It's official '“ schools to merge

Schools' adjudicator, Canon Richard Lindley, has ruled that The Glade infant and Michael Ayres junior schools can join together.

He backed West Sussex County Council's plans to merge the schools on September 1, 2010 in a new building.

Canon Lindley noted the advantages that are likely to arise from the amalgamation and the high level of support for the proposal.

Schools' adjudicators are independent of the government. They look afresh at all cases referred to them and consider each case on its merits.

The decision enables the county council to move ahead with the merger plans.

Closing The Glade will enable a new Bognor Regis Community College to be partly built on its site off Westloats Lane.

The new version of The Glade will be built off the campus's South Way entrance alongside the existing Michael Ayres and incorporate the junior school, which will be knocked down once the new community college is constructed.

The current infant school is likely to be closed in the summer of 2008 to enable the new community college to be opened the following year.

Creating a school to combine The Glade and Michael Ayres is likely to cost about 8m.

The new community college will be funded with a 35m government grant.