A SCHOOL fast approaching breaking point has made an impassioned plea for long overdue help in solving its dire overcrowding problems.

For over five years a "temporary" classroom has been run in the main hall at Salterforth County Primary School, with constant interruptions, the need to move furniture several times each day, and health and safety problems.

The headmaster has been referred to an osteopath, his back problems the result of spending much of his time as a "removal man", and says he is about to seek legal advice over the toll this intolerable situation is taking on his health.

Now parents, teachers and governors have reached the end of their tether after five years of trying and failing to get help.

On Wednesday they called a crisis meeting at the school to spell out the problems they face and the solutions so desperately needed.

Attending the meeting were county councillor Tony Martin, chairman of Lancashire's schools and general purposes sub-committee, the county's asset management officer John Martindale, and Earby Ward councillor Tim Haigh, who represents Pendle on the county's schools district liasion committee.

They were there to see a presentation by a panel of teachers, parents and governors, also watched by an audience of around 20 others closely connected with the school.

The 45-minute presentation was introduced by chairman of governors Peter King, and led by fellow governor George Thomas, a former high-level troubleshooter with the Silentnight Group.

He explained that when looking at businesses on the brink of failure, troubleshooters used "The Four Whats" -- what's the problem? what are the possible solutions? what's the best solution? and what action are we going to take to achieve it? The same principle had been applied to looking at the school.

Headmaster John Kelly said the problem was lack of space, pure and simple. It meant the top class, Class Six, was taught in the main hall, which was also used for PE, assemblies, as the dining room, the route to the toilets and a "withdrawal area" for special needs pupils.

That meant moving furniture several times a day, with class six pupils spending up to two hours a week as "removal men". The hall was also cold and draughty.

Clearly angry, Mr Kelly said: "I go home frustrated daily because I'm not giving the children here what they deserve."

Another classroom is so small its teacher, Barbara Kipling, calls it The Cupboard.

She said the lack of any storage and the cramped conditions made effective teaching almost impossible, adding: "Our children deserve better, much better."

The possible solutions were outlined as temporary portable buildings, using the kitchen area for teaching, a full-blown extension, or the installation of a second floor -- a mezzanine floor -- in the main hall. Of those, the last was seen as the best and most cost effective solution.

Yet bids for funding to the county council had failed year after year, despite county officials visiting the school and sympathising with its plight. Dismayed, parents and governors had set to work themselves, with Vicky Hawley explaining how they had raised £17,000, but adding: "We've exhausted every known source and we've worked very hard."

Mr Thomas added that the irony of it all was that despite all its problems and frustrations, it remained a good school with happy children, motivated staff and interested parents and governors. But he questioned how long that could go on if something wasn't done soon.

Coun Martin said he understood the school's problems, but stressed there was no "bottomless pit" of money. In fact the education budget was £2 million overspent.

He could give no financial commitment until the county received its Government cash allocation at the end of December, but he would give a commitment to help in other ways.

The county council representative promised:

l a visit to the school within the next fortnight to assess its problems

l the best solution to those problems be jointly agreed

l plans for that solution drawn up, complete with costings, hopefully within a month.

Mr Thomas said they would then need help "through the maze" to get the money and wanted the work done during the school summer holiday in 1999.

The presentation will also be staged again, with all Pendle's county councillors, its MP Gordon Prentice, the chairman of the county's education committee Hazel Harding, and other influential people invited.

"Anyone whose cage I can rattle on this, you can be sure I will rattle it hard," promised Peter King.

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