FOUR York primary schools are set to be told they cannot reduce the number of children they take each year.

Dringhouses, Woodthorpe, Headlands and Park Grove Schools have all asked if they can limit their admission for 2004-2005.

But education officers say Park Grove must keep its numbers up, and more work must be done before figures are agreed for the three remaining schools.

Each year City of York Council asks schools if the number of new children they are taking each year is acceptable.

The majority of both primary and secondary schools in York were happy with their figures.

But Dringhouses, Woodthorpe and Headlands schools all wanted to reduce their intakes - Woodthorpe by 30, Headlands by 20, and Dringhouses by five.

In a report to councillors, policy officer Jake Wood says: "The implications of this for neighbouring schools and for parental choice need careful consideration.

"This matter will need to be discussed further with the schools involved and the local admissions forum."

Park Grove School wants to reduce admissions from 40 to 37 or 38, but officers say projections show it is only likely to admit 30 pupils annually over the next three years.

Meanwhile, Carr Infant School has asked to increase its admission limit from 70 to 85, as the school is concerned about the impact of the housing development on Boroughbridge Road. But education officers say the request should be denied, as children from the new housing development can be accommodated in other schools. Officers have recommended agreeing to requests by Joseph Rowntree and Millthorpe Secondary Schools to reduce their numbers by eight and 16.

Coun Carol Runciman, executive member for education with City of York Council, said the schools wanted to reduce pupil numbers because of the space they had available. She said: "The space they've got determines the children that they can take and some schools want to reduce the numbers, not by very much, which will reduce the funding that they have.

"We need to be cautious and we will be working with them to look at the number of children they have and the budget they hold and the effect small reductions would have."

The matter will be discussed at a meeting of the executive member for education at the Guildhall next Tuesday, at 6pm.

Updated: 10:44 Tuesday, April 13, 2004