Campaigners fighting against the ‘forced academisation’ of a primary school have lost their battle after the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed the takeover will go ahead in September.

The group had been trying to overturn the decision since the order was first made following an inspection last year.

Parents and staff at Byron Court Primary School in Wembley had been trying to overturn an 'inadequate' Ofsted rating – which triggered an automatic academisation order – with strikes and protests outside the school gates.

‘Save Byron Court’ supporters and Brent West MP Barry Gardiner secured a meeting with the new Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, last month and were hopeful the school could be reinspected before a final decision was made. 

But the department has decided to move ahead with the order, claiming further delays will result in ‘further uncertainty’ close to the start of the new term. The decision means the school is no longer under the control of the local authority.

In a letter to the chair of governors, DfE regional director Claire Burton wrote: “Pausing the process now will bring further uncertainty without a clear alternative. In all likelihood, it would lead to a longer period of upheaval, which is not in the best interests of the children at the school.”

The school will be renamed Harris Primary Academy South Kenton when it reopens after the summer holiday, as its takeover by Harris Federation goes ahead.

A letter sent from Harris to new parents said: “We are delighted that Byron Court Primary School will be joining Harris Federation in September, we are very excited to welcome you into our group and to support the school as it continues to raise standards.” 

Campaigners have been left "devastated" by the news, claiming the school has been "stripped of its identity". A statement released by ‘Save Byron Court’ Campaign Group said: “ turbulent leadership with an absent headteacher during the inspection; ineffective support and scrutiny from governors and the local authority; an understaffed senior leadership team – yet despite this, with parent scrutiny, greater leadership capacity, and local authority support, the improvements made at the school in one academic year were incredible.

It added: “The staff at Byron Court really believed in the school and in keeping it a community school, they too are victims of this unjust system, they too were failed by those entrusted with Byron Court – we needed them to fight for us, not to hand our school over to a corporate machine.

“Whilst we did get public support for a pause in this process from the school leadership and chair of governors, with only a week to go before the DfE deadline, it was all too little, too late.”