A COUNCIL is doubling the amount of reception children at a school despite it not having room for them.

Brindishe Community School, in Wantage Road, Lee, is being forced to take on 60 reception children in September rather than the usual 30.

Lewisham Council sent letters to parents offering places at the school even though the headteacher told the council it would not be possible to find room for them.

Executive headteacher, Vicki Paterson, said: “Whilst the outcome is a difficult one for us we will work with Lewisham Council to make it happen.

“We will ensure all children get an excellent education at our popular school and within our federation with Hither Green School which launches in September.”

But one father, who does not want to be named, is unhappy with the council’s decision.

He said: “We feel very let down and disappointed by the council and its utter incompetence with the process.

“In the short term the school will have difficulty to find space to house the pupils.

"It will be detrimental to my son because there will be times when things will be up in the air.”

The council has created an extra 510 primary school places across the borough to accommodate the increase in youngsters starting school at the end of the year.

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: “It has been a challenge to find the additional primary places required this year and we are very grateful to all the primary schools which are taking extra classes to help us deal with this London-wide problem.”