A SCHOOL has thanked the Echo and the community for rallying around to save it from closure.

A year ago, the future of the Deanes School, in Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, was in doubt, as Essex County Council threatened to shut it down because of falling pupil numbers.

Now, thanks to a campaign from the Echo, staff, students, parents and the intervention of a government adjudicator, the school held an open evening for potential new pupils.

Desi McKeown, vice-principal, said: “If it wasn’t for the Echo’s help this open evening would not have happened.”

At its first open evening since being saved from closure headteacher Jan Atkinson paid tribute to the community’s hard work and support.

Mrs Atkinson said: “Our staff would like to thank all of our children, parents and our wider community for the open evening.

“Without their support it would not have been possible. We know from listening to parents that what they like most about the Deanes is the small family feel, which gives us the ability to treat each child as an individual.

“Everyone at the Deanes is valued for their own unique identity and is given the support to be the best that they can be.

“We have been overwhelmed by the numbers of parents through our doors this evening.”

Future pupils and parents toured the school and saw the result of the first phase of a £2million revamp, which includes a new reception area, a student services area for a pastoral support office, an attendance office and new toilets.

The school is also working in partnership with the Billericay School, in School Road, and is waiting to hear if they can become a joint academy.

Mrs Atkinson added: “It’s a very exciting time for the school. We are very pleased we are here and we are open.

“The staff and children have all worked so hard and to see the new Year Sevens join us this week was quite emotional.

“This time last year we couldn’t even hold an open evening, as we didn’t know if the school would be here.”

Mrs Atkinson will be hosting tours of the school from Monday, September 15. To find out more, visit www.deanesschool.co.uk.

ECHO comment: THE Deanes School is a good school. It makes an invaluable contribution to the south Essex community and it has some outstanding staff who really care about their school and its students.

The Echo always believed, therefore, it would be a mistake by Essex County Council to shut it down.

It was right to campaign against the closure. We joined forces with the parents, staff and pupils to ask difficult questions, reflect public concern and investigate the statistics and circumstances surrounding the proposed closure.

And we were right. South Essex now retains a good school, among many others, and the anxiety and worry of parents and pupils is at an end.

This is what local papers like the Echo do. They stand up for their community and get results. It was our pleasure to make a contribution.