CAMPAIGNERS fighting to keep Kent’s smallest school open have won a vital stage in the battle to save it from closure.

The fate of The Ripple School in Deal, which has just 34 pupils, will now be determined by an independent Schools Adjudicator after members of Kent’s Schools Organisation Committee rejected KCC’s controversial closure plan.

The school was thrown the lifeline on Tuesday after the committee, which consists of governors, county councillors, church representatives and members of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) declined to back closure unanimously.

As a result, the decision is automatically refered to the Schools Adjucicator for a final ruling. That is likely to come later this year.

There has been massive public opposition to KCC’s plan, with supporters complaining that county education chiefs have singled out the school just to save money.

Chairman of governors John Adams, who addressed the committee meeting along with headteacher Sue Hope, was confident the school could now persuade the adjudicator to reject KCC’s plan.

“We are delighted and much more confident. This is the firs time we have had the chance to put our argument to an independent group and they accepted that there are powerful reasons why the school should remain open,” he said.

Head Sue Hope echoed: “Children and parents will feel very relieved, knowing that we are being listened to. I feel much more confident.”

County education chiefs insisted there were question marks over the school’s long term future because of the small number of pupils.

But Dover District Council Conservative leader Paul Watkins, who also addressed the meeting, said closure would “tear the heart” out of the village community.

“This is not a failing school. It is not failing academically and it is not failing financially.”

Area education officer Martyn Doole told the meeting: “The projections for the area are that primary rolls are falling and there is no reason to believe Ripple will buck that trend.”

John Adams, the chairman of governors, spoke in detail to KM-fm's Katy Dartford about the latest developments...