PARENTS fear their children's education will suffer if plans to reduce the number of youngsters being admitted to a Southampton school are given the go-ahead.

About 60 parents, along with children and school governors, voiced their concerns at a packed meeting at Mason Moor Primary School in Millbrook last night in the second in a series of discussions about the future of schools in Millbrook and Redbridge.

Parents fear that plans by the city's education bosses to reduce the school's annual intake from 45 to 30 youngsters to tackle dwindling pupil numbers could lead to a reduction in the standard of education at the school.

They are also concerned that the hard work done by staff to improve the school in Helvellyn Road would be wasted if the school reduced in size and had potentially fewer resources.

One worried parent praised head teacher David Martindale's commitment to the school and the work he had done to help parents and pupils.

He said: "All of us believe that the head teacher has done a whole lot of good to this school.

"Our children will lose out on things he has organised. Can you guarantee they will carry on if you downsize the school?"

Yesterday, the Daily Echo revealed how pupil numbers are dropping in the Millbrook and Redbridge areas with one in five seats in classrooms predicted to be standing empty by 2008.

City education bosses have put forward six options to drastically cut the number of places with at least 400 needing to be axed from the area.

One of the options would see Mason Moor Primary reduce its capacity. Mansel Junior and Infant schools would also amalgamate.

The option would also see Newlands Primary rebuilt on its existing site and Redbridge Primary rebuilt - possibly on a new site.

The plans are due to be consulted on with a series of meetings at other schools affected by the shake-up scheduled to take place this month.

Parents, teachers and governors have a chance to vote for one of the options by April 11.

After the consultation, a proposal will be announced by Southampton City Council's education boss, Councillor Calvin Horner, on May 9. The final decision will be made by the school organisation committee on July 20.

Head teacher David Martindale urged parents to reject the plans to downsize the school. He added that reducing the entry numbers would mean that parents from south Millbrook would be struggling to take their children greater distances to school.