The council proposes to close Ripple School by January 2005

Only 34 pupils attend Ripple Primary School, near Deal, and the local education authority has said keeping it open is not financially viable.

Kent County Council says the school is too expensive to maintain and cash may be better spent on other schools.

More than 100 people crowded into a hall meant for 50 to voice opposition to the threatened closure.

Dr Ian Craig, the council's Assistant Director of Education, said: "It's an expensive school to run and that means money is being taken away from other children within Kent.

"That has to be taken into consideration."

Councillors were greeted at the meeting by tuneful protests as Ripple pupils have recorded a CD single voicing their opposition.

Parents also handed out balloons with save our school printed on them.

Chairman of Governors John Adams said: "Throughout all the passion many of the people are being objective going through the consultation document and basically pulling it to bits.

"We are financially sound and in the last four or five years we have been above the national average in attainment."

Parents spoke out in support of the school at the meeting and said the community and pupils would lose out if Ripple is forced to close.

One mother said: "My daughter has special needs and has come on five years in the last three and a half she has been at Ripple.

"At her last school she had given up and had stopped writing her name."

Another meeting about the school has been scheduled for 11 February at a larger venue so more people can attend.