“Bonus” primary school places have been created in Wimbledon after governors gave council proposals their backing on Monday.

Garfield Primary School, in Garfield Road, off Haydons Road in Wimbledon, has agreed to take another form of entry in its reception class in for one year starting in September.

Merton Council said there are no plans to permanently expand the school and that it was a “temporary measure” to ensure more parents are able to educate their children at a nearby school while longer-term plans are considered.

Beecholme, Pelham and Poplar primary schools will also be providing an extra class this September to meet increased demand for school places in Merton.

Merton Council’s cabinet member for education, Councillor Peter Walker said Garfield was not originally planned to be expanded but the council was trying to ensure extra demand was met with more school places in Wimbledon.

Coun Walker said: “We have Dundonald, All Saints and St Marks in the pipeline but this one we hadn’t announced before.

“It is a bonus but, even if we get the expansion of Dundonald, they will only be able admit children within 300m from the school gate.

“We don’t want children in Wimbledon being taught in portacabins as neighbouring authorities are doing.

Coun Walker added central Wimbledon needed more school places after similar plans for Bishop Gilpin school were rejected by its governors.

“Bishop Gilpin was a setback in we have been struggling because the centre of Wimbledon is the area for growth.”

The news comes amid a positive schools inspection report which means four out of five Merton primary schools now have a “good” rating.

William Morris primary school, in Mitcham, was praised by Ofsted and noted the “inspirational leadership” of its head teacher Nathalie Bull, who has created a “culture of continuous improvement.”

Mrs Bull became Merton’s first federated school head when she was given joint responsibility for William Morris and Singlegate school in Colliers Wood.

Other primary schools to score “good” in recent Ofsted inspections are Beecholme in Mitcham and St Thomas of Canterbury in Mitcham and St Teresa’s in Morden.

Beecholme was noted for its pupils “making progress at faster rates than the national average while St Teresa’s had improved in reading, writing and maths.

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