PARENTS fighting to save their children’s school from closure have been given a boost after an open event attracted scores of potential new pupils.

The Save our School in Six weeks group from Rock Hall School, near Alnwick, welcomed the parents of around 20 to 25 potential pupils to the open afternoon.

The campaign group last night said the school could survive if around half that number decided to send their children to the school.

The Journal reported in November how teachers in charge at the last remaining independent school between Newcastle and Berwick, which teaches children from nursery to age 13, had announced it would close at the end of July.

Co-principal Lalage Bosanquet, who set up the school in a shed in her back garden in 1984, blamed rising costs, red tape and falling pupil numbers.

The announcement meant 20 job losses and around 50 children being forced to find another school.

Last month, parents, teachers and pupils past and present formed an eight-member steering group to campaign to save the school from closure.

Parents set a six to eight-week deadline to draw in enough new children to guarantee its future as that would take them to the time when families are deciding where to send children the next academic year. The timeframe would allow parents of current pupils to begin looking elsewhere if the campaign fails.

School bosses said the decision could be reversed if enough new blood was found.

The group organised the open afternoon to which it hoped to attract parents of prospective new pupils.

At the event, the parents of around 35 children attended, and though some are not of school age, the remaining 20 to 25 are regarded as potential pupils.

Other families had sent their apologies but said they are interested in sending their children to Rock Hall.

Robert Cook, who lives at Lesbury, near Alnmouth, is the father of four-year-old pupil Archie and a member of the committee. He said that if 12 to 14 of the potential pupils join the school, it “will see us well on the way to survival.”

The group and school staff are following up the interest from families this week and hope to arrange private viewings. Mr Cook said: “It is a first stage as to whether we will be able to save the school but certainly a positive start.”

Mrs Bosanquet said she expected to hear from the steering group what the next steps are. She said: “It was fairly encouraging to see so many people come at this time of year on what was a fairly grim afternoon as well.”