A PARENT group has called on the new education secretary to stop the closure of Parkfield School.

The Christchurch and Bournemouth Parent Group has appealed to Bridget Phillipson MP to halt the closure, which was announced by Reach South Academy Trust in June.

Parents have argued the school ‘has not been given a fair chance’ to improve, with the trust blaming unsustainable pupil numbers for the proposed closure.

As reported, the school removed the previous governing body and replaced it with an improvement board.

This, the group says, further fuelled doubt in the trust among parents.

The closure has been opposed vocally by many parents, supported by recently re-elected Christchurch MP, Sir Christopher Chope.

The final decision rests with the secretary of state for education, Ms Phillipson, after a listening period ended on Friday, July 12.

Parent Leanne Trent said: “It has been impossible for parents to feel they can trust Mr Ashton [CEO of the trust] and others from Reach South.

“We feel they have neglected our school for sometime and that they have not facilitated a welcoming listening period.

“It was incredibly hard to run a campaign to attempt to save a school during a general election but we are all grateful to Sir Christopher Chope OBE, MP for Christchurch, who worked relentlessly during this period and since his re-election to ensure our children are not forgotten in a faceless and bureaucratic process."

She added: “I can't express the admiration I have for my fellow parents and children who found themselves voiceless in discussions about their future. We have all come together to refuse to remain ignored and sidelined.

“When parents are battling the system day in, day out to ensure their children are given the opportunity to achieve their potential, allies are important and the past few weeks have allowed us to find many of them.”

“We have found strength from one another and in doing so we have remembered what Parkfield School could be as a community for children from reception to the day they qualify with GCSEs and move onto further learning and training.

“We are committed to seeking the continuation of school to add choice for all families across the BCP council area, and hope that the Secretary of State will take the opportunity to change the outcome and halt closure.

“Once this is achieved we will work with all stakeholders and potential long term supporters to find a suitable home for school within another Academy Trust.”

The group said the new Labour MPs in Bournemouth and Poole have been swift in supporting the campaign, and it hopes the new education secretary will appreciate the ‘passionate’ opposition to the proposals.