Plans to amalgamate an infant and junior school in Congresbury to create an all-through primary school have been given the go ahead by education chiefs.

North Somerset Council has decided to merge the Glebe Infants and St Andrew's Juniors in the village.

The decision will mean Glebe Infants will officially close on August 31 2009 and the new primary school will open on September 9.

A review into the future of the two schools, which sit on adjacent sites in Station Road, was launched in the summer and was prompted following the retirement of Glebe head teacher Sally Bingham.

It is council policy to review arrangements at schools which share the same site when circumstances at either change.

Staff, governors, the parish council, parents and pupils were consulted on the changes, with 91 per cent of people questioned backing the merger.

Education bosses spoke to pupils at both schools to ask their views.

Students said they backed the idea as it would mean the younger children could mix with the older ones and there would be more teachers and more playground space.

They also said it would be a good idea because it meant pupils with older siblings could see them at school.

But they also said they thought it was easier to get to know everyone in a small school.

Parents questioned on the merger said they felt it would improve education for students and that it would make the school more sustainable.

Glebe Infants has 80 pupils on its roll, while St Andrew's has 138 children.

The number of children expected to attend both schools by 2012 will reach 223, well within the council's guidelines which state any new school should be able to cater for up to 420 pupils.

The proposed merger could save the authority more than £117,000 in the financial year 2009-10, with the money used for capital projects, improving accommodation and updating school facilities.

Glebe Infants is a community school while St Andrew's has voluntary controlled status and the status of the new school is yet to be decided.

A formal period of consultation on the plans will be launched and a final decision will be made by the executive when it meets in February.

North Somerset Council executive member for children and young people's services, Councillor Jeremy Blatchford, said: "There have been peaks and troughs in the birth rate in Congresbury over the years and by changing to an all through primary, it will make the school more sustainable.

"Operationally it is far easier to have a primary school than a separate infant and juniors and it means we can make better use of our resources."