A NEW school opened its doors to students for the first time in September, amid claims that building work has yet to be completed.

The opening of Berrygrove Primary and Nursery School, in Fourth Avenue, Garston, was hailed as a "red letter day" by County Councillor Robert Gordon, executive member for education.

But parents said they were disappointed that essential landscaping and building work had not been completed before their children started at the school, which was formed following the amalgamation of Meriden Primary, Lea Farm Junior and Garston Infants schools.

When children arrived for lessons on Monday, parents were shocked to find mud where grass should have been in the playing fields, because landscaping had not been completed.

Inside, shoddy workmanship led some parents to label the overall finish as poor. Parents are now concerned their children face weeks of disruption until the work is completed during half-term.

Tony Williams, who has two children at the school, said: "We were promised a finished school and it's not. The area where my children should be playing is just piles of mud."

The new school was formed following the closure of Meriden Primary School last year.

The county council made the decision to close the school following a review of surplus places in schools across the borough.

This week, Hertfordshire County Council was quick to deny claims the school was not fit for operation and said the workmanship was not of a low quality.

But Mr Williams disagreed. He said the school does not have enough classrooms to accommodate its role as a three-form entry school.

On top of this, he said parents had nowhere to drop off their children and claimed a lollipop person was not on site, even though he had been reassured there would be one.

He also claimed an underpass linking the Meriden estate with the school site had not been improved, despite promises it would be.

He said: "Councillor Robert Gordon called the opening a red letter day. I don't know about that, but I am seeing red. Berrygrove, we were promised, would be a brand new, three-form primary school. Now we see it is neither."

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council, the local education authority, said: "The overall feeling is very positive and the children seem to be settling in very well.

"Landscaping will be done by half-term and the stairwell areas will be done in the holidays."