THOUSANDS of pupils have been set a special homework by their former teacher, years after leaving school.

David Robinson teaches at Chiltern Edge school in Sonning Common and tasked former pupils with responding to a consultation on the embattled school's future.

Oxfordshire County Council are threatening to close the school after an Ofsted inspection rated it inadequate.

Now campaigners including former teachers, pupils and parents are banding together to persuade the education authority to keep the school open.

The teacher has filmed a video calling on his former proteges to sign the petition.

"Hello Mr Robinson here and I'm making a very serious appeal," he said.

"We want you to help us out.

"As you know Chiltern Edge's future is under threat they are consulting on possible closure.

"What I want you to do is get your books out and do your homework.

"And you're homework is this. I want you to google Oxfordshire consultation Chiltern Edge and take part in the online survey or write or email the county council saying the closure will have a terrible impact on Sonning Common and the surrounding area.

"It will threaten the livelihoods of many and we want it to stop.

"If you can google this we can get lots of you ex-pupils from Chiltern Edge to respond.

"I taught 8,300 pupils at Chiltern Edge if all of you can reply then the politicians will listen even more to us.

"Your homework deadline is June 30. This is the end of the consultation period and we want you to get that homework in, please helps us out."

One former pupil who saw the plea said: "Mr Robinson didn't manage to get me to do homework once in five years but finally he's done it.

"Why bother? To save a school full of tradition and culture."

Visit consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/ChilternEdgeClosure to have your say on the closure.