LABOUR leader Ed Miliband has praised the Deanes School, Thundersley, at a Westminster reception.

The leadership of the secondary school, which was saved from closure after an Echobacked campaign, were invited to Mr Miliband’s office in the Houses of Parliament after being nominated as unsung heroes of Castle Point.

The staff, pupils, parents and wider community connected with the school were nominated for the determination and spirit they showed in fighting off the county council axe and the school’s support for pupils with special needs.

Mr Miliband said: “These people are not only role models to their local communities, but to the whole nation.”

Vice principal Desi McKeown said: “It was quite overwhelming.

“With the surroundings of Westminster, in Ed Miliband’s office, looking out over the SouthBank, it was very nice to be recognised in that way.

“It was an honour and a privilege to represent the school.”

Principal Jan Atkinson, Mr McKeown and his wife Sioux, who is a form teacher at the Daws Heath Road school, were among about 50 other unsung heroes from around the country at the reception.

They included Sean Tobin, headteacher of Merrylands Primary School, in Laindon, and Shah Shahid, boss of Indian restaurant Mintoo, in Fryerns, Basildon.

Mr Miliband gave a speech before meeting the individual nominees, who were suggested by Labour MPs and parliamentary candidates.

Joe Cooke, Labour candidate for Castle Point, nominated the Deanes. Mr McKeown, who has worked at Deanes for 11 years, said: “We had some photos taken with Ed Miliband and chatted to him about the school.”

The school’s leadership visited Westminster with Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris several times as they successfully fought off plans to close the school due to falling pupil numbers.

Deanes and the Billiercay School are working with the Department for Education over becoming a joint academy.

The school has been praised for its work with pupils who have mental or physical disabilities or other learning difficulties.

Mrs Atkinson said: “It wasn’t just about saving the school, it is all the work we did previously.

“We have always been quite successful at reaching out to the community without making a big song and dance about it, and Joe thought we deserved recognition for that.”

Mr Cooke added: “The commendation was for the school’s services to all, but particularly for those with special educational needs, and for their strenuous successful resistance to the school closure decision.”