It’s official – Sandye Place Academy is to close its doors permanently next year.

The school off Sandy’s Park Road will close in September next year, after a final decision by the Department for Education.

In a joint statement today, the academy’s executive governors and the Central Bedfordshire Council director of children’s services said staff remained committed to doing the best they could for the children over the school’s final year.

The statement read: “Following the decision by the Department for Education to close Sandye Place Academy, we have today written to the parents and carers of our pupils to update them on this situation.

“The school will close in September next year. Until then the staff at the school remain devoted to providing the best education possible.

“All pupils will have access to alternative local schools following the closure. The local authority will start working with parents to plan for this in the coming months.”

Sandye Place Academy received an overall ‘inadequate’ rating from Ofsted inspectors in March, following a visit in December, and was then recommended for closure by Central Beds Council.

The final decision by the Department for Education was taken after a “listening period” between July 9 and August 3.

Any parent who has concerns about their child’s future placements should contact the council’s admissions team by phone on 0300 300 8037 or email at admissions@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.