SENIOR staff at a controversial Bournemouth free school have revealed plans to "potentially recruit" overseas students to boost numbers.

Plans to open a sixth form and to offer the International Baccalaureate diploma at Parkfield School were put on hold last year due to low student numbers.

But minutes from a governors' meeting held at Parkfield School in February show plans to encourage overseas students to take up places at the school's proposed new site.

The minutes also revealed that Principal Terry Conaghan wanted to change the school name and re-brand it.

Mr Conaghan said: "Student recruitment is a high priority on the agendas of all schools and academies and it is particularly important for us as we relocate to our new site in September 2016 and as a school which is relatively new and still growing.

"The move to our permanent site also gives us the perfect opportunity to promote and market the school to a new audience."

He said plans to change the name and re-brand the school have been shelved.

"Although a discussion was had about rebranding and possibly renaming the school we have decided to put that on hold for the time being in order to consult with all stakeholders more widely before any decision is made."

Parkfield School is currently housed in temporary accommodation in Dorset House, a former office block in Christchurch Road, Bournemouth town centre.

A new site has been identified for the school in a former air traffic control centre at Bournemouth airport and Mr Conaghan confirmed it is due to open in September this year.

The move had been delayed following the discovery of a colony of bats, the school said.

Mr Conaghan confirmed he will be retiring in August 2017 after students and staff have settled at their new location.