PARENTS who vowed to do everything in their power to prevent the closure of a Portishead school are angry and disappointed after the final decision to close it at the end of the school year was taken last week.

PARENTS who vowed to do everything in their power to prevent the closure of a Portishead school are angry and disappointed after the final decision to close it at the end of the school year was taken last week.

A petition containing more than 200 signatures, appeals and letters of objection failed to save St Barnabas Church of England Primary School in West Hill, leaving the families of current pupils anxious and frustrated.

At a North Somerset Council meeting on April 21, Councillor Jeremy Blatchford, executive member for children and young people's services, said: "This is traumatic for the council, school, children, families and teachers, but it would be cheaper to send the children to primary schools in Bristol than keep the school open.

"Children will be relocated but depending on demand there may be a chance some Portishead pupils will have to be transported to schools elsewhere in the district."

Rachael Peppard, of Channel View Road, who has a daughter at the school said: "I and so many other parents can't understand the logic behind this decision.

"Portishead will not have enough places for primary school children in the town in future years and here we are with a perfectly good school that is about to be made redundant.

"We really thought common sense would prevail and the school would remain open."

Only four class places remain in Portishead for reception children starting school in September this year and with new families planning to move to the town, a shortage of places could occur within days of the school closure.

The school which opened in 1871, can accommodate more than 100 students but today has only 35 pupils registered.

The dyslexic and children's centre will remain at St Barnabas as will the toddler group and pre-school.