A STATE-OF-THE-ART computer suite will be taken out of a Mill Hill primary school to make way for an extra class.

Deansbrook Infant School, in Hale Drive, is one of five schools in the borough which will take on an extra reception class in September to meet the huge demand for places.

Three of those schools will have temporary buildings put up in the school grounds, but in Deansrbook the ICT suite will make way for the new class.

The move has provoked anger among parents who have launched a petition urging Barnet Council's director of children's services to reconsider the move.

The petition says: “We believe that the use of the current ICT suite to accommodate a new reception class is not in the best interest for our children.”

They claim it will have “tremendous effect” on the welfare of children and have also criticised the authority for apparently failing to consult them.

Sarah Barry, a parent and vice chair of the board of governors for the infant school, wrote: "I am very upset by the way the school has been informed of this decision.

"The loss of the ICT suite is devastating for the children.

"The increase in traffic is going to be a real problem and the shared use of the dining hall is going to cause overcrowding."

The demand for primary school places shot up this year and the council has been forced into the move to give more pupils places in their parents' first choice schools.

A council spokesman said the equipment in the ICT suite will be redeployed elsewhere and Deansbrook will be given laptops so computing classes can be held around the school.

  • To view the petition go to ipetitions.com/petition/notoextraclassatdeansbrook/