Parents were celebrating news that Hollickwood School has won its battle to remain open despite plans for its closure by 2009.

The school, in Sydney Road, Muswell Hill, was due to be shut down by 2009 and amalgamated with nearby Coppetts Wood Primary School, in Coppetts Road, Friern Barnet, as part of Barnet Council's £218 million overhaul of all primary schools in the borough.

However, after months of protests by parents and governors - and an application by the school to change its status from a community to foundation - the council decided to remove the school from its plans at a cabinet meeting on Monday night.

As a community school, the council controls staff, admission policy and owns the school's land, but as a foundation school the governing body would take on these duties.

Parent Kenny Bennet said: "We all worked together to keep our school.

"It really is the hub of the community and it would have been detrimental to this area to lose it.

"It's such fantastic news and we are thrilled."

Philip Schofield, the chair of governors at the school, said: "It is excellent news that we are not going to close. It came down to either closing down or applying for foundation status and we did what we had to do.

"It will still be some time until we know if foundation status will be given but, for now, we are out of the programme." A decision regarding Hollickwood's application for foundation status is expected to be made by Christmas.

ndutta@london.newsquest.co.uk