School costs continuing to rise

The school will fully open next year

The cost to build an already heavily oversubscribed secondary school in Bristol has risen again.

Redland Green School was budgeted to cost £30.5m, but this is now projected to top £32.6m. A £1m overspend was revealed in autumn 2006.

The city council said that the extra costs relate to "a large number of architect's modifications".

It is now seeking independent legal advice, as well as talking to quantity surveyors and structural engineers.

More than 690 children applied for 176 places at the school for the coming academic year.

It is already open off-site: years 7 and 8, plus the first year 12 intake, will be based at Redland from September.

The council said that of the pupils who did not secure places, only "about 100" live within the catchment area.

To move into an area just to qualify, when you can have no idea how many other parents are doing the same, is clearly a risky strategy Council spokeswoman

But one man, who did not want to be named, told BBC News he had moved 200 yards, at a cost of £30,000, to get into the zone.

He said he was "disappointed" his child had not secured a place.

"When they built the school they surely must have calculated what demand was going to be from the surrounding area. How did they get it so wrong?, he said.

Of those children who live in the catchment area and secured places, not one lived further than 1km from the school.

A council spokeswoman said: "When the council planned the school, it planned it for the existing community, allowing for normal demographic movements.

"It did not, nor would it, plan for an influx into an area in order to qualify for a school. This would lead to a larger school than would be appropriate in one area when the council's duty is to provide balanced provision across the city.

"To move into an area just to qualify, when you can have no idea how many other parents are doing the same, is clearly a risky strategy when you are already aware that there is a set maximum roll number for the school."