U-turn on plans to cut one of its two P1 entry classes.

And the Government is to provide the school with two extra teachers -- one starting in September to allow two P2 level classes of no more than 15 pupils.

Another new teacher will start in September 2001 to allow two classes at the P3 level.

Education Minister Milton Scott and Premier Jennifer Smith attended a meeting of around 40 parents last night where news of the change of heart was given a storm of applause.

Govt. U-turn over school classes Yesterday the Ministry of Education wrote to the school's board of trustees promising the extra teachers if the trustees promised to bear the cost of any structural alterations made necessary by the decision to keep the extra class.

Parents at the popular school had worried the school might eventually close because funding was based on pupil numbers after Government announced plans to axe one entry level class and divert pupils to East End Primary this September.

Sen. Scott said last night: "The board of trustees indicated at one time that we would have to pay rent of $3,600 a month to use another building, now they have indicated they have sufficient space.

"We felt why would you pay money to renovate a building when you already have a facility there which requires no money to be spent? "That is no longer a factor so the parameters have changed.'' Premier Smith warned parents who had cheated on entry forms by claiming to be local to the school would find their children still barred despite the extra classes.

Parent Teacher Association President Carla Hopwood said she was excited the Government had thought again about its plan to cut the P1 class.

She said: "It's excellent news for us. I was always hopeful. I am pleased they have arrived at a reasonable solution and have listened to us.'' She said the school had looked at a $40,000 scheme to partition one of the classrooms to provide extra space but no work needed to be done for the foreseeable future.

She said: "We do have a classroom available.'' Last month a delegation of parents presented an 800-name petition to Ms Smith when it look like one P1 class would be lost.