CAMPAIGNERS fighting to keep a village school open have been thrown a lifeline. The battle to save Lanreath Church of England Primary School from imminent closure will carry on into next year – after an independent committee failed to come to a decision on whether it should be closed. The Cornwall Schools and Organisation Committee had been expected to announce a decision on Wednesday, but after a day of deliberating a unanimous outcome was not reached. This means a Government appointed adjudicator will now determine the school's fate. 'It is obviously not the best news but it is better than closure,' said parent Siobhan Rawlings, who has helped organise the campaign to save the school. 'We will be inviting the adjudicator to come and see the school because some of the information given in the meeting was not correct and we want him to hear our views.' Lanreath School, which currently has 19 pupils, was first earmarked for closure in June after the Children's Service Authority published a report to Cornwall County Council's executive estimating that the number of pupils attending the school could fall to just 12 by September 2008. This prompted Cornwall County Council to issue a public notice in September that the school would close in August, 2007. Concerns were raised about the standard of education within the school because of the possibility that three key stages of education could end up being taught in one class. However, parents reacted strongly to these claims at a meeting with the Schools and Organisation Committee at Lanreath Village Hall just hours before a final decision on the school was expected to be made. 'I find it very confusing that the Children Services Authority has said that the children would get a better standard of education if they were moved,' said Mrs Rawlings. The committee also received 183 letters of objection to Cornwall County Council's proposed closure. Caradon District Council has also announced plans to build eight affordable homes in the village as early as next Easter and with other possible housing schemes on the horizon, residents hope the school will be given more time to get pupil numbers back up to a reasonable level. 'We are relieved the school is not closing and has been given a lifeline of hope.' said parent governor Julie Withers. 'It was a little frustrating that we didn't get a decision, but hopefully it will be easier to convince just the one person.' The adjudicator will be named in the next two weeks and a final decision is expected in February.