made without considering WLIA
October 26 2021
Peter Boden-Ryan emails Coal Tip Safety Team (WG)
Hi, could you point me to the data that relates to historical spoil tip locations and risk categories from the recent reviews. Could you also confirm if it’s only coal spoil tips in the data or does it also include quarry spoil tips.
Thanks 
November 1 2021
Justin Toland (WG) emails Peter Boden-Ryan (SOS)
Dear Mr Boden-Ryan,   Thank you for your email of 26th October to Tips@coal.gov.uk requesting data on historical spoil tip sites.   The Welsh Government has published interim data on the number of disused coal tips in Wales by local authority and category at the following links: Diogelwch tomenni glo | LLYW.CYMRU (Welsh) / Coal tip safety | GOV.WALES (English)   This data does not include quarry spoil tips.   The location of individual sites will be released publicly following further quality assurance work.   Best regards,   Justin Toland
2022
October 24 2022
Super-school plan unlawful says High Court
Super-school plan unlawful says High Court
December 2 2022
NPTCBC make decision to demolish the Godre’r Graig School Building
2023
January 10 2023
Residents and parents Group (TEGWCH) identify issues with ESP assessments and send report to NPTCBC.
March 21 2023
Welsh Gov informm NPT that “project was not to progress, the funding in principle would remain allocated to NPT”
WG Education email to Andrew Thomas (Director of Education NPTCBC) Hi Andrew Thanks for the query and here’s a response for you to share with Members. The Welsh government funding currently allocated to the Swansea Valley project forms part of the Local Authority’s Band B funding envelope. Therefore, if the Local Authority was to determine that the project was not to progress, the funding in principle would remain allocated to NPT. However, the Local Authority would need to submit a Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) variation, which would then need to be considered by the Education Investment Panel and the Minister for Education and Welsh Language. The revised proposal would be subject to approval of a three stage business case process. Hope this helps Cofion Owain
April 19 2023
NPTCBC scrap the proposal for a Swansea Valley super school
NPTCBC scrap the proposal for a Swansea Valley super school
April 20 2023
Karen Jones (NPTCBC CEO) emails Steven Hunt (leader)
I understand that officers are receiving enquiries about a potential modular construction being put onto the old Godre’r Graig site. Could i respectfully ask that there is no further enquiry on this matter until we have had a proper discussion about the next steps. We need clear political leadership as to where we go next on this agenda. This must be led by education directorate which is where statutory responsibilities sit, not by the environment directorate. I had intended having a discussion with the leader and deputy leader next week in any event – perhaps you might want to joint that meeting Simon?
April 20 2023
WG email NPTCBC asking what the scrapping of the super school means for Godre’r Graig Primary school
We spotted the article below about scrapping the new superschool and we were wondering what this might mean for the long term strategy at Godre’r Graig Primary, I remember discussing the high level options with the preferred (the super school) now sounding off the table
April 20 2023
NPTCBC send email to WG

‘To be perfectly honest I’m not sure at the moment. Hopefully I will have a better idea early next week. I’ll be in touch’

May 24 2023
ESP response to Residents Group (TEGWCH) concerns in report sent on 10th Jan 2023
May 25 2023
NPTCBC instruct ESP: Bund Assessments
May 25 2023
Governing Body highlight issues with geological assessments and request a independent opinion and review of decisions