Parents petitioning for a new north Kingston school said they are "disappointed" that plans for a £30million refurbishment of Grey Court school in Ham seem to have been decided.

Parents from Latchmere and Fern Hill primary schools, met council officials and MP Susan Kramer on Monday to discuss their petition.

Angela Norton, representing parents, who say there is a shortage of secondary school places in the north of the borough, said: "Susan Kramer has made up her mind that her plans for Grey Court are the way forward and said that parents should listen to her.

"But we think she should be listening to her constituents - 3,000 of whom have said that they want a new non-selective school in north Kingston."

Currently there are tentative plans for Richmond and Kingston local education authorities (LEAs) to undertake a joint £30million rebuild of Grey Court School in Ham.

Parents say rumours of them demanding a 1,000- place school are untrue and Conservative Councillor Dennis Doe, said Government legislation only requires a school to be cost effective, not include a minimum number of places.

However, Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne said based on the council's previous experience, the standard minimum size for a secondary school is 750 to 900 places plus a 200 place sixth form.

"Anything smaller would not be cost effective to build or run, and would not attract Government funding," he said.

"The case for a new school in north Kingston simply does not add up."

Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park, said she was excited about plans for a revamped Grey Court School.

She said: "I think we had a constructive meeting with parents and I am looking forward now to a public meeting to engage with parents on a much wider basis when Kingston Council will have much more flesh to put on the bones of various ideas to provide for north Kingston pupils."

An executive meeting is due to take place in January and a public meeting will be held in February.