Students and teachers take their closure protest to No 10

Teachers, teaching assistants and pupils from St John's Infant School in Chatham have marched on Downing Street in a bid to save their school from closure, yourmedway reports.

The group presented a petition with 4,000 signatures asking the government to re-think its plans to close their school.

Local councillors have agreed to push ahead with proposals to close down or merge schools in the area.

Sam Whittington, lead campaigner, said the council's recent review of the situation was a "sham with a predetermined outcome".

"We are extremely unhappy with the result but we will continue the fight. We are very happy with today's campaign and feel that we are stepping up our fight," he added.

The protestors have attracted the support of their local Labour MP Jonathan Shaw who described their cause and distress as "real and overwhelming".

"St John's and the other local school threatened with closure have strong leadership and management. We must fight to save the schools," he said.

A public consultation period on the plans to close the schools is now underway.

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