PARENTS in Culham have secured the future of the village primary school by raising £50,000.

Culham Primary School was threatened with closure because it had falling pupil numbers, declining finances and no headteacher.

But about 50 parents have pledged to give £1,000 each to secure its future.

Last Sunday, villagers held an open gardens event to raise more money.

Governors’ chairman Andrew Churchill Stone said: “Basically, we have to do it.

“We have had signatures from people pledging nearly the whole £50,000. But, clearly, if we can do better than that, great — we can give extra money for the benefit of the education of our children.”

Oxfordshire County Council had threatened to close the school this summer, but parents and governors changed its mind last month.

Mr Churchill Stone, who has three children at the school, said he was pleased the council had listened, but said it should have acted sooner.

He said: “Some people thought they had made their mind up to shut us, but I am pleased to say that that was not the case at all.”

He said the council could have discussed the situation with parents earlier, saying: “I think we could have avoided all this.”

Parents have agreed to pledge slightly more than £5 a week until 2014 to keep the school open.

They hope that after the three years, the school numbers will be back up to about 40 and it will be able to fund itself.

Schools are given money based on the number of pupils attending. Culham Primary School expects to have 37 pupils enrolled in September.

The vacant headteacher’s post could be filled by the start of term, with acting head Matthew Attree offered the post on the proviso he attains his headship qualification.

Toby Rejkovic, 38, of Abingdon Road, is one of the parents pledging £5 a week. His son, Marcus, four, will attend school later this year.

He said: “The county council has treated us fairly. They made it very clear what we had to fulfil, and when we did, they kept their word. But I think we should not have got to this point — to the point of consulting on closure. The council should have acted sooner.

“For two years it has been known that the school was losing pupil numbers and has been failing to find a permanent headteacher.”

He said it should not be up to parents to finance schools and recruit, saying: “The council should have found the money and headteacher itself.”

It was hoped the five open gardens in the village last Sunday would raise £200 for the school, with organisers charging £4 for adults to visit them.