A NEW strategy has been drawn up for meeting the future needs of primary school children.

Tim Pollard, the council's cabinet member for children, young people and learners, says the strategy includes existing proposals to expand schools and meet the pressing needs for extra places.

ALL CHANGE: The Selhurst High site will be home to a primary

But it adds an overall vision for the shape of primary education over the next 20 years.

The expansion plans include building a new primary school for 630 pupils on the site of the old Selhurst High School.

Seven schools, Whitehorse Manor in West Croydon, Monks Orchard in Shirley, Park Hill in Croydon, Kingsley in West Croydon, and Thornton Heath schools St James the Great, Kensington Avenue and Gonville, are lined up to move from two form to three forms of entry.

And St Peter's in South Croydon, St John's in Shirley and Hayes in Kenley are set to expand to two forms of entry.

In addition, to improve efficiency in delivering primary education, consultation will take place on amalgamating the 11 remaining schools which have separate junior and infant set-ups.

And one form entry schools which are not rated outstanding by Ofsted inspectors will enter in formal partnership arrangements with neighbouring schools to share resources and expertise not available in the smaller school.