TWO Brampton schools are to merge in less than a year s time to create a new primary school. Cambridgeshire County Council s Cabinet agreed yesterday (Tuesday) to close Brampton Infant and Junior Schools on August 31, 2007 and create a new primary school

TWO Brampton schools are to merge in less than a year's time to create a new primary school.

Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet agreed yesterday (Tuesday) to close Brampton Infant and Junior Schools on August 31, 2007 and create a new primary school on the sites of the existing schools.

The new school for pupils between the ages of four and 11, would primarily serve residents of Brampton.

The merger comes at a time when both schools are suffering from dwindling pupil numbers.

Pupil numbers at both schools have fallen from 560 in 2000/01 to 431 in January of this year. Forecasts indicate these are likely to fall even further by 2011.

The new school will provide 420 places, which are expected to be sufficient to cater for the current and future needs of the area.

The plans will now undergo a six-week consultation period ending on November 9.

If there are no written objections during this period, the council's cabinet will be asked to finally determine the proposal on December 5.

If objections are raised, it would be determined instead by the independent School Organisation Committee for Cambridgeshire (SOC) which holds its next meeting on December 7.

Councillor Roy Pegram, cabinet member for resources and planning, said: "Dwindling pupil numbers in the Brampton area mean it makes perfect sense to bring together the strengths of the existing separate schools to form an all-through primary school.

"We have the support of both governing bodies, and I am delighted cabinet has now approved the plans too."

The proposal is in line with Cambridgeshire County Council's policy of amalgamating infant schools with their feeder junior schools. This has already been achieved successfully with a number of schools throughout Cambridgeshire.