The founder of a Christian secondary school set up to raise attainment among young black people says its closure will leave a void in the community.

Last night the cabinet of Haringey Borough Council voted in favour of the proposals to close the John Loughborough Seventh Day Adventist School, in Holcombe Road, Tottenham.

The decision marked the end of a process first agreed by the council last year after it was concluded the school did not meet the required educational standards and had not done so for some time.

Roy Smith, from the friends and founding members of John Loughborough School group, said: “The closure of the school is going to leave a huge void in the community.

“By going to other schools the children are going to miss out on some of the key Christian values of John Loughborough.”

Headteacher Dr Edwina McFarquhar called for the council to give the school another year to show improvements had been made in exam results.

At the meeting, councillor Ann Waters, cabinet member for children, said: “I think we all feel we have children at the school who are going to be let down if we do not close John Loughborough and move them to another school.

“We care deeply about the children at the school and in Haringey we want to make sure they get the best start in life. You have asked us to give you another year but I’m afraid we are out of time.”

The school will not be taking any pupil applications for next year’s intake and will close from August 31.

More than 200 pupils, except those in year 11, will be transferred to other schools in the area for the start of the new school year.

The school was founded in 1980 as an independent school with the aim of providing a Christian education and help raise the academic achievement levels of the black community.