ISLINGTON Council has lost an appeal bid as a judge ruled that there was no grounds to re-open the decision to allow a primary school to be turned into an academy.

Education bosses have been battling to follow through with its plans to close Pooles Park in Finsbury Park after the previous education secretary Gillian Keegan’s office decided to overrule it and allow the school to stay open as an academy.

The Town Hall says its schools have too many unfilled places and that it planned to close one with an “inadequate” Ofsted rating.

A High Court ruling has cleared the way for The Bridge Multi Academy Trust to take over and keep it open.

Paul Levy-Adophy, whose son attends Pooles Park, said the court’s decision was a “relief”, adding: “All the parents I’ve spoken to are elated, it’s a relief, we know where we stand, we know we have a school in September.”

Mr Levy-Adophy continued: “I feel a bit emotional. I’ve come to see my son and give him a hug.”

Schools chief Councillor Michelline Safi-Ngongo, said: “We are disappointed in the court’s decision not to grant us leave to appeal. We still believe that closing Pooles Park and moving pupils sensitively to neighbouring schools would have been in the best interests of its children and families, and the wider school community.

“The Department for Education’s decision forced us to close a high-performing school nearby so Pooles Park, rated Inadequate, could become an academy, which is not in the best interests of Islington’s children nor the wider school estate.

“Given the reality of significant falling pupil numbers – a trend seen across London – we believe closing Pooles Park would have improved the financial stability of nearby schools, boosting the educational experience for all pupils in the area.

“Keeping it open under the control of an academy trust will increase financial strain on our remaining family of schools and make it harder to improve the quality of education for our young people.

“In light of the court’s decision, we will continue our work with the nominated academy trust to ensure the school opens in September.”