THE chairman of governors at a Swindon primary school fears the decision has already been made to close it.

Letters were sent to parents saying Salt Way Primary School could close by next January as part of a reorganisation of West Swindon Schools.

But Mr Steve Spence said: "All the indications are that this is a done deal.

The LEA sent a letter to parents on Monday with an outline of how the process would work.

"I have been told the school is not listed in the new Yellow Pages. I've also been told that the LEA has stopped all new admissions. If you're going to close a school it makes sense to stop admissions."

Parents are so convinced it will close that many of them are already applying to transfer their children to another school.

Mr Spence said: "Many of them want to take their children out of the school.

Apparently the LEA has run out of blue transfer forms for parents who want to change their child's school."

Mr Spence is concerned there will not be enough places for Salt Way children in local schools.

"Right now the other three schools in the area have only a small handful of places between them," he said.

"There is nowhere for the children to go in our part of town."

James King, who lives in Grange Park and has a four-year-old son Joseph at the school, said: "Our main concern is that the children will lose all their friends. They need to find a school that can take 180 children from Salt Way. There isn't anywhere like that here."

Garry Perkins, lead member for education at Swindon Council admitted there was a shortage of places to accommodate Year 5 children from Salt Way at neighbouring schools but said the council was working on a solution.

"We've taken on board the concerns of parents and we are working with them and governors to come up with the best solution."