PLANS are being drawn up to merge three Darlington schools.

Governors, staff and parents of pupils have already been asked for their views on the merger of the nursery, infant and junior schools in Corporation Road.

Following the informal consultation, Geoffrey Pennington, Darlington Borough Council's director of education, is planning to formally apply for the merger.

If permission is granted, the new school would be made up of the three buildings in Corporation Road, with minor alterations.

The schools cater for 160 nursery, 130 primary and 203 junior age children.

Mr Pennington said: "Meetings have taken place with the schools and governors concerned and their comments encouraged. Parents have also been engaged in the informal consultation and invited to comment.

"As these schools have a high level of ethnic minority pupils, particular care is being taken to ensure all parents are made aware of the importance of the consultation process and comments encouraged."

The merger was suggested when a vacancy for the headteacher's post at Corporation Road Junior School was announced.

The new school would be called Corporation Community Primary School, and would aim to make the move through school less traumatic for young children and increase the continuity of education.

It would also help to reduce the number of surplus places at the schools.

Surplus places, which must still be funded by the Local Education Authority, have become a problem across the country as the number of children of school age continues to fall.

Mr Pennington said: "The school organisation committee has seen previous successful amalgamations of infant and junior schools in Darlington. This has resulted in new primary school provision at Skerne Park, Firthmoor and Alderman Leach primary schools.

"This has had a positive effect in reducing surplus places. However, the educational reasons for amalgamation are not always linked to the removal of surplus places.

"Continuity of education and the need to link nursery and infant education is also very important factor in the decision-making process.