FOUR more Wirral schools will close because of a falling birth rate.' Wirral Council has announced plans to shut down Poulton Primary, Pensby Infants School, Pensby Primary and Pensby Park Primary.

The move comes under phase three of the four-year-long Primary School Places Review' - a consultation document that looks at areas where pupil population numbers are too low.

They include parts of Pensby and Thingwall, Heswall, Greasby, Upton, south Wallasey and north Wallasey.

Four Wirral primaries were closed last term - The Dell, Vyner Primary, Bromborough Pool and St Oswald's C of E Primary.

St Paul's Catholic school in Beechwood was saved only after an independent review board decided it should remain open.

Education officials blame the closures on a falling birth rate' and say that they want to spend money on real children not empty or surplus' places.

Currently there are 89 surplus places in Pensby and Thingwall alone, with the number set to increase by 2011.

The review states that the places must stay below 10% or else the council will take action.

And there are fears that the number could soon creep to 20% if the situation remains unchanged.

Tonight (Wednesday), cabinet members will hear plans to build a new community primary school for up to 300 pupils, to be based at the Pensby Infant and Pensby Junior schools' site.

The report claims that the new school would remove 94 surplus places in the future, and have educational, organisational and financial benefits.

But mum-of-four Deborah Pink, who campaigned to save Pensby Park Primary School earlier this year, said that parents and children have been left "defeated and saddened" by the news of closure.

She said: "This is a great shame. The council should be putting money into the well achieving schools such as ours.

"We don't know when the closures will come into effect but already, children have been forced out through fear of not finding an alternative when the time comes.

"My son has lost his best friend through all of this as I have moved my children to Irby Primary School.

"Naturally they are all very upset."

Other plans to go before the cabinet include proposals to close Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Leasowe and replace it with Wirral's first denominational school.

Discussions are now underway between the Catholic and Church of England authorities.

Howard Cooper, director of children's services, said: "Falling pupil rolls mean that we must consider changes to our school provision in order to ensure that our resources are used wisely. We should spend as much as possible on children's education and less on buildings.

"Wirral Council will do everything necessary to minimise disruption. These difficult decisions are not taken lightly. We are committed to ensuring that the highest of educational standards are maintained."