FORMAL discussions about whether to merge two schools in Wallingford will start early next year.

An Oxfordshire County Council review has recommended investigating a merger between St Nicholas CofE Infants’ School and Fir Tree Junior School.

The schools need to expand to cope with the town’s expected population growth.

And education chiefs say a combined school catering for all children from rising fives to 11 would fit better with current education practice.

Consultations are due to start in February.

Fir Tree’s Radnor Road site has room for expansion, to cope with children from the hundreds of extra homes set to be built in the town.

Michael Waine, county cabinet member for school improvement, said: “There is no preconceived idea that this will lead to the integration of the two schools.

“There is no hidden plan behind this.”

St Nicholas governors’ chairman Phillipa Bomford said that the priority must be to give Wallingford’s children the best-possible education.

She added: “At the moment, I think we’re doing that.

“We’ve got fantastic staff, it is a superb school, and Fir Tree is very good as well.

“At the moment, we have absolutely no idea what the proposals will be.

“I’ve learnt over the years not to start reacting before we know what is proposed.

“I would say to parents there is no point in speculating, because none of us know what the proposals will be.”

But St Nicholas parent Aidan Hanswell, 38, warned that any attempt to close the school – which Ofsted inspectors described as one of the best in the county – and combine both schools on the Fir Tree site would meet strong opposition.

He said: “I’m not in a position to know what the outcome of this will be, but it seems crazy to meddle for what would be very little gain.”