Four generations of the same family went to Maesbury School. Back, from left, nanny Joan Morris, mum Alison Arrowsmith and front, Lucy, eight, Jack, five, and Rebecca, 10, Arrowsmith

A Shropshire mother who has seen generations of her family taught at Maesbury Primary School said today she was “gutted” over the threat of closure, vowing to fight tooth and nail to keep it open.

Alison Arrowsmith is chairman of the Parent Teaching Association and a teaching assistant at the primary school in Oswestry and says that her children are the fourth generation of the family to be taught there.

Her grandmother and her mother were educated at the school and her mother still lives only a field away from its gates.

Mrs Arrowsmith, who also lives just a mile away, said: “I get quiet emotional about it.

“My mum went to the school and she is also gutted.

“I have friends and friends’ husbands that I went to primary school with who have now chosen to bring their children here too.

“It is a fantastic school and all the year groups play together.

“They are one big happy family.

“If the school closes then the children would be split into different schools.”

Mrs Arrowsmith said that their school, which has 60 places available, also had a good reputation for helping children diagnosed as having special educational needs (SEN).

She said parents travelled long distances to take advantage of their help.

“Parents choose to send their children here because they have heard how good the SEN provision is,” she said.

“We are seeing a turning point and a rising of numbers.

“But as soon as there is a threat of closure parents might be thinking where does that leave my children? What is going to happen?”

If the school closes, Mrs Arrowsmith said she would have to travel four miles to take her children to another school.

“We live closer to the catchment area than some who are in the catchment area,” she said. “It is ridiculous.”

Three years ago when the school was threatened with closure she campaigned to keep it open.

She spoke to the radio and newspapers and got together a petition and has now vowed to do the same again.

Along with other parents, Mrs Arrowsmith said she planned to go to the cabinet meeting in Shrewsbury next week.

She said: “We will be lobbying Shropshire council next Tuesday and we will be applying for somebody to speak at cabinet.”

By Chrissy Symmons