PARENTS have vowed to challenge a shock bid to close Greenhead Primary School, which could be axed before Christmas.

Governors announced a closure plan for the school on Tuesday , citing fears over its future viability.

They want to transfer all 38 pupils at Greenhead, to Henshaw Primary near Bardon Mill, as part of a merger plan.

The two church schools form the West Tyne Federation of Schools, which share the same governing body.

Chairman of governors, David Ratcliff, said the proposal would be put to Northumberland County Council, as part of the wider consultation on the future of education in west Northumberland.

But while the none of council proposals would not be implemented until September 2019 at the earliest, governors are keen to close Greenhead by December 2018, or possibly earlier, to avoid a long, drawn-out closure.

Mr Ratcliff said: “We deeply regret having to propose this course of action, but we see closure of Greenhead Primary as an inevitable consequence within the next few years.”

Mr Ratcliff said governors would push for a two-tier system across West Northumberland.

He said that Greenhead Primary had suffered fluctuations in pupils numbers, due to the presence of middle schools in the existing mix of two and three tiers.

Henshaw, which currently has 58 pupils on its books, has the capacity to accommodate over 100 pupils, according to governors.

Greenhead is at risk of closure in of two of the three options currently being debated during the county council consultation, which ends on April 9.

Parent Sarah Nolan said: “I don’t understand why we should just lie down and tell the county council to come and close our school.

“To close so soon would be very unsettling for the children, and parents and the wider community must have a say, not just the governors.”

A public meeting will take place at the Greenhead Hotel, on Monday, at 6.30pm, for parents and community members interested in saving the school.