A SCHOOL which could close in three years has had £230,000 invested in state-of-the-art science laboratories.

Lowfield School in Acomb, York, could close after City of York Council was successful in securing £22 million in Whitehall funding to shake-up secondary school education in the west of York.

But the school, which has only 520 pupils and could close because of falling rolls, has unveiled state of the art science facilities for its students funded to the tune of £70,000 by City of York Council.

At an open evening on Wednesday night, attended by over 200 prospective parents, Lowfield head teacher John Thompson said the school did have a future.

He also defended the decision to commit £160,000 from the school budget to refurbishing five outdated laboratories.

"This project was essentially delayed by the reorganisation proposals, but we needed proper 21st century science facilities," said Mr Thompson.

"If the proposals go through and the Oaklands building is refurbished there will have to be somewhere to teach all those pupils in the meantime and whatever happens we are determined that there has to be a significant improvement in the facilities provided for both Lowfield and Oaklands pupils."

In a letter to parents the council's director of children's services, Patrick Scott, defended the decision, saying any new school would need to use the Lowfield site until the new building is complete.

Last week, the Evening Press revealed that as a result of the funding announcement, £13.5 million will be allocated to replace Manor School, and at least £8 million will go to fund improvements to education provision at Lowfield and Oaklands Schools in Acomb. This could include the closure of both Lowfield and Oaklands Schools refurbishing the old Oaklands buildings to house a new school. The Lowfield School site could then be sold off for housing development.

A consultation process is expected to start in the New Year with parents, schools and governors.

Coun Carol Runciman, City of York Council's executive member for Education, joined governors, pupils at staff at the school on Monday to cut the ribbon on Lowfield's new technology.

Chairman of governors, David Garside, himself a former Oaklands pupil but whose children went to Lowfields, said: "The labs were designed with the possible rebuild in mind so a lot of the equipment is transferable and you have got to bare in mind that the pupils here deserve the very best they can get and that is what we are will give them."

Prospective parent, Kathy Stevenson, whose ten-year-old daughter, Alice, could go to either Lowfield or Oaklands next September, said what she would be most worried about would be the children's education during any "transition period".

"I think parents are going to be worried about their children's education while any new school is being built and should this go ahead, all eyes are going to be on that."

Updated: 10:20 Friday, October 21, 2005