A SUDDEN influx of children as a result of new housing in Kempsey could overload the village school.

Those living in Kempsey would always get priority, but some age groups were already overcrowded, said headteacher Heather Simpson.

"If new houses are built and children move in, they might not get places at the school in certain age groups," she said.

Worries that Kempsey Primary School and GP surgery would be unable to cope had been raised at a parish planning meeting as proposals for up to 20 family-sized homes were considered to be built on plots between Main Road and Old Road South.

It was suggested there would be no room for more Kempsey children at the school because it was already overcrowded with pupils from St Peter's.

Mrs Simpson said the good reputation of Kempsey Primary School had led to a big demand for places and some year groups were full or overcrowded, but years one and four still had 10 vacancies each.

"We have 14 teachers and 10 classes, with 295 children on roll, which is our capacity, but we always have 40 places to offer each year," she said.

"We allocate these first to children in our catchment area and then to those with brothers and sisters already in school, but we never fill all the places with children from Kempsey.

"St Peter's is not in our catchment, but it is only two miles down the road and many parents do choose to send their children here.

"The situation has stabilised now and our numbers will be around the 280-290 mark. At the moment we don't see it as a problem, but if they build the houses it could be," she said.

A spokesman for the GP Surgery in Old Road North, Kempsey, confirmed that it was "near to capacity" but added that there were other practices covering Kempsey.