Head teachers of most of the Island's private schools have vowed not to shut the door on infant newcomers.

They were commenting on the heel of news that Warwick Academy had been forced to stop taking applications to its primary one classes for September, next year due to an "overwhelming'' demand.

The school had received 175 applications for admission to its two primary one classes which can only accommodate a total of 50 students.

Principal Bernard Beacroft told The Royal Gazette he expected it will take until middle of February to interview all the applicants.

"We're going to have a lot of dissatisfied customers, I'm afraid,'' Mr.

Beacroft said. "But we placed the ad (of the school's decision not to takefurther applications for the primary one classes) to save people the trouble of going through the application process.'' The Primary One classes of both Bermuda High School for Girls and Mount St.

Agnes Academy are also oversubscribed for next September.

But both schools made it clear that they had no intentions of cutting off applicants.

BHS headmistress Eleanor Kingsbury said: "We have something like 105 applications for 60 places. But we're not putting any ads like that in the paper.

"One has to keep in mind that most people, because they are uncertain about the (public school system) reforms, could be placing their children on everybody's waiting list.'' But BHS would not know the exact demand for places in its Primary One classes until after the selection process, Mrs. Kingsbury said.

"We sent acceptance letters to parents of 60 students at the top of the list based on whether they had siblings here and the date of the application,'' she explained, adding that the school needed to find out if the parents of those 60 students were still interested before moving to students on its waiting list.

"Some of them may want to go to another (private) school,'' she added. "But chances are we are oversubscribed.

"Our projections are that it might ease up a bit. Our indications are it is not as bad this year as last year.'' However, Mrs. Kingsbury said the school anticipated more problems at the Primary Seven level.

"I have had calls from a couple of heads of primary schools who are worried about where their children will go,'' she said. "And our Primary Six is also full. That maybe another problem area.

"One of our considerations is whether or not we will be adding another year seven. We have two forms of Primary Six coming up, so we could add another class.'' While MSA has not begun its selection process for its Primary One class next year, secretary Gail Kneisler said the school had about 90 applicants for 35 available spaces. And she said MSA was still taking applications.

Bermuda Institute principal Sheila Holder said the Seventh Day Adventist-based school was also still accepting applications for its kindergarten class which can accommodate 20 to 22 students.

And while Saltus head Trevor Rowell would only confirm that there was a "large number'' on that school's Primary One waiting list, he said it was prepared to take in 80 to 90 new first-year primary students.

"We always welcome applicants,'' he said. "But there is a waiting list for every grade.'' Mr. Rowell said the school was in the process of selecting Primary One applicants who will be interviewed in January and February.