Keighley's St Andrew's First School is set to become bigger.

The Lustre Street school is earmarked to have its initial proposal re-instated. This means it will undergo a significant change of character to become a primary school catering for children aged 4-11 plus nursery provision on its current site. The standard admission number will be 60 pupils and its capacity has been set at 420 students plus nursery provision (two-form entry).

Under the council's proposal in June, the standard admission number was lowered to 45 and its capacity cut to 315 pupils plus nursery provision (1.5-form entry).

In the latest round of consultation, which ended in July, the school's governors opposed this revision. They said reducing the admission number to 1.5-form entry would mean mixed-age classes which evidence has shown are not as effective in raising standards and are less popular with staff and parents. They also said the school was at the heart of the community and could support a two-form entry.

Opposition was also aired about the council's proposal to place the new Utley primary school on Cartmel Road, about 450 yards away from St Andrew's. This, the St Andrew's governors said, would create unfair competition because Utley would be a larger school.

But the council felt that by expanding St Andrew's to its original proposed size it would not be threatened by the new Utley primary school.

Church of England officers are pleased that the initial proposal is set to be adopted but still have reservations about the move of Utley First School to Cartmel Road, which falls into St Andrew's catchment area. Diocesan secretary Malcolm Halliday, who has worked with the council on the proposals, says he supports the 'educational blueprint now proposed for the district'.

He adds: "We regard our voluntary school provision as a vital part of our service to all people. It provides social harmony. Our schools are popular with parents whether they have faith beliefs or not. That has been borne out in many comments expressed to us and others during the consultation process. Adapting and maintaining buildings and the future maintenance of new school buildings as a result of the review proposals will add significantly to church costs. Our willingness to accept this increase of responsibility is a clear sign of the Church of England's desire to improve educational opportunities for all the children of the district."

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