Teachers at the first free school to be ordered to close should be given more time to turn it around.

This is the view of the parents and pupils from the Discovery New School in Crawley, West Sussex, who made their opinions heard during an impassioned plea at Downing Street.

Discovery was placed on Ofsted special measures in May following critical investigations from the education watchdog and was ordered to close earlier in December after inspectors deemed no improvement had been made.

Emily Leppenwell, the parent of one of the school's 68 pupils, told BBC News: "The new head had only been in her job for 12 days when Ofsted re-inspected the school.

"Of course not enough change had taken place. The new head had 12 days. We just don't think that's fair. It's not enough time."

The school's chair of governors had previously accused the government of "crucifying" Discovery rather than giving its teachers and staff time to resolve its issues.

In Chris Cook's letter to the Department for Education, he accused schools minister Lord Nash of making Discovery a scapegoat for what many people view as the botched implementation of free schools.

He wrote: "All of us, parents, staff, and governors, recognise since Ofsted placed the school in special measures that changes needed to be made."

However, Mr Cook added that time should be allowed for a full and proper conversion for the improvement plans staff had put in place.

Discovery was one of the first free schools to open in the UK and unless the Department for Education alters its decision, it will cease to exist come April.

There are currently 174 free schools, which are set up by parents, teachers and academy chains, in the UK.

Do you have experience of a teaching job in a free school? If given time can they work? Let us know your views.