Parents fighting a proposed school closure have received support from a local MP.
Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, called the possible closure of Smannell and Enham Church of England Primary school 'short-sighted.'
This comes after Hampshire County Council and the Diocese of Winchester started a consultation phase for a proposed closure.
Many parents wrote to Caroline to ask for support in their protest.
The MP wrote: “There are many of my constituents who will be impacted by this. I have, at the behest of a number of other constituents, raised this with HCC to ask whether, even at this late stage, there is anything that can be done to avert closure.
“I am well aware that TVBC has allocated huge numbers of houses for the area, required by Angela Rayner, but in time those houses will bring forward more children needing school places, and it seems short-sighted to close one school to then have to build another.”
She added that she is ‘very conscious’ that the school is in MP Kit Malthouse’s constituency and she felt ‘anxious not to tread on his toes.’
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Hampshire County Council has cited low pupil numbers and financial pressures as potential reasons for closure.
The initial consultation will take place on October 20 at 3pm at the school, with parents planning to protest from 2pm.
The consultation will run until November 10, when the county council’s executive lead member for children’s services will decide whether to proceed, with a proposed closure date on February 13, 2026.
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