A primary school is considering halving its intake as the number of Reception-age children looking for places has dropped.

Briary Primary School, in Greenhill Road, has announced it is considering reducing the number of pupils joining its reception from 60 to 30.

It would mean the school’s Reception year being reduced to one form from September 2019.

Its governors have launched a consultation, ending on January 31, urging parents, nearby primary schools and feeder nurseries to submit their opinions on the proposal.

In a document sent to parents, the school claims it lies in an “area of surplus Reception year places” and that the local authority has warned this is expected to continue for the next four years.

However, it also says the “overall trend” within Kent is for an increase in pupil numbers and if a “two-form entry reception year is viable or necessary, the school can easily and immediately convert back without a further consultation”.

Matt Dunkley, the corporate director for children, young people and education at Kent County Council, has allayed any fears Briary is being scaled back and readied for closure.

The last primary school to shut in the town was St Philip Howard, which closed in 2013 after its pupil numbers fell to 90.

“This is very different [to what happened at St Philip Howard],” Mr Dunkley said.

“Briary is a strong school judged as good by Ofsted and expected to retain this judgement when inspected again.

“Its buildings are in good condition and there is due to be a housing development adjacent to the school site which will require it to increase its published admission number (Pan).”

He added that another primary school will be built in Herne Bay in 2022 or 2023 to cope with more housing across the town.

Mr Dunkley said the main reason for the consultation was because school funding has changed, with more of it attached to the number of pupils at a school.

He said: “Infant class size legislation requires Reception to Year 2 class sizes to be a maximum of 30 pupils.

"This means that if a school that has a Pan of 60 has an intake in any one year of, for example, 38, it is required to run and staff, with a teacher and teaching assistant, two classes.

“A school needs at least 22 pupils to cover the cost. If they have more experienced and higher paid staff it requires more than 22 in the class to cover the costs.”

Mr Dunkley hopes that the reduction in Briary’s intake will help the neighbouring schools which have low intake figures.

To take part in the consultation, write a letter addressed to the school or send an email to Anna Webber, its chair of governors, at anna.webber@briary.kent.sch.uk