A SCHOOL has vowed to fight on after government officials approved plans for its closure.

Salford council wants to close St George's High, in Walkden, as part of a £160m education shake-up. It admits the school has good results - the fourth best in the city - but say a fall in the number of Catholic children needing places means it is no longer sustainable.

The Department of Education agrees and has approved plans for the redevelopment of education in Salford, which also include proposals to upgrade or rebuild nine secondary schools.

Teachers at St George's, however, say the school is heavily over-subscribed, with parents queuing to get children enrolled. Its governors are to take their case to the independent schools' adjudicator, who can overturn closure orders.

Deputy head Peter Fisher said: "Again the school community is bewildered by the decision.

Mantra

"The mantra of Mr Blair and Mr Brown about education, education, education is just hollow rhetoric for us.

"Next week we are having a hearing for 20 sets of parents who were unable to get their children into the school next year because we are so popular. To close a successful, oversubscribed school is perverse."

If the appeal is unsuccessful, the school, backed by the Salford Diocese, has instructed solicitors to seek a judicial review.

Campaigners, who previously lobbied education ministers Jim Knight and Lord Adonis, are organising a rally to drum up support. Salford council says any challenge to the decision could prevent upgrades for other Catholic schools in the city.

John Warmisham, the council's schools spokesman, said work at other religious schools was already being delayed because of the school's campaign.

He said: "It is a good school, but we have to look at the future of all schools and there are not enough Catholic children to justify building a new school there.

"We have had to put the development of other Catholic schools to the back of the timetable because we know there will be an appeal. If the adjudicator disagrees with our decision then it is likely we won't get a brand new building for All Hallows."

Talks between parents and the council start in September. The school is set to close in 2010.

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