CAMPAIGNING parents have vowed to fight proposals to expand Bournemouth’s largest infant school and make it one of the biggest in the country.

Governors and parents of Stourfield Infant School in Southbourne have “reluctantly” agreed to accommodate a fifth reception class in September 2013 to enable the town to cope with an overwhelming demand for school places.

But they have warned councillors they will fight any efforts to make this increase permanent – a move which it’s believed would make Stourfield the only five-form infant school in the country.

Head Cathy Kirkham, pictured below, said such a move would jeopardise their current success and “outstanding” Ofsted rating.

“There are only 115 four-forms of entry schools in England,” she said. “We are one of 85 not in London.

“Ofsted described our school as an ‘unusually large infant school’.

“My research has not led me to any five-forms of entry infant schools in England.

“However, I do know, again from research, that a school’s total population can reach a point where numbers become too high to make it possible to respond to all the issues |arising for pupils in an effective way.

“Bournemouth needs more outstanding schools. A ‘pile them high’ approach to solve a places problem is not an acceptable solution in what is already a large school.”

She urged cabinet members to resolve their space shortage by making a proposed new school bigger.

Currently, the council plans to build a new primary school that will admit 60 pupils every year but Mrs Kirkham said this could easily take 90 or 120 pupils.

Ann Blake, chair of governors, echoed this suggestion. She said: “The idea of making Stourfield five forms of entry permanently is something we cannot support.”

Bournemouth cabinet agreed every proposal to create new spaces across the borough for 2013/14, including plans for a temporary expansion of Hill View Primary School in Redhill. This move, also contested by parents and governors, will see the town’s second largest primary school lose its library.

Deputy leader and cabinet member for education Cllr Nicola Greene said: “The straightforward options for creating new spaces have been addressed, we have been expanding some schools since 2010.”

She stressed there was currently no recommendation to permanently expand Stourfield and that this suggestion would be subject to further consultation.

What the parents say

Sarah Furze, who has one child at the school and another due to start this September, said: “Why is Stourfield, the biggest infant school in the area, being threatened with expansion when there are several schools close by that could accommodate more children and have less than four forms a year? It doesn’t make sense.”

Sophie Flood, who has a daughter in reception, said: “There’s not going to be enough facilities here, the site is not big enough. And I don’t think the existing children should lose facilities like music rooms to accommodate an extra class.”

Sarah Adams, who has two children at the school and one starting in September 2013, said: “I’m just very sad that we are paying the price for the headteacher’s brilliance. She’s done amazing things at the school and now she’s expected to do more and more. And we have concerns about the practicalities of it, it’s already dangerous here at drop off and pick up.”

Joelle Price, who has two children at the school, said: “These are young primary school children, their needs are different to older pupils who are more independent. I think children will suffer if this goes ahead. I can’t support the idea of making Stourfield some kind of ‘super school.’