A MAJOR review of primary school provision is to be launched in the Tadley area.

Hampshire County Council is proposing the review after a study revealed that the town has a surplus of primary school places, with some schools nearly half empty.

A similar review in south-west Basingstoke earlier this year resulted in the controversial proposal to shut Beech Down Primary School.

The county council's education policy review committee will meet on Monday to discuss the idea of introducing a review programme for county primary schools with more than 10 per cent surplus places.

A county council spokeswoman said Burnham Copse Infant and Junior Schools, which have surplus places of 42 per cent and 29 per cent respectively, would probably come under the microscope in any review process.

She said surplus places eat up resources and cash that could be better spent on teachers and support staff rather than maintaining empty classrooms.

Hampshire's executive member for education Cllr Don Allen told The Tadley Gazette that a review of Tadley schools would not be happening for at least a year and any action would not be taken for at least three years.

"The schools in Tadley make up only a small number of the area that the council will be reviewing," he said.

"I am concerned that parents of pupils in Tadley schools will be unnecessarily worried about their children's schooling future."

To allay parents' fears Cllr Allen said Burnham Copse Infant School was a relatively new school and the council would not be closing such schools.

"The review will be taken to decide what to do with those schools that have surplus places," he said.

"Action could involve utilising the unused areas of the school for other purposes.

"We are constantly looking at provision of school places across the county to ensure we are meeting the changing needs of the whole community, whether that means looking at building extra accommodation for growing communities or re-organising schools with falling numbers."

"Changes are only made when necessary to ensure we are maximising opportunities for all our school pupils."