STAFF and parents at beleaguered St Anthony’s School, Cinderford, have vowed to fight closure after being ‘hung out to dry’ by the Department of Education.

The school head Lorna Middleton and governors were summoned to a meeting in London last week by Lord Agnew, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education.

They were told that he was ’mindful’ to close the school after the latest damning Ofsted inspection report. The school has been in Special Measures since 2015.

But Mrs Middleton has rallied support from parents and says the Department of Education has failed to support the school since it became a ‘free’ school, having opted out of both the independent sector and county council control.

She also says the latest inspection was made in December last year only two months after her appointment and that many of the criticisms made by inspectors relate to the previous administration of the school.

She added: "I have not seen one educational advisor from the Department of Education come to this school. If we came under the Local Education Authority they would have bombarded us with all sorts of support and advice.

“When we spoke to Lord Agnew he admitted that he had not even read the latest Ofsted report but said he had been briefed on it.

“If Lord Agnew informs us in writing that they do intend to close the school, that will give us 15 days to make representations."

Mrs Middleton also said any decision to close the school would be a huge waste of taxpayers money as £750,000 has just been spent on repairs.