PARENTS of children attending a Wirral school set for closure have launched a desperate bid to save it.

Redcourt St Anselm’s School is expected to close after December 31, with management announcing it’s because of struggling finances.

But a group representing parents at the Oxton school has launched a determined bid to save it, and hope this may come about with the help of Birkenhead MP Frank Field’s Educational Trust.

The group is in the process of creating a proposal to adopt the school as a new independent trust to help prevent the closure and keep it open in the interim.

It’s hoped that would allow for investigations into converting it into an academy or free school, with a potential future takeover by the trust.

The group says Mr Field has taken an “active interest”, and will soon approach the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.

Redcourt Parents said they were “extremely grateful” for the MP’s actions so far, adding: “We hope that his intervention will lead to a constructive and meaningful dialogue to preserve the school for future generations.

“Redcourt is a special place and we are determined to do all we can to keep it open but we need the Congregation of Christian Brothers Trustees England [which founded the trust] and their representatives to be open and honest with us as we look to work together to find a solution.

“The timing of the closure announcement has come at the worst possible time, just weeks from the end of the school year.

“Parents are naturally concerned about making arrangements for the new school year and this has left us with little time to explore the opportunities for saving the school.”

Redcourt is a non-selective, independent institution, catering for pupils aged 3 to 11, and based on Devonshire Place.

Mr Field said: “To see such a beautiful school which has achieved such wonderful results, both academically and in terms of character development, closed down would be a deep shame and a real loss for our community.

“I applaud the tenacity of the parents of Redcourt’s pupils in fighting this decision and will do everything I can to support them in keeping it open.”

The parents say the trust has “indicated” the school and grounds are valued at around £500,000 – and they hope this will make any potential takeover by the trust possible.

The news follows furious parents saying earlier this month they had to put their children to bed “in tears”, and accusing the closing school of putting money ahead of pupils.

A 2,500-word letter claimed the decision was made in order to sell the site and raise cash for the trust, also telling Wirral Council to expect “an influx of 110 displaced children”.

In its statement announcing closure earlier this month, the trust described “great regret” at the decision.

The statement said: “In making their decision the Trustees have focused on the varied challenges, which the school community has faced in recent years, in particular with regard to finances.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision and one not taken lightly.”

Edmund Rice trust said on Thursday it would not be commenting further at this stage.

The statement from Redcourt Parents issued this week added: “For parents to be omitted from the decision making process and then presented with the closure notice disregards the loyalty we have shown to the school over many years.

“We are convinced that Redcourt has a viable and sustainable future but we need the Christian Brothers to work with us to examine the options that are available to save the school.”