A CROWD of supporters turned out to a heated public meeting to discuss the future of Hornby High School this week.

Local county councillors met with school staff, pupils and parents on Tuesday and were invited to make a decision on the county council proposal to close the school.

Councillors voted unanimously against the proposal at the packed out meeting which was attended by over 40 school supporters.

The council began a public consultation into the future of the school at the start of the month, due to poor GCSE examination results and dwindling pupil numbers.

Eleven people spoke out against the proposal to shut the school, including staff, parents and students.

In one testimony, Year 10 pupil, Scott Pritchard spoke about his support from school staff and his concerns that he would be moved in the middle of his GCSE year.

Head teacher Caroline Jackson said she had been encouraged by the meeting.

“We’ve already collected 2000 responses in favour of staying open,” she said. “It is hopeful but county are determined and it is their second attempt in two years to close us down.

"It’s particularly difficult for us because the decisions are made in Preston and they don’t seem to understand the strength of feeling locally.”

The councillors listed 14 arguments against closure, including the lack of evidence to suggest that the school is failing.

They said the outstanding achievements of individual pupils should be taken into account and the “fall in pupil numbers has been increased by County’s actions.”

It was also said that county had broken its own consultation protocol with parish councils by not giving them six weeks to respond.

Hornby High gained federation status last year when it joined with Skerton Community High School to form The Lune Valley Federation.

Susie Charles, county councillor for the Lancashire Rural East district, said the federation hadn’t been given a fair chance but she hoped the county council would “take note” of the Lancashire Locals recommendation.

“It’s only been eight months and parents aren’t going to send their children there if they think it’s going to close,” she said.

“Hornby is not a special school but it’s a specialist school and the pupils seem to do extremely well,” she said. “It’s important to support small schools because you can give pupils the attention that they need whereas in a large class of 30, they sink.”

Helen Denton, executive director for Children and Young People and Stephen Mercer, head of School Policy and Operations will discuss the consultation on Thursday (January 29).