Plans have been approved for two Nottinghamshire primary schools to merge into one – and the new school will open in September.
The Lanes Primary School will be opened occupying both sites of the Meadow Lane Infant School, Meadow Lane, Chilwell, and College House Primary School, Cator Lane, Chilwell.
It will open on September 1 for the next academic year and the Meadow Lane site will be used for reception and year one pupils, for children aged four to six.
Reception children were based at both sites and the merger will mean they will be all together at the Meadow Lane building.
While year two to year six pupils – aged seven to 11 – will be based at the Cator Lane site.
A new uniform and school logo have been designed and uniforms are available to order.
Jo Revill, head teacher of the Meadow Lane Infant School, was appointed as the head for The Lanes Primary School in March by a selection panel; she is currently the interim head teacher of both schools.
The merger was approved by the secretary of state and a temporary governing body was set up to manage the amalgamation until a permanent body is set up in September.
Rachel Briody is one of the governors and says the merger means there will be more room in the playground for children based at the Meadow Lane site at lunch time.
She said: “This year there’s been reception children at the Cator Lane site and at Meadow Lane. It [the merger] means all the reception children and year groups are together.
“It [the merger] secures the financial future of the two schools because as one big school there will be efficiency savings we can make going forward and allow us to move teachers across sites.”
Nottinghamshire County Council said the consultation on the merger of the two schools was completed on June 4.
Jonathan Smith, the council’s planning officer, added “there were no responses or objections to the consultation”.
Both schools have worked in temporary partnership since September 2015.
Meadow Lane Infant School currently has around 210 pupils while the College House Primary School has around 327.
The Lanes Primary School will have an increased capacity of 630 children.
The Meadow Lane site will have seven classes for reception and year one children.
While year two children will study in three classrooms at the Cator Lane site which were built in September last year but never used, while years three to six will study in the main building.
There will be two mixed age group classes, one on each site, with a reception and year one class and year three and four class.
But the mixed classes are hoped to be phased out in the future.
Ms Briody added: “They’ll have a much nicer transition year in year two and in the three new classrooms before they move to the main building at the Cator Lane site.
“We will have nice round numbers of 30 pupils in each year group. At the moment both schools have some mixed-year classes.
“The amalgamation means we will have a couple [of mixed-age classes] but the transition will remove the mixed-year classes in the future – which is better for the children.”
As part of the amalgamation, both Meadow Lane and College House will formally close before The Lanes Primary School opens.
Ms Briody said the schools will hold an event on July 7 for ex-pupils to share memories about their time at the schools before they close.
Uniforms can be purchased from Morleys School Outfitters, Bramcote Avenue, and TGR Embroidery, Attenborough Lane.
Uniforms will comprise of blue sweatshirts, cardigans, zip-up fleeces and blue or gingham dresses for girls.
The two schools will close on August 31, with the last day of the summer term being Friday, July 21.
The new school will open on September 1, with the first day of the academic year beginning on Wednesday, September 6.
