More than a hundred children, parents and teachers marched through the streets to protest against city council plans to close St Bartholomew’s school.
Brighton and Hove City Council is proposing to shut the primary school in Ann Street, Brighton, due to falling pupil numbers.
But the plan has been met with fierce objection.
What started as a campaign by half a dozen concerned parents last month has now grown to an entire community fighting to keep the primary school open.
“It’s heart-warming and inspiring to see the number of people who are getting involved, lovely to see a good response and how much people care,” said parent Reija Such, who launched the Save Our School group.
“We want people to know that there is a school community here, we need the community here. The councillors have given us no answers to our questions and no support for the parents.”
The group of roughly 100 people set off from St Bartholomew’s at the end of the school day on Monday (December 11) and marched through the North Laine area, carrying placards and chanting “save our school”.
Drivers beeped their car horns in support along the route while shoppers cheered on from the pavements.
David Kinsey, whose grandson attends the school, has even taken the campaign to Downing Street.
“I have written to the prime minister saying he must protect our schools for children to enjoy,” said David.
“Hopefully, eventually, we can get the go ahead and keep our school open for others, for years to come.
“The council told us they can move the children to another school, but what’s to say they won’t have to move again.”
Michelle Tolba, whose children are at St Bartholomew's, said the group will not give up their fight.
"It's the teachers, the children, all of us. We're all together. One big family," she said.
"The children are sad, but they're hopeful."
Councillor Jacob Taylor, co-chairman of the city council’s children, families and school’s committee, said he wants schools to stay open but must take action to save money.
“There are no easy solutions to falling pupil numbers,” he said
"With more than one in five primary school places in the city is now empty, more of our schools are finding themselves in extreme financial difficulty and without the resources needed to provide the support they would want to.”
Cllr Taylor said the cost of empty reception age places is currently around £2m.
READ MORE: 'Vulnerable children at risk if lifeline Brighton school shuts'
He also said closing school is a “last resort” and that reducing admissions numbers at some schools instead is a better option for our city as a whole.
“The council is facing its worst ever financial crisis due to rising inflation and continuing government cuts,” he said.
“All our schools do a great job for their pupils and wider communities, and I’m very sad that we’re having to make these proposals.”
St Peter's Community Primary School in Portslade is another school in the city which is at risk of closure. And Goldstone Primary School in Hove is being asked to go from 90 to 60 places in each year, effective reducing the number of classes in each year from three to two in future.
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