TEN Southampton schools will merge in a major shakeup of the city’s education system.

City education chief Councillor Sarah Bogle last night gave final approval to plans to combine five infant schools and five junior schools.

Some of the changes will come into effect from September 1.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, consultation was carried out earlier this year on the plans.

At last night’s Cabinet meeting, Cllr Bogle described the changes as an “incredibly important decision” for education in Southampton.

The changes will see the ten schools become five primary schools.

Bitterne Park Infant School will be discontinued and merged with Bitterne Park Junior from September 1 onwards, while Tanners Brook Junior and Tanners Brook Infant will also merge on September 1.

Oakwood Infant and Oakwood Junior, and Heathfield Junior and Valentine Infant will combine on January 1 next year, while St Monica Junior and St Monica Infant will become a primary school on April 1.

Speaking at the meeting, Oakwood Junior School head teacher Ian Taylor said he and other heads welcomed the news.

He said: “We want to be the best Oakwood school we can be and we feel that this gives us the opportunity to be greater than the sum of our parts.”

Although the changes do not require a large amount of expenditure from the council, there will be some costs incurred in making changes to IT, telephone, fire alarm and security systems as well as insignia and signs, and Mr Taylor pleaded with council chiefs to pump in extra funding for the changeover.

Council leader Simon Letts said the possibility of granting extra funding will be looked into.

Cllr Bogle said: “The main driver for this is to improve education in the city and I think all educationalists want the city to have the best education it can.”