St Anne's also failed to secure integrated status earlier this year.Principal John Hennessy says the schools is seven miles from another maintained option.
"Apart from the numbers around of enrolment, we have have good finances, we're living within our budget, we've excellent inspection reports and fantastic community involvement, so everything else is brilliant," said Mr Hennessy Claire Speers, who has two children currently studying at St Anne's, handed over the petition at the Department for Education headquarters in Bangor.Una Gaskin has also been involved in the campaign to keep St Anne's open."It's not only for our children of today, it's for our children of the future," said Mrs Gaskin.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “The Permanent Secretary’s decisions are now subject to legal challenge and it is therefore inappropriate to comment at this time.”