Seven Bradford primary schools have been saved from the axe - but some are having to shrink to tackle the problem of surplus places in the system.

The schools - Ley Top at Allerton, tiny Woodlands CE at Oakenshaw, Thorpe at Idle, Parkland at Thorpe Edge, Hoyle Court at Baildon and Cooper Lane and Westwood Park in Bradford - are now safe.

The news is a victory for thousands of campaigning parents who rallied to the cause of their community schools. And Council chiefs today said they would not propose closing any more primary schools even though there is still spare capacity in the system. Surplus places will be ironed out by cutting school intakes, not closures, according to a report.

Three of them - Ley Top, Westwood Park and Parkland - are being asked to halve their intake to 30 pupils per year under proposals to be discussed by Bradford Council's Executive Committee next Tuesday. Parkland governors have vowed to fight the proposals but they have been accepted elsewhere. If approved, the changes would apply from September 2004.

Education bosses have been forced to back down after a vociferous campaign against closures. A report to next week's meeting admits: "In all areas, people expressed concern at the decisions made at reorganisation, and that surplus places are at least partially caused by decisions made then. Mindful of these views... it is not now proposed to achieve the reduction in places by closing schools, but instead to significantly reduce in size three that had been originally proposed for closure."

The report says the measures, plus reductions in intake agreed at another 11 primary schools, will take 300 surplus places out of the system.

It warns that spare capacity still exists in Allerton, Baildon, Bierley/Oakenshaw, Bradford North East and Buttershaw where the pattern of schools "will be reviewed next spring".

Parent Miranda Vasey, who has campaigned for the threatened Hoyle Court school in Baildon, to remain open, said: "We are thoroughly delighted with the outcome and the proposal being withdrawn.

"It was a sad day when it was first drawn up but, due to some very committed parents, we proved that local democracy works by lobbying councillors and working as a force."

Councillor David Ward, the Council's executive member for education, said: "This shows we are listening to what people have to say.

"We now hope the proposals will be accepted and everyone will support them to help secure the future education of children across the area."

Shrinking school intakes will leave some classrooms empty, and schools are being encouraged to share their buildings with other community facilities.