A WEEK after Kingsway High School pupils collected their GCSE results, the gates have closed for the last time.

Kath Lloyd, chair of governors, reflected on the school's final year and the future for students from Hoole and Newton.

She said: 'This year has been much easier than any of us visualised. Unless you knew that the school was closing you would never have guessed. The receptionist was always smiling when I went in and classes and activities were just going on as normal. It was altogether an upbeat experience.'

Kath became a parent governor at the school four years ago and chair 18 months after that, so has borne the full brunt of the closure which was announced two years ago.

She is eager to point out that in those two years the school's budget has turned around completely and that it closes with £230,000 in the bank.

Reasons given by Cheshire County Council to justify the closure included a reported £200,000 deficit and falling rolls.

She said: 'We received extra funding from a small schools allowance and a closing schools allowance but we turned it around. We have done some really effective budget planning and our new bursar has put in excellent systems and it has worked.'

One of Kath's children is directly affected by the school's closure. Younger son Jonathon took his GCSEs at Kingsway this summer and will now be travelling to Northwich to continue in the sixth form at Sir John Deane's College.

Most pupils from the school have ended up at Queen's Park High School on the other side of Chester.

'It is a great shame that youngsters are having to get on a bus every morning and travel to the other side of town,' added Kath.

Kath is full of praise, however, for Queen's Park High and the work they have done to smooth the transition process.

'They have done workshops with the pupils and repeated parents' evenings for the parents. Also some of our teachers have moved over to Queen's Park High which has made it easier for our pupils.'