CHILDREN at a West Swindon school will be returning to class after the Easter break knowing that the school is a step closer to being shut down.

Swindon Council will be publishing formal statutory notices proposing to close Windmill Hill Primary School on Wednesday.

The news that the council has confirmed its plan to shut the Uxbridge Road site has sent shockwaves through the school.

But parents who are campaigning against the closure have vowed to continue their fight to block the council's plans.

In a letter sent to parents, the council said that the notices will be published following a decision made by cabinet members.

The council says there will be 680 surplus places in West Swindon schools by 2009 unless they act now.

It is planning to shut Windmill Hill, rebuild Freshbrook Primary School and move all of the pupils into the new building.

It also hopes to rebuild Toothill Primary School.

In the letter the council says that the Schools Organisation Committee (SOC) will make the final decision, if any formal objections are raised.

By law the council will have to refer the final decision to the SOC if just one objection is declared.

They want the school closed and the new Freshbrook building open by September 2007.

And parents who have started the Windmill Hill Action Committee are determined that their objections are heard loud and clear.

Mum-of-two Pam Durston, 35, of Freshbrook, has two children at the school Fraser, seven, and five-year-old Bethany.

She said: "I'm absolutely gutted.

"To get a letter which says in black and white that the council wants to go ahead and shut the school is tragic.

"We are going to have to go for gold now and fight against the plans because nobody, especially the children, want the doors to be closed.

"I have told my two children what has happened and they are really upset. They don't want their school to close. They love it there."

Christine Kinder, 45, of Grange Park, has a five-year-old daughter, Sarah, at the school.

"It looks like the council is just rushing ahead again with plans that nobody, apart from them, is in favour of," she said.

"I think the council see the school closing and want to rush this process through.

"They obviously need more money to rebuild the Freshbrook and Toothill schools."

Mrs Kinder added: "Windmill Hill is such a great school and we will do everything we can to keep it open."

Mum-of-two Angie Evans, of Freshbrook, has 10-year-old Benjamin at the school.

The 37-year-old said: "This is what we knew would happen, but we will fight on, definitely."

The council has told parents the SOC would probably meet in July.

As part of the shake-up of education in West Swindon, the SOC voted to close Salt Way Primary School in February.

The Middleleaze school will be closed at the end of this academic year and pupils returning after the summer holidays will be taught in mobile classrooms at Shaw Ridge Primary School while that school is rebuilt and extended at a cost of £4.8m.