A VENGEFUL political establishment is bent on shutting down St Anthony’s Primary School in Cinderford after serious financial irregularities were exposed last year, claims headteacher Lorna Middleton.

Mrs Middleton, who was appointed in September last year, says she is being used as a scapegoat after blowing the whistle’ on the schools virtual bankruptcy after years of mismanagement and possibly even fraud.

An Ofsted inspector’s report last year supported Mrs Middleton’s claims of financial mismanagement by previous administrations.

It said: “School finances have not been managed effectively. Spending went unchecked and unchallenged by governors.

"Consequently, there has been insufficient resource to support teaching, the training of staff and to ensure compliance with routine matters of health and safety.”

Mrs Middleton is bitterly critical of the Department of Eduction spending about £1m on refurbishing the school and making it safe, before deciding it should be closed.

She also says the official line that the school’s planned closure is due to poor Ofsted reports and that a ‘rescue plan’ recently submitted is inadequate, is a pure smoke screen.

“What they are saying is ludicrous. The truth is that this school has never been properly financed."

Mrs Middleton said she will be meeting with governors to make final arrangements for a revised rescue plan to meet a government deadline of April 30.