SALT Way Primary School will be closed down at the end of this academic year.

At a meeting last night the Schools Organisation Committee (SOC) voted unanimously to push ahead with proposals to axe the Middleleaze school and rebuild Shaw Ridge Primary School under plans costing £4.8m.

The decision came despite a battle by school governors, parents and residents to ask the council to reconsider its shake-up of education in West Swindon.

It also means the nursery provision at the school will be cut.

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

In November the council's cabinet voted to go ahead with plans that would see the school shut and Shaw Ridge School expanded to a two-form entry school in September. Temporary classrooms would be installed on the Shaw Ridge site to cope with the extra pupils. Steve Spence, chairman of governors at Salt Way thinks the SOC is wrong.

Speaking after the meeting he said: "I am disappointed for the children, the staff and everyone who has worked so hard. Salt Way is not a failing school."

The school has never been put into special measures although Ofsted did highlight areas of concern in a report last January.

Some members of the SOC based their decision to close the school on comments by Ofsted.

Mr Spence added: "If we had been left alone the council would have continued to see improvements." The Save Salt Way campaign and Mr Spence in particular have offered Swindon Council alternative options to deal with excess places.

Mr Spence said: "The least disruptive thing would have been for the school to become a single form entry school and a community resource, saving £5m."

Salt Way is formed by two buildings, which are joined but have separate catering facilities and two separate halls. It also sits in 5.56 acres of green land.

After the council first hinted at closing the school last year there has been a steady decrease in teachers and pupils.

Six teachers resigned and 100 pupils left for other schools because there was such uncertainty surrounding the future of the school, according to campaigners leaving 126 pupils on roll.

Parents were too upset to talk after the meeting.

Paul Blackmore, Swindon Council officer said: "There are great buildings at Salt Way but it is not a popular school and the council has to act on this."

Under the council's blueprint, Windmill Hill Primary School and Freshbrook Primary would also be closed by 2008 as part of the re-organisation plans.

The council wants to build a new school on the Freshbrook site to house all of the pupils. They are also planning to rebuild Toothill Primary School.