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Helen Grant launches £7,000 appeal to fight closure of High Weald Academy in Cranbrook

A campaign working group set up and led by MP Helen Grant needs to raise £7,000 to continue the fight against the closure of the High Weald Academy in Cranbrook.

The Leigh Academies Trust, which runs the school in Angley Road, announced at the end of September the site would shut because of repeated poor Ofsted reports and falling pupil numbers.

Helen Grant addresses the public meeting in the Vestry Hall
Helen Grant addresses the public meeting in the Vestry Hall

The decision caused outrage locally.

After organising a public meeting in the Vestry Hall, at which there was unanimous condemnation of the closure, Mrs Grant, the MP for Maidstone and the Weald, set up a working group to fight the move.

Any school closure has to be signed off by the government - as this one was- and the working group believes the best way of challenging the decision is through the judicial review process, saying the minister did not properly consider all the alternatives.

Mrs Grant said: "Our solicitors have advised that in order to seek a Judicial Review of the decision, and to have the matter reconsidered by government, our group should obtain an opinion on the merits of the case from a specialist barrister.

"The Legal Aid Agency turned down an application for the funding of this pre-action stage, suggesting that ‘alternative funding’ should be considered, mindful that 'there will be a significant number of pupils with the same interests.’"

Helen Grant talking to parents and school supporters
Helen Grant talking to parents and school supporters

The working group decided on Friday to appeal "to individuals, businesses and any other supportive sources" for donations.

It believes it needs to raise £7,000 to take the appeal to the next stage.

Mrs Grant said: "We have committed to seeking a legal remedy against this closure."

Meanwhile, in the knowledge that their children have been told they will all have to leave by the end of next year's summer term, many parents have already transferred their children to other schools.

Mrs Grant said: "There are strict limitations on deadlines for Judicial Review cases and therefore time is very much of the essence.

"All donations will be welcome, no matter how large or small."

Donations can be made via a GoFundMe page.

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