Governors and parents at a reprieved school have voted unanimously on how they want it to look in future.

They want tiny Oldfield First School to retain a total capacity of 56 pupils when it becomes a primary school next year. This will mean the school will be able to take eight new pupils a year.

Oldfield was due to be closed under Bradford council's education shake-up in which the present three-tier system is to be radically transformed into a primary-secondary structure. But following strong protests against its closure, City Hall education bosses were ordered to keep the school open by Whitehall ministers.

Now discussions are underway about how the new primary school will operate.

At the meeting, parents and governors voted with Worth Valley ward councillors. Also present was Bradford council education officer Malcolm Longsden. The meeting was chaired by Mark Curtis, chairman of the school governors.

The decision follows a six-week consultation period on the future of the school - the smallest in the Bradford district - after it was saved by Education minister David Blunkett earlier this year.

The school has been considering two options over the past few weeks

a total capacity of 56 and an intake of eight per year

a capacity of 35 with an intake of five children per year.

Head-teacher Maggie Red-path says: "We had a frank and open discussion about the two choices last week and went over all the advantages and disadvantages of both proposals. But, in the end, those present were unanimous in wanting to opt for proposal one, which is very similar to how the school operates now. It was a very positive meeting and extremely well attended. More than 60 per cent of families with children at the school turned up to vote."

Another meeting is to be held today between Mrs Redpath, the school's governors and Bradford education chiefs to discuss new building requirements should the preferred option be adopted following the end of the consultation period next Friday.

A final decision on the proposal will then be made by the Department for Education and Employment later in the year.

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