AN OSWESTRY mum has been left fuming after her son was denied a place at a Welsh medium school over the border – despite it being his first language.

Lowri Roberts, who owns Siop Cwlwm in Bailey Street, says her four-year-old son was denied a spot at Ysgol Gynradd in Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochant last week because of oversubscription.

Lowri, who lives in Oswestry, says her daughter also attends the school and felt the process was not applied fairly to her son.

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And now she has launched a petition, both online and also on paper at her store – which promotes all things Welsh in Oswestry – and says it will form part of her appeal against the decision.

She said: “My son goes to the pre-school there and we wanted him to go to school there too in September as it’s the closest Welsh medium school to Oswestry.

“We wanted him to go there and there is a Welsh group in Oswestry which encourages this to carry on speaking the language.

“But he’s been refused because Powys County Council says it has applied its criteria correctly but we say they haven’t.

“Powys County Council aren’t offering him any Welsh language provision and have batted us back to Shropshire Council, but they say they are not in a position to offer him this, which is understandable.

“Shropshire Council has told us to appeal – we know that they are experiencing the same in other cross-border areas like Wrexham and Ellesmere.

“It’s not a financial issue – Shropshire Council pays towards it – but I think this is unfair.

“It can be argued that it is the right of an indigenous person – Welsh has always been spoken in Oswestry – as per the United Nations charter.

“It can be argued that this is the case.

“We will appeal – we have told Powys County Council that we will be appealing and will be using the petition as part of that.

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“We’ve had more than three pages’ worth of signatures from our petition in the shop and online, we’re close to half of our hope for 500 signatures.”

Anyone wishing to give Lowri and her family support, you can do at the shop in bailey Street or head to https://www.change.org/p/oppose-powys-cc-s-decision-to-refuse-a-school-place-for-welsh-speaking-child-from-oswestry

Powys County Council has been approached for comment.