The public are being asked for their views on plans to close a "failing" Folkestone school.

Kent County Council announced before Christmas it is planning to shut Pent Valley College.

But a public consultation into the closure plans opens today ahead of a public meeting later this month.

The council today said it wants to hear from parents about the proposal.

If the closure goes ahead, then KCC says the school will stop taking new pupils in September.

The current Year 10 will stay on to complete their GCSEs but the whole school will shut from August 31, 2017 according to the proposals.

KCC says the closure is "necessary" due to a "drop in standards, very significant drop in pupil numbers, reflecting loss of parental confidence in the school, and the serious budget deficit coupled with future pupil number projections in the Shepway area over the next few years".

Negotiations have already been taking place between KCC and other schools in Folkestone and Hythe to take in Pent Valley pupils currently in Years 7 to 9.

Places at Folkestone Academy and Brockhill Park Performing Arts College have been allocated for pupils.

The county council has revealed it wants a free school to take over on the Pent Valley site from 2018.

Councillors on KCC’s education and young people’s committee met before Christmas to discuss the situation.

Patrick Leeson, KCC’s education director, said Pent Valley could not continue “in its current form”.

But he insisted the council needs to keep a “three- to five-form entry” school but there had to be “a fresh start” away from “the Pent Valley brand”. He said: “We’re required to act to prevent further deterioration. The proposal is to close the school, but we’d need new sponsored provision from 2018 onwards.”

Mr Leeson said the council’s preference would be a free school on the site with “some technical and digital specialist” provision and vocational courses.

There are just 43 pupils in Year 7 compared with 122 in Year 11.

Pent Valley was first choice for just 31 children this academic year, compared to 99 in 2012.

Exam results have plummeted since 2014, with 48% of students getting five A* to C grades in their GCSE results.

But in the most recent set of results this number fell to just 15%.

A campaign has been set up by a student fighting to keep the school open.

Bethany Smith, who is a sixth form student, set up a petition opposing KCC's proposals.

Parents are today being sent consultation responses which is open until February 3.

Comments can be sent to school.consultations@kent.gov.uk in person at the public meeting, or to Lee Round, Area Schools Organisation Officer, Education and Young People's Services, Kroner House, Eurogate Business Park, Ashford, TN28 4XU.

For full details of the consultation go to www.kent.gov.uk/schoolconsultations

KCC says it will listen to all responses but will not be able to respond to each form individually.

A public meeting has been set up for Monday, January 18 at 7pm at the school in Surrenden Road, Folkestone.