Just one person has supported Kent County Council’s proposals to close Folkestone’s Pent Valley College during the council’s consultation, it’s been revealed.

It comes as parents are set to protest again at County Hall in Maidstone over the closure of the Folkestone school.

Members of the Save Pent Valley campaign last Thursday lobbied councillors as they arrived for the budget meeting as part of a wider protest against spending cuts organised by Unite the union.

Councillors on KCC’s education scrutiny committee will sit tomorrow morning to hear the results of the recent consultation on the proposed closure.

Pupil numbers have more than halved at the Surrenden Road site since 2010 and it is now operating at a huge loss financially which KCC says has prompted it to bring the proposals forward.

But of the 41 written responses to KCC, 40 opposed the closure proposal with just one in favour.

A further 227 signatures have been gathered by pupils coupled with a further 589 on an e-petition on the change.org website organised by Sixth Form student Bethany Smith against the closure.

A speaker from the campaign will be addressing members to fight for the school’s case during the meeting.

If Pent Valley does close it will stop taking new pupils from September and only remain open to the current Year 10 and then completely shut 12 months later.

During the consultations, KCC agreed to demands from students in Year 12 lobbying to stay at the school to complete their studies rather than being forced to move.

Councillors will consider a report which details the results from the initial consultation which closed on February 3.

KCC’s cabinet member for education, Cllr Roger Gough, will make a final decision on the proposal by March 24.

The report highlights how falling pupil numbers has led to the school’s budget deficit expecting to run at £2.1 million by the end of the year.

This is expected to rise further to £3.7m per year by August 2017 based on current and predicted attendance levels – school budgets are calculated based on pupil numbers with funding allocated per pupil.

A coach is being laid on by Unite for protesters and is leaving for Maidstone at 8am outside Cheriton post office before picking up at 1pm from Maidstone for the return to Folkestone.

Anyone interested in joining the coach can contact Unite branch secretary Eric Segal on 07463 860466.