ST Andrew’s School has one week to effectively safeguard its future ahead of a crucial admissions deadline next Friday, January 15.

Dropping pupil numbers has endangered the immediate future of the 150-year-old Church of England infant school in Farnham town centre, with St Andrew’s struggling to attract the 30 new reception class pupils required for September 2016.

Surrey County Council has proposed a consultation on its potential closure should the school fail to meet this target by the January 15 admissions deadline.

And with just days left for parents to choose where to send their children, the school has urged them to keep faith in the much-loved Ofsted ‘good’ rated school.

There remains uncertainty over the future progression of St Andrew’s pupils once they graduate from year three, with only limited places available at the infant school’s historic feeder school South Farnham Junior School.

However, providing the school can attract enough pupils by next Friday, the school will effectively have a further two years to secure permanent feeder status with South Farnham or another local junior school - securing its long-term future.

And ahead of next Friday’s deadline, Surrey has also reassured parents that should a consultation go ahead, they will have until February 15 to decide whether or not to keep St Andrew’s as one of their three preferences.

A spokesman for the county council said: “Surrey’s primary co-ordinated admissions scheme allows parents to change their preferences up to February 15 if the change is prompted due to a change of circumstance.

“We accept that the possible issuing of a consultation regarding the school’s future would be a significant change of circumstances which might lead parents to wish to change their preferences.

“With regards to progression [to junior school], it is the same position as before Christmas in that there are ongoing discussions still taking place and when anything changes this will be communicated to parents affected.”

A spokesman for the Diocese of Guildford added: “The Diocesan Board of Education welcomes Surrey County Council’s policy allowing parents, in the event of a consultation, to change their preference after the admissions closing date. Parents can now feel secure in naming St Andrew’s as their preferred school.

“We have also been encouraged by the positive responses by parents over the last couple of weeks, who are clearly keen to work with the diocese to keep St Andrew’s open.

“The Diocese Board of Education is working tirelessly with Surrey County Council to secure a reception class for 2016, even with lower numbers than would be financially viable in the long-term.

“However, we would still urge parents to complete their online admission applications by the deadline of January 15 naming St Andrew’s as their preferred infant school to safeguard the school’s future.”

The spokesman added the diocese continues to explore options with other local junior schools to create “wider admission patterns” for children leaving St Andrew’s and has made “strong links” with three schools in the area.

A petition launched by a group of parents online at change.org to “Help secure the future of St Andrew’s” had mustered almost 1,400 signatures as The Herald went to press.

St Andrew’s School will hold its next open morning on Wednesday, January 13, from 9.30am to 11.30am. As well as prospective parents, the school would like to extend an invitation to anyone else who would like to drop in and show their support.

• The Herald would like to correct a misleading statement in last week’s front page article, titled ‘Ribbons show support’.

In the article, it was stated St Andrew’s Infant School “was dropped as a feeder for the in-demand South Farnham School”. It has come to our attention that this statement is factually incorrect.

St Andrew’s remains a feeder school for entry at junior level (year three) to South Farnham.

What has changed is that since South Farnham School expanded its own reception intake in September 2015, there will be fewer places available in year three for children from feeder schools from September 2018 onwards, and currently no obvious alternative.

This is the main cause of uncertainty for parents who may not currently be provided with sufficient confidence about onward progression from St Andrew’s. The Herald apologises for this mistake.