Thundersley: Cabinet Rubber Stamps Deanes Closure

28 November 2013, 17:57 | Updated: 28 November 2013, 18:02

Essex County Council's cabinet has given final approval to shut the Deanes School in Thundersley.

It says it has become unviable because of falling pupil numbers, a trend it does not believe will be reversed. 

The closure of the school was first proposed earlier this year, and after a period of consultation, the council announced at the start of September it planned to go ahead with it. 

That was despite a scrutiny group tasked with looking and analysing the evidence put forward recommending it should not happen. 

Campaigners against the decision say the council has manipulated the figures it has used to predict what future pupil numbers may be. 

They also claim the council has not taken into account plans for more than 2,500 homes to be built in the Castle Point area over the next decade which would boost the number of children eligible to go to the school. 

Figures "rigorously validated"

However, Councillor Ray Gooding, Portfolio Holder for Education, strongly denies any tampering with the stats: "The issue around the level of calculation that we've done to come to the decisions that we have is perfectly open for scrutiny throughout. 

"In that no-one has provided an alternative throughout. 

"It's easy to say 'you're manipulating figures, you're not doing this properly' but when the question is 'in what way do you think that is the case?' we never really have an answer and actually we've found the most reliable source is the figures we put together." 

That was echoed by Council Leader, David Finch who said there had been "rigorous validating" of the figures. 

Fight not over

Campaigners to save the school say their fight is not over though and plan to take it to the independent schools adjudicator. 

Sarah Raven from the Save The Deanes group says she believes they will be proved right: "I have no faith in Essex County Council's cabinet for any decision making especially in regards to children. 

"Once all the evidence has gone to ombudsman it will be pulled apart and I cannot understand why they (the council's cabinet) would do this to themselves. 

"There's no justification for this, we know it's viable, they know it's viable but this is part of constructive closure and this is what they do. We expected this." 

The school has applied for academy status and Ms Raven is confident it'll get it: "The inspectors came to the school last week, they were really quite impressed. 

"The application has gone smoothly, as far as I'm aware there's been no hiccoughs and we should be expecting to here next week."

If the closure goes ahead pupils will be taken by King John and Appleton schools.