A PARENT is campaigning to save a Burnley school amid fears it will close next year.

A consultation into the future of Hameldon Community College has now finished with education chiefs due to make a decision on its potential closure before Christmas.

The college has suffered with falling student numbers, poor Ofsted ratings, financial difficulties and staffing issues over the years.

But Sarah Ingham, whose son Connor is in year nine, fears its closure could leave parents on nearby housing estates struggling to pay transport costs to take their kids to other schools in the town.

The 34-year-old said: "We want to create a parents group to try and do something for the school.

"We want to keep it open. It is in a prime area close to a number of housing estates, some houses have four bedrooms so that could be three, four, five kids at school.

"If it closes it will have a knock-on effect on struggling families.

"How will they afford to send their kids to different schools especially when there is one up the road?"

She said at a recent open event at the Coal Clough Lane school there was a headteacher from another Burnley school taking children's names down.

"It is like they have already decided it is closing," she said.

"I think there are options like turning it into an academy or looking at a technical college.

"Not having a school in this area will create a lot of problems.

"It absolutely boggles my mind to think they have spent all that money building a school that we needed and now this is happening."

Mrs Ingham, who lives on the Griffin estate, was also planning to send her daughter there in September.

"The reason I sent my son there was because it is a science college. They offered something and now he might not be able to get it.

"He is in year nine and choosing his options for GCSEs without knowing whether he can take them.

"I'm worried if he starts year 10 at a different school he will be behind. It is an important time for them and there is no continuity.

"The teachers are already leaving. It is like rats leaving a sinking ship."

Cllr Susie Charles, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Schools at Lancashire County Council, said: "We're grateful that people took the time to respond to the consultation about the future of Hameldon Community College.

"No decisions have been taken yet, and we will look at the responses we've received and produce a report for consideration at the county council's cabinet meeting in December.

"Our aim is always to provide the best education we can for all young people."