PLANS to set up a new 'superschool' at Abingdon by merging Dunmore and Fitzharrys schools seem to be fading fast.

Many parents are worried by the suggestion of creating a school for three to 19-year-olds by combining Dunmore Infants, Junior and Fitzharrys schools - and have been promised their opposition will be heeded.

Another option is merging the two Dunmore schools into an all-through primary.

Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for school improvement, pledged: "Should consultation responses continue to show little support for the 3-19 option, I will expect officers to be recommending to the cabinet in January that this option should not be adopted.

"This view is shared by the headteacher and governors of Fitzharrys."

Mr Waine said it was important that the public consultation on both options continued until December 22 so that everyone had an opportunity to respond.

The status quo was not an option, said Mr Waine, as it was judged, from a range of evidence, not to be the way to secure and sustain effective leadership of the junior school for the future.

He said: "Governors and staff of the junior school, officers and councillors are clear that the school should continue to concentrate its efforts on moving the school out of special measures next summer."

He added: "Whatever the outcome of the consultation, primary education will continue on the existing sites and there will be little, if any, disruption to the children, who will be taught by the same teachers in the same classrooms."

A member of the Dunmore Action Committee, Bruce Kennedy, said: "We are pleased to see that the Fitzharrys option is looking unlikely to go much further.

"Now we have to concentrate our efforts on seeing that we get the best possible outcome for our children in a new merged Junior and Infants school."

  • Tomorrow morning, parents and children from both the junior and infants schools will be singing Christmas carols in the Market Place. Shoppers will be asked to add their names to a petition calling for the council to abandon its option for a 3-19 school. There will also be a display of posters which the children have produced illustrating what they love about the two schools.