The founder of a threatened school said he was "ashamed to be Catholic" as he made an impassioned plea for plans to close it to be ditched.

John Prangley, 63, is also a former headteacher of St Augustine's in Oxford, a joint Anglican and Catholic school.

Mr Prangley, who has had three children through the Iffley Turn school, was speaking at a public meeting last night, when around 100 parents and members of the community voiced their support to save it.

He said: "I am ashamed to be Catholic that this can be happening. The school works well so why destroy it."

The Roman Catholic Church is seeking views of parents on plans to close St Augustine's and open a Catholic-only replacement on the site of Cardinal Newman Middle School.

This scheme is designed to fit in with Oxfordshire County Council's plans to scrap middle schools and replace them with a two-tier system of primary and secondary schools.

Students who formed the Sixth Form Committee presented a petition with 300 signatures from supporters. Elisabeth Gilpin, headteacher, said there would only be 130-140 pupils who would be likely to attend the school, not the 240 predicted by the Roman Catholic Church.

Mr Prangley's wife Clare added: "The end does not justify the means. If I felt the community had been openly and honestly consulted I would accept the decision."

Prof Richard Pring, a co-opted member of the school's governing body, said: "I think it is very dangerous to upset a very good school that provides excellent spiritual guidance for Christians of this community.

"One of the things we have most been striving for in this community is working together and this school does that."

Parent Jean Hatton of Spindleberry Close, Blackbird Leys, who has two boys at the school, added: "We don't want to change this wonderful school." One of the committee, Tara Davies, 16, of Glanville Road, Oxford, said: "Why change something that has worked so well."

But Father Marcus Stock, executive secretary of the Catholic Birmingham Diocesan schools commission said members of the Catholic community were "very desirous" of a Catholic school and they had a duty to meet the high demand for places.

He said: "We are not trying to destroy St Augustines. The desire is to build in what is already here but also meet the needs of the Catholic community."

He said he had received 750 to 800 letters in support of a Catholic school and 350 in support of a joint school.

Canon Tony Williamson, director of education (Schools) for Oxford Diocese said St Augustine's was an excellent school but it was impossible to continue a partnership agreement if one of the partners was determined to pull out. Graham Badman, chief education officer for Oxfordshire County Council, said the authority was looking at changing the schools system in line with 95 percent of the country.

He said the current two changes of schools hindered children's progress and there was difficulty recruiting staff to middle schools because they were perceived as becoming extinct.

Story date: Wednesday 17 November

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