GOVERNORS at St Peter's Primary School in Devizes are considering an offer to move the school lock, stock and barrel to a site at Quakers Walk.

If agreed a new school could be built in two years' time.

The school, which recently enjoyed a glowing report from schools inspectorate Ofsted, has been suffering falling pupil numbers over the last few years, from 179 in 1998 to 110 currently.

The fall is blamed on demographic changes in the area, with all the new houses in the town being built at the other end of town. Governors and staff fear that a new school close to 250 planned homes on land at Quakers Walk could deal a killer blow to St Peter's.

Chairman of governors, Amanda Bradley, said: "The governors would rather not see a new school at Quakers Walk but if there is to be one, let it be a relocated St Peter's.

"It is by no means a done deal and there is a lot of discussion to happen. What we want is what is best for our pupils, and if that means moving to Quakers Walk, then so be it."

Wiltshire County Council's education department has sent out a consultation paper to parents, as well as to pre-schools and nurseries in the area whose children might go on to St Peter's. Replies are required by March 26.

The paper notes that proposed new houses being built in Devizes in the next seven years will require an extra 413 primary school places. Taking into account the spare capacity at existing primary schools in the area, there is still a shortfall and a new school at Quakers Walk might be essential.

The paper said: "The school with most space at the moment is St Peter's Church of England Aided Primary School located on the western side of the town. The local plan inspector accepted the point that this school is not well-placed to serve major new housing developments in the centre and, particularly, within the north-west quadrant of the town."

Mrs Bradley sent a covering letter home to parents with copies of the consultation paper on Monday and yesterday parents at the school gate gave a cautious welcome to the proposals.

Catherine Spillane, chairman of the school's PTA, said: "The move to Quakers Walk could be a very good thing. As with most schools, we are ailing in money and financial support. It will be good to have a nice clean slate to start with, but I do hope it stays St Peter's."

New parent Nicole Newton was surprised to hear about the possible move. She said: "It will have little effect on my family as the distance I have to travel to school will be about the same. Moving into a new building will be good for the school and the children as they usually come with a lot of up-to-date facilities."

But Amber Heyward, who has two children at the school, said she had mixed feelings about the proposals. She said: "I don't want to see the school enlarged. It's lovely as it is and the children are settled at the moment. As a child I moved schools a lot and I don't want that to happen to my children."

Parents will hear about the options for the future and the timescale involved at a special meeting next Wednesday.

Head teacher Sandy Fletcher said: "The staff believe there could be a good future for us if we move to the new school, as there is concern over our falling roll. We have been a good school for such a long time, but we are in the wrong place."

The main concern over the move is severing links with St Peter's Church, behind which the original building, dating from 1870, is located. But even if it moved, St Peter's would remain a Church of England school.

The move to Quakers Walk is just one of three options about the future of primary school teaching in Devizes. The first is to open a new community school on Quakers Walk offering 210 places; the second is to relocate St Peter's and the third is not to put any new education or community facility on the Quakers Walk site, but to fill up the spaces at existing schools, where possible.

Kennet District Council is due to discuss the options this afternoon, so they can be included in the Devizes Strategic Development Brief.