Headteachers have accused a secondary school of greed for pressing ahead with expansion plans that could force Oxfordshire County Council to hand over £1m from its overstretched budget.

Matthew Arnold School, in Cumnor, Oxford, wants to increase its school roll by 200 pupils to 1,200 over a five-year period using legislation available to 'popular and successful schools'.

The scheme would attract a £500,000 Government grant towards new buildings at the school -- but the council would have to pay the balance of the building project.

Paula Taylor-Moore, head of the oversubscribed Didcot Girls' School, said she had considered using the legislation two years ago, until she realised other county schools could lose out. She said: "I don't think that what Matthew Arnold is doing is right. It's not moral if the most greedy grabs the largest slice of the cake.

"It's all very well saying 'I'm alright Jack', but we have a bigger responsibility, not just to the children in our care, but to the children of Oxfordshire, to make sure everybody gets a fair deal. I would condemn this move."

Andrew Hamilton, headteacher of Bartholomew School in Eynsham, added: "I think it's very sad that they are taking a decision that will generate a significant amount of concern among fellow heads and fellow schools.

"They are taking a view which looks after the best interests of Matthew Arnold without looking at the wider issues."

Janis Tilley, one of the acting heads at Matthew Arnold, said the school wanted to press ahead with the project so the new buildings were ready for next September.

She said: "During consultation, the only negative responses we had from parents were a result of misconceptions.

"There's been some dissent from other schools. There is a sense that they are miffed, but there are no grounds for objection -- as a successful and popular school we have a need for this.

"We have the problem of not having enough room for the children who are asking to come here.

"There are other successful and popular schools and this opportunity is open to everyone -- it's a level playing field."

Clive Hallett, the Oxfordshire branch secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "A popular school should be allowed to expand -- but if the system allows the school to take money away from the main education pot, that isn't right."

John Mitchell, the council's education spokesman said it had not yet received formal notice of the school's plans.

He said: "If such a formal proposal is received, the council will then consider whether or not to support the plans -- currently no decision has been taken on this matter.

"The council recognises the right of governors to make an application under this scheme, but also holds a responsibility for planning the school system across the county as a whole."