SCHOOL admissions policy at a popular primary school has left a divided village and a wounded community, claimed one of County Durham's leading educationalists.

Durham County Council's director of education, Keith Mitchell, was discussing a campaign by parents to increase the capacity of Coxhoe Primary School, near Durham City.

As expected, the council's cabinet yesterday agreed to increase capacity at the school by only one place. The move follows a concerted campaign by an action group to allow every pupil in the village to attend the school.

Members say recent improvements to the school should have been used to increase capacity. They say parents are having to pay up to £1,200 a year to send their children to school elsewhere.

But at the meeting at County Hall, Mr Mitchell told councillors that surplus places at nearby schools meant the council could not access Government funding for extra accommodation.

A detailed study and numerous discussions carried out by the council had revealed that the school governors wished to retain the existing capacity of 30 places and neighbouring schools also opposed the idea.

Concerns had been raised that the council should maintain a consistent policy of using surplus capacity at neighbouring schools across the county.

Mr Mitchell said: "There has been an unusual degree of vehemence in the village and it has been a difficult and hugely time-consuming proc-ess to complete this study, although it has helped us build some bridges in the community.

"Now we have to find a way to genuinely bind the community together in what has been a wounding issue."

Paul Dodsworth, from the action group, questioned the authority's figures, which indicated that about 30 new places would be needed for September 2003. He said the action group had conducted its own survey which indicated that more than 40 reception class places would be needed.