THE Welsh language could die out in Brecon unless it continues to be taught at secondary level, say those campaigning to keep provision in the town.

Pupils from the town’s Welsh medium primary school, Ysgol y Bannau, joined students from Brecon High School to highlight their opposition to Powys council’s plan to close the Welsh language stream at the comprehensive that is across the road.

They staged a series of pre-lesson demonstrations at the gates of the high school during the final weeks of term to raise awareness of the council’s consultation on the removal of the Welsh stream.

On the last day of term, Friday, December 16 pupils held banners to attract the attention of passing traffic and some wore a 'Welsh not’ sign - the Victorian punishment used to shame children who spoke Welsh at some schools.

Sian Drinan, of Brecon, whose son Berwyn - a year 10 pupil at Brecon High, helped organise the protests blamed uncertainty over future provision at the high school on the small number currently studying through Welsh at the secondary.

In November Powys council opened its third consultation since 2015 on closing Brecon High’s Welsh language stream.

Should the Welsh stream close at the end of the coming summer term then from September 2017 pupils would have to attend the Welsh stream at Builth Wells High School to continue learning through Welsh in Powys.

Only pupils who would be in Year 11 from September 2017 would continue to have lessons in Welsh at Brecon High and there would be no Welsh medium provision at the school from September 2018.

Berwyn who started at the high school in a Welsh stream of 21 pupils is now one of one of only three pupils in his year group learning through Welsh

"This fight isn’t really for him and his classmates it’s for those coming up from Ysgol y Bannau," said Ms Drinan, who said there a similar numbers studying through Welsh in the three years below her son.

"We are well aware the numbers as they are aren’t viable but the point is pupils who want to come to the high school are not being offered that opportunity.

"This is our last chance to save not just Welsh language education in Brecon but indeed the Welsh language. Without young people learning the language it will inevitably die out."

Ysgol y Bannau, which was purpose built across the road from Brecon High, is the only dedicated Welsh medium primary in the Brecon and Builth Wells catchment areas.

But parents claim the council’s plan that would centralise provision in Builth has already driven pupils away from Brecon, especially as the council has already provided free transport to Builth for pupils from the Brecon catchment.

Ms Drinan said there are sufficient pupils at Ysgol y Bannau to make Welsh medium provision at Brecon High viable but it’s feared if there is no longer Welsh language provision at secondary level parents won’t opt for a Welsh medium primary education.

Rhian Young, whose eldest son Rowan, studies seven subjects at Brecon High through Welsh in his year 8 class of three, said her daughter Willow is currently in her final year at Ysgol y Bannau.

She said Willow will definitely go to Brecon High in September but would prefer her to be able to continue her secondary education through Welsh. Ms Young said from speaking to other parents she is aware that 11 of 19 children in Ysgol y Bannau’s year six intend to go to Brecon High while others have committed to other schools, including Builth Wells.

She added some will go to other schools as their siblings are already attending them.

Willow, 10, who was part of Friday’s protest said: "I really enjoy learning in Welsh and we want to keep it going.

"We held some signs up and if drivers wanted to keep the Welsh stream open they could beep their horns. We counted all the beeps and we got 260."

The 10-year-old said if the Welsh stream closes she would have to chose between attending school in Builth or staying in Brecon where she could continue with after school activities including swimming.

Powys council has said it has proposed the closure as the number of pupils in the Welsh stream has dropped significantly in recent years because parents have chosen to send their children to other secondaries, including out of county, where they are part of larger Welsh medium groups.

It says pupils from Brecon would then benefit from being part of larger groups and Brecon struggles to provide a wide range of Welsh medium subjects to its low pupil numbers.

The consultation closes on January 9 and people can have their say by writing to the School Transformation Team, Powys County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG or visiting the consultations page of the council’s website.

Campaigners have reminded people comments submitted as part of the two previous consultations must be resubmitted if they are to be considered by the council.

Brecon High School’s governing body has previously said it wants to retain the school’s Welsh stream.

Signatures, opposing the closure, are being collected on an online petition at change.org which can be found by searching for Brecon.