The county council said there had been a "high level" of support for its proposals to merge five infant and junior schools into two "all-through" primaries, while Lyminster Infant School would also be developed into a fully-fledged primary.

However, the council admitted there had been a "relatively low level" response during the consultation, with a total of just 116 replies out of the many hundreds of parents, staff and governors.

The first proposal, to merge Arun Vale Infant, Connaught Junior and Elm Grove Infant schools was supported by 83 per cent of those responding, with 17 per cent against. A similar percentage of people backed the extended age range for Lyminster Infant School.

An even greater proportion, 88 per cent, were in favour of Wickbourne Infant and Flora McDonald Junior schools being reorganised into an all-through primary school.

Among the concerns raised by opponents to the scheme were the creation of larger, more impersonal schools, and the possibility that removing the intake of Lyminster pupils from the new Wickbourne/Flora McDonald school would make that school unviable.

Confident

The county council has pledged to invest £10m in the schools if the reorganisation goes ahead and, following this initial consultation, the proposals will now be formally advertised and there will be a further six weeks' consultation in the autumn, before a final decision is taken in November.

Pat Arculus, West Sussex county council cabinet member for children and young people's services, said: "The next stage of consultation is another opportunity for views to be expressed but I am confident we are moving in the right direction and that these changes will be a huge boost for primary education in Littlehampton."

The county council has proposed the changes in response to research, which it claimed showed children make better progress if they changed school less often, although this was challenged by supporters of Arun Vale Infant School who opposed the changes.

Other factors behind the reorganisation include a significant fall in the number of children living in the area, a national trend, and the need to invest in school buildings to bring them up to modern standards.

If the plans are approved in November, the new schools would be in operation from September, 2011. St Catherine's Catholic Primary School is not affected by the reorganisation.

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