SIX years after staring into the abyss, the threat of closure has lifted at outdoor education centre Leeson House.

Staff at the field studies centre feared for their future in 2003 when Dorset County Council chiefs announced plans to close the facility in a bid to claw back £800,000 from their education budget.

In the face of overwhelming public opposition to the plans to close, officials opted to continue funding for at least another year.

After the reprieve, Langton Matravers-based Leeson House began building up new revenues in a bid to limit its dependence on the council coffers.

Now the shadow of closure has finally lifted.

Manager Barry Cullimore said: “The public outcry over our closure six years ago made them re-think.

“We were told we needed to work hard to reduce the amount of money being subsidised by the county.

“It’s only really now – six years on – that this has been achieved.

“Up until a year ago there was always the feeling ‘what does the future hold?

“Will we face closure again?’ “But thanks to hard work, and an awful lot of support from a number of key county councillors, including Coun Toni Coombs, the level of subsidy is now acceptable.

“It’s a great feeling.”

In more than four decades of teaching thousands of schoolchildren have visited Leeson House – including many from the Weymouth and Dorchester area.

The typical school visit will include a range of activities linked to a school’s syllabus.

“Typically, it might include historical activities. We may be looking at the Victorians in Swanage or the Stuarts and Tudors in Corfe Castle,” said Mr Cullimore.

“If pupils are studying science, we may do a session on astronomy then take them out on a night so they can see the stars and planets, which we can see as there is no light pollution.”

Recent studies included erosion at Studland Beach and even the socio-economic effects of Boscombe’s surf reef on the surrounding area.

Mr Cullimore said: “As well as being close to the world heritage coast, which is a massive draw, the Isle of Purbeck contains some really classic biology and geography. If you open a geography book, you almost certainly see many pictures from this area.

“Purbeck is a rich environment in which to inspire young people to learn.”

Among the 10,000 students passing through its doors in 2009, were European students and even American university undergraduates.

Mr Cullimore said: “Obviously, our priority is to take students from Dorset schools, then Poole and Bournemouth.

“If there are any spaces left we take schools from further afield, including private school pupils from London and the south east who are studying for A-levels in Geology or Geography.

“We also cater for an increasing number of international schools, including pupils from Antwerp and Paris.”

More recently, the centre negotiated a geology field course for students from the University of Washington State.

The centre has even branched out into an emerging educational field.

“We now do a wide range of residential courses for children considered to be gifted or talented,” explained Mr Cullimore.

“This exciting area is now recognised as one of specialised educational need. Children who are working three or four years ahead of their peers need to be stretched.”