THE doors have closed for the last time at Longbarn Primary School.

During an emotional final assembly on Tuesday staff and pupils said goodbye to the school after losing a five-year battle to keep it open.

Prizes were handed out for various achievements including the ‘keep smiling’ award.

But parents could not quite manage it and watched with tears in their eyes as children performed Take That hit Never Forget before the curtains came down on Longbarn for the final time.

And as children left the school, arguments continued over the council’s decision to shut down a school where 100 per cent of pupils achieved level four or above in maths during this year’s SATs.

Louise Hulme’s eight-year-old son, James, will be forced to relocate to Christ Church CE Primary, along with many other Longbarn pupils.

She is concerned what impact the upheaval will have on children who are leaving familiar teachers and friends behind.

She said: “We are devastated like everyone else. “I don’t know if James will be able to adjust to going to a new school. This school should not be closing.”

Pupil Jake Robertson, aged eight, agreed.

“I really want it to stay open because it’s a really good school,” he said.

Chairman of governors Doug Morton revealed that workers turned up to dismantle the school’s kitchen while a final meal was being cooked for students and staff.

He slammed the council as ‘unbelievably insensitive’ and said: “What a waste of a good school.”

“Sheila Woodyatt (executive board member for education) said that children would get a better education at another school – you can see from our exam results that this is not the case.”

But acting head teacher Catherine Khan urged children and parents to consider the closure as an opportunity.

She said: “The children now have an opportunity to make new friends at a new school and I believe they are ready."