PARENTS in a Renfrewshire village want a new school to be built to ease “overcrowding” in existing classrooms.

There are growing concerns over the number of pupils being enrolled at Bishopton Primary as the sprawling Dargavel housing development continues to expand.

Worried mums and dads claim some primary one classrooms will have 34 pupils next term, with fears that children’s education could suffer.

David Woodrow, chairman of Bishopton Community Council, said: “We have been flagging this issue to the local authority for a long time.

“It is outrageous that a village school will be expected to accommodate six primary one classes next session.”

Scottish Government guidelines set the statutory class size for primary one at a maximum of 25 pupils.

Local authorities are required to take account of this, as well as the class size maximum set by the national agreement in teachers’ terms and conditions.

Mr Woodrow said: “This school is no longer fit for purpose. There will be six classes going to primary one after the summer, which will probably increase to seven next year.

“Having over 34 kids to a class goes against Scottish guidelines and parents won’t want to see their kids in portable cabins.

“A completely new school needs to be built sooner rather than later. The existing primary could even be used as the junior facility.

“The developers aren’t the issue - it is the way the council are dealing with the impact it will have on education and health services.”

A spokeswoman for Renfrewshire Council said a plan is in place to deal with the increased roll at Bishopton Primary.

She added: “We have adequate space at the school to accommodate the increased number of pupils.

“The 105 pupils registered in P1 have been split into six classes, made up of three classes of 17 and three classes of 18, who will share three bases.

“The teaching resource allocated to these classes means the adult-to-pupil ratio is one adult to 13 pupils, which is in keeping with regulations on class sizes.

“We are and will continue to monitor the roll projection on a termly basis and share this information with the parent council.”