A woman fears her daughter's school will not be able to cope with the education shake-up.

Sylvie Bailey, of Clough Lane, Oakworth, is concerned about the education of her eight-year-old daughter Mim, who attends 260-pupil Haworth First School.

Her worries centre around the fact that for the school year starting in September there will be many more pupils than usual a the school.

At the end of the summer term, the 33 children in the top year will not move up to their chosen middle schools as they would have done before Bradford council's decision to scrap middle schools and change to a two-tier system. Instead they will remain at the first school as it begins its transformation into a primary school.

In addition, there will be a new intake of reception youngsters, swelling the school's capacity.

The mother-of-two says: "In terms of actual space available, the school is over-subscribed. This means classes will be overcrowded, so it's a big and real problem. Children need a healthy environment in which to learn.

"My children's needs are of paramount importance to me. Haworth First School clearly needs more space to be able to give the quality of education we would all want for our children. Something must be done as soon as possible to give these children the vital space and resources they need."

Mim, who was due to move up to Hartington Middle School in September, is angry that she no longer will. "I think there are too many children at Haworth already," she says. "I'm annoyed about not being able to leave because I was looking forward to it."

Haworth First School head-teacher Mo Newman is also concerned. "A Bradford council project officer has visited the school to discuss the matter," she says. "Parents were informed of this and invited to put questions to me before Easter. We do need additional accommodation, such as a new classroom, but until it has been fully discussed I won't know what is happening."

A Bradford council education spokesman responds: "Until the new permanent primary school is completed on the Hartington Middle School site, Haworth First will accommodate an extra year of pupils at its existing site. This is part of a necessary transitional period which will be kept to a minimum length of time while work on the new school site is carried out. In the meantime, additional accommodation and curriculum resources will be provided to ensure pupils' needs are met."

The changes will see the district's education structure radically altered to a primary-secondary model from its present three-tier structure. Haworth First School is to become a primary school.

In September 2000 the school will re-locate to the nearby Hartington Middle School site and will cater for pupils aged four-11 plus nursery provision. The new school will have a capacity for 420 youngsters. Admission numbers will rise from 42 to 60.

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