The huge blaze at a Bradford primary could have forced it to close, the head teacher admitted today.

Iqra School in Manningham was only a year old and had a relatively small number of pupils - 130 - when it was wrecked by arsonists. Now education bosses have agreed to rebuild it by the summer of 2003.

A decision to stay at the Drummond Road site while rebuilding goes ahead has saved the school's life, said head teacher Shahnaz Anwar Bleem.

She feared parents would switch their children to other schools if it moved out of Manningham. Falling numbers of pupils could have spelled the end of the fledgling school.

She said she is glad she insisted on staying, although it means children learning in a split site for the next two years.

"A split site isn't ideal for a primary school, but it's the best option," Mrs Bleem said. "I knew our numbers were small, and it would have been the end of the school had I chosen to move the school."

Now, while the charred remains of the school hall are a heartbreaking reminder of the blaze on September 2, lessons are continuing almost as normal.

Children are being taught in two separate blocks, the adult education annexe, and the former arts block of Drummond Middle School, 50 metres away.

Mrs Bleem said the largely-Muslim parents were highly supportive of the school both before and after the fire.

There has been a good response to the introduction of a strict uniform code at the new school. Pupils wear navy pinafore dresses or trousers and red sweatshirts with the school badge.

Mrs Blem paid tribute to the supportive parents and said: "They really want their kids to do well, and they toe the line with the new uniform. We have put on family literacy and numeracy classes and some of them as a result of this have gone on to become support assistants."

Parents are being invited to get involved with planning the new school. Building work is expected to start in April.

Mrs Bleem said. "They know we have to rough it out for a while, but we are keen to use their suggestions when we are planning the new school."

Experts predict a growing demand for school places in Manningham where the population is booming. Iqra is expected to expand to take at least 500 pupils.