THE executive head of Okehampton’s new second primary school has defended a decision not to open a Year 2 class at the school in September.

Hazel Fox said that only a small number of pupils had wanted to join Year 2 at the St James Church of England Primary School in a consultation of parents which received 50 responses.

‘There were a handful of children but there weren’t enough to be viable,’ she said. ‘It is not the general way to grow schools in any case but we did the consultation because we were mindful that there are families who may have children in the two schools. For this reason we are having staggered start times and a breakfast club.’

Currently the new St James Church of England Primary School has 13 children in its reception class, although there is room for 30 children.

From September, the current reception class will move up to Year 1, with a new reception class and a nursery for pre-schoolers then opened.

A year group will be added to the primary school each year until there are seven year groups in the school in addition to the pre-school nursery. The school has capacity for 210 pupils.

Mrs Fox said it was Government policy for new schools to grow by a year group each year.

She said they had looked at having a mixed age class but had decided against it.

‘We are taking more children into our reception class so we can’t afford to fill it with other year groups,’ she said.

Financial constraints had come into play she admitted, in the policy of adding a year group at a time.

‘We don’t have have an unlimited pot of money so we can’t afford a teacher for a tiny number of children,’ she said.

The school opened after Easter in its new purpose-built premises off Crediton Road, having been based at a separate classroom at Okehampton Primary School on the other side of town since September while the new school took shape.

An official opening ceremony, to involve the community, is planned for July.