SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: ACCORDING to Government inspectors Ofsted, Wanborough Primary is one of the best schools in Swindon.

Continually ranked highly in the school league tables, it seems the model of successful village primary.

But visit the school and it tells a different story, one of a school built for 150 pupils that houses 258 and is battling to give children a top class education in difficult circumstances.

The first thing visitors will do as they enter the school is dodge the children working in the entrance, which has been converted to a library because there is nowhere else to put it.

The Ofsted report published this term said Wanborough was a very good school with only one weakness its buildings.

Mobile buildings have swallowed up the school's playground so all that is left is a netball court. Breaktimes have to be rotated because there is not enough room for all of the children to go outside at the same time.

Headteacher, Stewart Smith, said: "We wanted to reduce the number of pupils coming into the school because it was more than enough to serve the village but the council told us as a good school we have to take more.

"When the new school year starts we will have nowhere to take withdrawal groups such as special needs and gifted and talented children. Their lessons will have to be in the corridor.

"Our year six class has 36 pupils and year four class 35, but Ofsted praised the way we manage our classes.

"Even the staff room is a tiny converted design and technology workshop."