White pupils are grouped together in reception class.

A MIXED race primary school has been accused of being divisive after all its new white pupils were grouped together in the same reception class.

Seventy one new starters at Lammack Primary School, Blackburn, have been divided into three classes, with two consisting exclusively of Asian pupils.

School leaders confirmed the seven white pupils had been put together with 17 Asian children. The school has stressed that the children were only in the reception class for two hours a day before mixing with children from all classes for lessons.

Its governing body and headteacher are now reviewing the move after receiving advice from education bosses, who stressed that it went against the "recommended approach."

But today angry union officials and parents accused the school in Lammack Road of segregating its four and five-year-olds "for purely social reasons."

One parent, who has an Asian daughter at the school, said: "What they've done is a form of apartheid.

"We have signed a petition and want the school to have a re-think. I sent my daughter to Lammack because it is a good, mixed school not one that separates pupils because of their colour."

Lesley Ham, negotiating secretary for the NASUWT Lancashire said she did not know of another school which had the policy.

She said: "This is a decision that has not been made by general teaching staff but senior leadership at the school and the union knows of no educational ground why this has been done and believe it has been done for social reasons.

"Dividing classes like this could have a detrimental effect on this mixed school and its supposed multicultural principles."

Blackburn with Darwen Council executive member for education Coun Dave Hollings, said: "We have met with the headteacher and the governing body and given advice. They are considering how to proceed in the light of that advice.

"The approach they have taken is not one we would recommend but the school is a good school and is working hard to resolve the matter with all parents."

In a joint statement with the governing body, headteacher Mary Lewis said: "All the children at Lammack school mix very well together. In the absence of any existing LEA guidelines on this matter, the younger children are placed in friendship groups for part of the day to help them settle into school life. We are holding a meeting with parents to hear their views."

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) said it could not comment on individual cases but said: "As a society we, almost without noticing it, are becoming more divided by race and religion and becoming more unequal by ethnicity."