Around 200 people attended the most recent Harpenden Parents Group meeting to discuss the implications of the new secondary school opening being delayed.

After a long wait by prospective secondary school parents, the site for the “much-needed” secondary school in Harpenden was secured in January.

But weeks later a decision to postpone the school opening was announced by the Harpenden Secondary Education trust.

The meeting took place at Roundwood Park School on Monday, February 22.

Chairman of the group, Ben Bardsley said: “The large turnout of concerned parents, shows how important the current shortfall in secondary school places is to the town.

“A large part of the evening was spent discussing the lack of Harpenden school places for our current Year 5 children, it is imperative that Hertfordshire County Council continue to communicate and support these families in what will be a very stressful period, not least for the children affected.

“Harpenden Parents Group will continue to support the families of current Year 6 children this year as well as the families of children in future years who will not not get a local secondary school place.

“Harpenden Parents Group will continue to work with the trust and maintain pressure on Hertfordshire County Council to ensure the best outcome for the children in what will be a very challenging couple of years for affected families in the area.”

The Harpenden secondary school will cater for 1,150 children, as well as a 250-place sixth form, and will become the first new secondary school built in the town for more than 50 years.

As a contingency arrangement, the council has already agreed with Sandringham School in St Albans that it will offer an additional 30 places for 2017, prioritising children from the Harpenden area.