BRAMPTON S infant and junior schools are to be merged next September – to the universal approval of villagers. Cambridgeshire County Council, which runs the the schools, received not a single objection to the proposed merger, which follows a pattern of co

BRAMPTON'S infant and junior schools are to be merged next September - to the universal approval of villagers.

Cambridgeshire County Council, which runs the the schools, received not a single objection to the proposed merger, which follows a pattern of combining primary schools on the same site.

Together, the two schools have 420 pupils, which the council regards as the ideal size for a primary school. The two will close next August and re-open a month later as one in time for the new entry of reception children.

There are now just 15 pairs of "couplet" schools in Cambridgeshire, including Huntingdon, Hartford, Crosshall in Eaton Socon, Priory in St Neots, Sawtry, Thorndown in St Ives, Eastfield and Westfield in the same town and the junior school and Spinning Infants in Ramsey.

CCC's organisation and planning officer Michael Irons said Huntingdon and Hartford would not be joined, because the combined schools would have too many pupils. But the others might when the time was right, such as if one of the heads left and the governors believed merger would be beneficial.

A programme of improvements is planned for the new Brampton school, including a covered walkway between the two buildings.