ANGRY parents have pledged to fight to save Manor Junior School after the council announced plans for its closure.

Emergency talks were held and an Action Group was formed this week after education chiefs moved to shut down the school, on Crow Lane East, Newton.

Parents received a letter on Tuesday outlining a number of possible scenarios. A plan to close the school and transfer pupils to District CE Junior is the council's favoured option at this stage.

Other proposals include schemes to build a new primary school, to amalgamate Lyme Infants and Manor Juniors under one headteacher, and to build new classrooms at Lyme Infants.

Parent-Governor Linda Thornhill said parents and children had sent letters and petitions to the LEA and to David Blunkett objecting to the closure.

"We as parents were shocked and angered to hear of these proposals, and the children were very upset," she said.

"This school is unique and you can't compare it to big schools like District or Wargrave. 39 out of 83 children here have special needs. Parents see the Manor as a special school because the children who need it get special attention."

The news came just two weeks after the school fell well short of national targets in the government's Key Stage 2 results tables.

OFSTED inspectors had also criticised the school for its poor attainment levels and for a lack of clear vision on behalf of governors and management.

Meetings were held throughout Tuesday, as education officers consulted with teachers, governors and parents. Parents were told the school should close because it produced poor SATS results and was in an area of low birth rates.

A Council spokesman said: "The local education authority is consulting on a proposal to close Manor CE Junior School because of serious weaknesses. There are a number of options to consider, and on hearing all views, both verbally at meetings and in writing, the education committee will discuss the findings."

A public meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday, March 16 at Newton High School to discuss the proposals.

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