THE PRIVATE company now running Swindon's education has commissioned a report into the crisis surrounding surplus school places.

And Tribal Education has not ruled out closing primary schools in West Swindon.

An Evening Advertiser investigation has already revealed that primary schools in West Swindon could be forced to close because of the decline in primary school age children in the area.

A report produced by the council's disgraced education department in November recommended that primary schools in the area do not need to closed because extra places can be eliminated by removing the mobile classrooms which are a feature of most schools in the town.

But Tribal has decided to commission a new report looking at the school places situation in the whole of Swindon.

It believes that some parts of the town have too many places while others do not have enough.

Ironically, West Swindon has a massive 776 surplus places but its two secondary schools, Bradon Forest and Greendown, are full to capacity.

The School Organisation Plan report will take an overall view of the situation and then present its findings to the new Education Partnership Board that is made up of councillors, teachers, union representatives and members of the clergy.

Council spokesman Adrian Ruck said: "The November report has been superseded by the fact that Tribal has come in.

"The new report will identify the problem and look ahead but not come up with specific recommendations like the November report.

"The committee will receive the report by the end of term and then it will go out to consultation will all relevant parties.

"We are at an early stage and are now looking at the problem."

Councillor Mary Martin (Con, Toothill & Westlea) said: "School closures and school places is a subject which attracts intense public interest and is highly emotive.

"People frequently choose their house on the basis of school catchments and there are few subjects which will enrage parents more.

"When the Conservative administration took office in October we were very aware of the catalogue of failures in the Ofsted report and speaking from experience as a councillor I was infuriated by the reactive approach to school places planning.

"As a result of this report we were satisfied that we would not be looking at primary school closures in West Swindon."