Councillors last night started the ball rolling for the once-threatened Culverhay School to become a co-educational academy.

Plans to close the Rush Hill secondary school are being withdrawn by the new Liberal Democrat administration at Bath and North East Somerset Council, and the authority is now supporting the governors’ drive to make it a mixed academy.

The council is striving to help the school achieve the status - already enjoyed by Oldfield and Beechen Cliff - by September of next year but says it may not be possible until the start of the following academic year.

Lib Dem and Labour councillors unanimously voted to save the school, while all Conservative councillors abstained in the vote on the issue.

Previously council education officials and the old Tory regime at the Guildhall had argued that the school needed to close to tackle an empty desks crisis, and that falling numbers threatened educational standards.

Now an independent assessment commissioned by B&NES has confirmed that a small secondary school could be sustainable there.

Cabinet member for early years, children and youth Councillor Nathan Hartley (Lib Dem, Peasedown St John) said: “The cabinet have come to a swift decision about the future of Culverhay which is in line with what local people and the school governors want. Subject to the outcome of a six week statutory consultation, the school will remain open, it will teach girls and boys, and the opportunity to move to academy status will help improve standards.”

B&NES will provide £700,000 to make adaptations to toilets, changing rooms and other facilities to accommodate girls in line with a similar cash injection at Oldfield, which will be letting in boys in future.

Mr Hartley said: “This immediate financial commitment will not impact on the overall schools budget because we will be using money the council has built up in reserve through the long-term prudent management of our finances.

“The smaller school with a reduced planned admission will, over time, lead to a reduction in surplus places which will make the delivery of local education more financially efficient.”

Councillor Gerry Curran (Lib Dem, Twerton) who is also chair of governors at the school, and headteacher Richard Thomson said they were both delighted with the decision.

In a joint statement, they said: “We are delighted that the council has made the decision to keep our school open and support us in building a secure and successful future for the school.

“The governing body believes that a conversion to a co-educational academy is the best way to achieve this.

“We will now fully investigate this option and try to plan the fastest route to achieving this objective, including the admission of girls at the earliest opportunity.

“We want to develop an attractive offer for girls and this will be given special attention in the coming months.

“We are keen to consult with our partners and our community on the best way to achieve these objectives and will announce further details of our plans very soon.”

At the meeting Councillor Dine Romero (Lib Dem, Southdown) said the decision to close the school had been “ill-advised” and the assumption that there were too many surplus places was flawed.

She added: “We have over the past year witnessed some major changes within education and we really must allow these to bed in before we make any further, radical changes, such as closing any of our schools.”

Also speaking at the meeting was Don Wallace, a governor at Culverhay, who said: “We have for many years wanted to provide co-education at the school and for many years we have been frustrated in our efforts.

“Now we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform education at Culverhay.”

Head boy at Culverhay James Eynon told politicians: “Culverhay has a long and sustainable future and like many others, Culverhay is a school that is integral to the community and can now grow as a co-educational establishment. The decision to close the school was against what people in Bath said they wanted.”

He added: “I now have the chance to leave the school knowing the threat of closure is not looming over it.”

The council has produced a set of questions and answers for parents. These can be found at www.bathnes.gov.uk/culverhayquestions, or you can call 0800 073 1214 or email fis@bathnes.gov.uk.

Mrs Romero said parents, staff and residents had worked hard to fight the previous closure plans.

“I would like to offer massive congratulations to the campaigners and the community as a whole – this result is a testament to their hard work and passion for the school in over 20 years of campaigning for a co-educational school at Culverhay and a year of campaigning against closure.”

The school will remain a boys’ school initially and a legal process to change Culverhay from a boys’ school to a mixed school will be followed.

When agreed, the school buildings have to be adapted so they can have girls’ toilets and changing rooms.