Over 1,000 objections to the closure were received by the council

Kent County Council planned to close Ripple Primary, near Dover, prompting protests from parents and teachers.

The authority had said the school, with 35 pupils and a capacity for 45, was not financially viable.

On Wednesday an independent schools adjudicator ruled the school should not be closed after hearing arguments from both sides at a meeting on 6 September.

They never thought of the needs of the children or the needs of the village Sue Pope, headteacher

In a 10-page judgement the adjudicator highlighted the council's lack of a coherent plan to deal with surplus primary places.

It also said insufficient consideration was given to the number of special needs children who attend Ripple.

Headteacher Sue Pope said: "I think it could have gone either way. I am incredibly relieved.

"It is what we were saying all along. They never thought of the needs of the children or the needs of the village.

"We hope to attract more (children). We think our numbers went so low because people were anxious and unsure whether we would be able to offer a whole year's education."

The county council's schools advisory board recommended in April that Ripple School should be closed after Christmas.

The education authority had received more than 1,000 objections to closing the school during public consultation.