LEADERS of a Christian free school have admitted defeated in their battle to save it from closure.

Durham Free School (DFS) has been facing the axe since a damning Ofsted report led Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to announce she intended to withdraw its funding, back in late January.

Despite a strong campaign from parents, teachers and pupils, Ms Morgan confirmed her intention in late February.

DFS leaders had refused to give up, threatening legal action.

However, in a statement issued last night (Saturday, March 7), the school said it would not pursue a judicial review and will close at Easter.

The statement said: "It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that The Durham Free School will close at Easter.

"We have taken the difficult decision not to pursue a Judicial Review against the Secretary of State for Education.

"Even if successful, it would do little to assure the school stayed open. Our priority must be to focus on helping the children and their families who have been so badly affected by this terrible miscarriage of justice and to make their last days at the school, which has become like a second family to many, as happy and celebratory as possible.

"We have asked if our 'well wisher', who was keen to fund legal action, would be prepared to donate these funds instead to further the interests of children and families in this area that have been so repeatedly betrayed by many of our public servants, both locally and nationally.

"We will continue to work to expose the corruption and campaign of misinformation that has been used to destroy the school.

"Our immediate priority however will be working with all of our current families to help them find the very best solution for their children now that their chosen provision has been removed.

"Work with Professor (James) Tooley of Newcastle University will continue, looking at alternative provision that could be made available to our communities, whose educational choice at secondary level continues to shrink.

"I'd like to thank all who have supported and believed in what we have tried to do for our children. Above all, I would like to thank our brilliant staff who have been slandered in parliament, have had their livelihoods threatened and yet have been exemplary professionals, putting aside their own worries to keep strong for our children and have looked after and educated them so well through this distressing time.

"Some people will say that the money spent on our young people's education has been wasted (no doubt with gross exaggerations of the amount spent): I know this has not been the case.

"The short time many have spent at The Durham Free School has already had an extremely positive, and in many cases, a truly transformational impact on their lives. We wish them every blessing and success moving forwards. They are a very special group of young people and it has been a privilege to serve them and their families."