A PRIMARY school will struggle to cope with hundreds of extra new pupils in the next few years because the council is not providing funding for new and expanded buildings, governors and teachers say.

St Saviour’s Primary School in Verulam Road, Walthamstow, has agreed to take on an extra 210 pupils by 2013, which will effectively double its size.

The school is set to have new buildings and classrooms built and existing buildings refurbished or expanded.

In a consultation document published last year the council promised to contribute about £3 million to the works, while the Diocese of Chelmsford will contribute a further £1 million.

But with less than a month before planning approval is due to be granted, the money from the council has yet to materialise.

The school has been told the funding has now been budgeted for 2011-2014, but it has not been given definite figures or timelines.

Even if the money arrives, it won’t be until after the school has taken on most of its extra pupils.

School governors and teachers fear the school will have to cope with the extra numbers without the space or facilities.

Pupils already have to eat their lunches in the classroom because of a lack of space, and the school is unable to hold full assemblies.

Father David Waller, the chairman of governors, said: “While we have been assured that the expansion of the building remains the authority’s ‘preferred option’, we have been given no indication how or when that can be achieved and no indication of any strategic thinking regarding the lack of facilities on site at present.”

Governors and teachers are concerned that standards of teaching will fall because of overcrowding, that PE and drama will have to be reduced and there will be inadequate room for staff facilities.

They are also concerned about the security risk of having large numbers of children in temporary classrooms and about the school’s ability to comply with health and safety regulations.

Father Waller said the school had written to the council’s cabinet member for children, councillor Chris Robbins, but had not had a response.

And on Wednesday, March 18, angry parents were due to sign an open letter to the council demanding answers about the apparent lack of funding for their school.

Father Waller said: “We are entitled to an explanation as to why we were so misled in the consultation process and over the funds necessary to give our children a decent education.”

The row comes just months after a council document revealed a staggering 600 five-year-olds will not have a primary school place by 2012 unless urgent action is taken to provide extra classrooms.

But the local authority has admitted that capital resources to tackle the problem were “scarce”.

A council spokesman said: “Meeting the growing demand for school places is a pressing issue for many London boroughs, and funding for this is something we are lobbying for, alongside other authorities.

"At present, the funding we have been allocated is not sufficient for the proposed expansion plans. "However, we are currently pressing the Government for additional funding and are, in the meantime, working with the school and diocese to explore other options so that we can achieve the best possible outcome.”

Chris Robbins, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “While we explore our options, I must stress that no plan would be allowed to proceed if it were to undermine teaching standards or jeopardise pupils’ safety.

"The education and overall well-being of our children is at the very heart of what we do.”