An infants school is set to downsize in plans to reduce pupil admissions after falling numbers over several years.

Kent County Council announced the plans to trim classes at Ellington Infant School in Ramsgate launching a public consultation for its proposals.

Parents have until Monday to comment on the changes as places look set to fall by one class for the new intake starting in September 2020.

The school's current capacity is 90 children but KCC wants to cut this down to just 60 after a steady decline of new children starting school in reception for the last two years.

In 2017, 59 pupils enrolled at the school which fell to just 44 for the current reception year group.

KCC says the low numbers are having "significant financial impact" for the High Street school and reducing the admissions number will help secure the long term "future viability of the school".

The council says the number of primary age children in Thanet is dropping in recent years thanks to a fall in the birth rate with numbers slowly increasing.

Ramsgate currently has more children than primary places but Broadstairs has a surplus with parents choosing to send children to schools there instead of in Ramsgate.

Despite Ellington Infants being a 'good' school, according to Ofsted, its need to cut numbers reflects the overall picture in Ramsgate where there is an "excess of primary places", KCC says.

The authority believes new housing in the district will see numbers increase in years to come and has plans to increase the school's intake again should demand pick up.

A spokesman said: "The effect of lower pupil numbers is more challenging to manage in an Infant School where they have the children for only three years and the schools have less time to balance out the impact of a fall in numbers.

"Ellington Infants is a good school and has excellent buildings and environment. But it is on a tight site that cannot provide parking and drop-off facilities for parents.

"It is also close to a number of other schools that can offer better access for parents travelling by car.

"Ellington Infants is therefore consulting on reducing its Published Admission Number from three-form entry (90 places) to two-form entry (60 places) to enable it to plan its staffing and class organisation in a way that will better reflect the actual numbers coming through."

To view the full plans and comment go to the KCC website or write to Marisa White, Area Education Officer, Brook House, Reeves Way, Whitstable, CT5 3SS or emailing your views to school.consultations@kent.gov.uk by midnight on Monday, April 8.