PARENTS and church authorities are gearing up to fight the proposed closure of a small city centre school.

St Oswald's Church of England Infant and Nursery School in Church Street, Durham, is one of 23 schools that the Labour-run county council could shut in a drive to reduce surplus places.

The council could replace some schools with new ones built through the much-criticised Private Finance Initiative under which groups of companies would lease back the new buildings.

A delegation of senior councillors has been to London to brief the county's MPs about the £300m plans, which the council calls a 'blueprint for excellence' over the next 15 years.

St Oswald's has 22 surplus places at the moment and this is expected to increase to 41 in the next few years.

But governors, parents and the Durham Diocese Board of Education say many will be filled in the autumn and that extensive house building in the city could see the others filled.

Parent governor Sarah Lawrance said: "We have resolved to fight any attempt to close the school.

"The school has an absolutely brilliant record and to a close it as part of a so-called blueprint for excellence doesn't make any sense.

"We have plenty of evidence to back our position up. The school has SATS results that place it in the top 2.5 per cent of schools in the country and it has received a School Achievement Award."

Mrs Lawrance added that the school had pupils of 15 different nationalities as it educated the children of university students and teachers.

Another parent, Kate Ross, said: "The school has built up great expertise in responding to the needs of these children, some of whom arrive speaking little or no English."

Sue Pitts, the Liberal Democrat leader of Durham City Council and chairman of the school's governors, said: "There is no way on earth that closing a school like St Oswald's can be seen as promoting excellence in education."

Canon David Whittington, director of the diocesan board of education, said: "The Diocese is totally opposed to the closure of this school and will be fighting alongside the parents and governors to ensure its continuation."

A campaign web site has been set up. Already its on-line petition has been signed by more than 50 people, many former pupils.

The council has stressed it has no 'hit list' of schools to be closed and has pledged extensive consultation before decisions are taken.