A 19TH CENTURY Ramsbottom primary school is to close next year, despite a campaign to keep it open.

The fate of St Paul's CE, in Crow Lane was sealed after an independent adjudicator backed the council's decision to close the school.

Following a full review, Schools Adjudicator, Professor Philip Hunter, announced on Monday that he accepted the case put forward by Bury Metro Council and agreed that the school, which was built in 1868, was no-longer viable because of falling numbers.

Pupils, parents and teachers are shattered by the news.

Headteacher Margaret Chamberlain said: "We are not at all pleased with the outcome. We believe we had a good case and put forward some good arguments as to why the school shouldn't close.

Pupils and parents are very upset and angry at the decision. Some do not want to go to St Andrew's and are now looking for alternatives. It is all about finances and we have to suffer because of lack of them. The authority keeps saying it is because of falling pupil numbers, but the numbers haven't fallen.

"We don't know what the situation is now with our jobs."

Mrs Chamberlain said she plans to fight the closure to the end: "Because we have only just found out about the decision we don't really know what we are going to do next but we are looking into ways of appealing against it."

The decision is not the final curtain for the school as they have the option of taking their case to a Judicial Review which will be heard by a judge at the High Court who will decide if the school has a case for appeal.

The Inspector's findings concluded that:

there was no evidence that the educational standard of the children at St Paul's would be better or worse if they transferred to St Andrew's;

the LEA's projection of numbers demanding places at St Paul's was not unreasonable;

the estimate of revenue savings was "indisputable";

the roads around St Andrew's are not significantly more dangerous than those around St Paul's;

the proposal will result in the children of St Paul's moving to better accommodation than they have now.

Following the Inspector's announcement, council leader John Byrne said: "As you would expect emotions always run high whenever there is talk of a school closure or amalgamation.

"However, the facts surrounding the council's decision have been given a fair and thorough airing. This latest decision was by an independent inspector who listened to what everyone had to say before making any adjudication. Now, I believe it is in the best interests of all, especially the children concerned, that we all work together, council, staff, governors and parents, to ensure that the closure goes ahead smoothly and with the least possible disruption to the education of these youngsters. Everyone had a chance to put their case forward.

"We need to adopt a common-sense approach and look to the future. St Paul's has served its community well in the past, but we need to move on."

Pupils will be transferred to the nearby St Andrew's in Bolton Road by September 2003.