A campaign to create a new secondary school in York has suffered a major blow from the Department for Education.

The group behind the Holgate “free school” set out plans for a new facility for two classes of 20 children per year, to be set up and run by parents.

But the Department for Education said it was not convinced by the group’s education plans, and there had been difficulty finding a suitable value-for-money site in Holgate.

Tim Moat, who is behind the campaign’s steering group, said: “The Department for Education says we failed to convince them with our educational aims, that the wider context of education provision across York is good and there was a problem finding suitable premises in the required area.

”They also felt that our focus on providing choice for an area of York which had no choice at all was in itself insufficient to win Government support.”

The group has now sent a poll to the parents of 135 children who signed up to the plans, for their views on whether the campaign should be relaunched or dropped completely.

Mr Moat said: “Should we receive sufficient community support to battle on then it will be a fresh mandate and we will look to new ways of preparing a parent-led, viable and exciting alternative secondary education provision for York.

“The question is, do we want to extend education innovation in a city that celebrates such diversity and offer something fresh, alternative and distinctive, or do we sit back and accept what already exists?”

Coun James Alexander said there was no need for a new secondary school in York, and the campaigners could put their talents to assisting existing schools.

He said: “I know the Government’s response will come as a disappointment to some residents who have worked hard to make this free school a reality.

“Rather than see their efforts go to waste, I am keen they become school governors of some of the local good schools such as Millthorpe and York High.

“I would like them to play a part in helping improve these schools even further. York has a surplus of pupil places and York does not currently need a new secondary school.”