PARENTS attended a crisis meeting last night to discuss the way forward for Bournemouth’s free school.

It was revealed in the Echo yesterday that Parkfield School’s move to new premises at Bournemouth Airport this September has been delayed once again until 2017.

A special investigation also uncovered attempts to hide the extent of the asbestos on the site from parents and that the school has been claiming money for a higher number of pupils than have enrolled.

Dozens of parents attended last night’s meeting at the school, which is currently located in Dorset House, Bournemouth.

Speaking beforehand one parent told the Echo she was still hoping that the school had a plan in mind.

“My son is really happy here but I also want him to get an education,” she said.

“I’m still hoping that the school has a plan and that all of our questions will be answered in the meeting.”

Many of the other parents at the meeting also said they were very happy with the school.

One parent even dismissed claims about the extent of the asbestos problem claiming she had only read it in the paper and was “taking it with a pinch of salt”.

School leaders had privately planned to move into temporary buildings at the Hurn site in September while the work was completed.

In a letter to parents the school and Education Funding Agency, who are responsible for the site, blamed Christchurch council for delays over planning permission for the temporary classrooms.

However the chief executive of the council, David McIntosh, said delays over registering applications were not the primary cause for the move not going ahead.

He added: “The application for temporary classrooms was received on Saturday, May 7. This is a major application which has a 13-week determination timescale.

“Even if it had been registered immediately it would have taken until Tuesday, August 9 to determine.

“The application was withdrawn on Wednesday, June 29.”