A SOUTHAMPTON school has been saved from closure after education bosses yesterday decided to turn it into a primary.

Parents and governors who together fought a year-long campaign to save Moorlands Infant, pictured above, said they were delighted.

However, under the latest proposal to remove surplus places in the Townhill Park/ Bitterne area due to falling birth rates the 180 place Harefield Infant will close and amalgamate with the 238-place Harefield Junior. Architects have already assessed the junior site in Yeovil Chase as being suitable for the two Harefield schools to merge into a 210 place primary.

The number of places at Beechwood Junior School in Juniper Way will also be reduced from 360 to 240.

Around a dozen Moorlands supporters who lined the public gallery of the city council's chamber clapped after hearing Southamp-ton's executive member for education Coun-cillor Calvin Horner announce his decision.

"Becoming a primary will ensure that it (Moorlands) will continue to be able to offer its excellent standard of education at Key Stage 1 and excellent nursery provision," he said.

"It will be able to extend that to Key Stage 2 for older children."

The school in Kesteven Way, Bitterne, currently has 97 pupils aged four to seven and has a total of 180 places. By turning it into a primary for four to 11-year-olds it will have 210 places.

Parents' spokesman Jo Barnard told councillors: "I would like to officially thank you. I hope that in about five years' time Moorlands Primary will be the Wow factor you are looking for."

Cllr Horner said merging the two Harefield schools would provide "added continuity" for parents and teachers.

Money from the sale of the infant school will go towards building a new primary on the junior site.

"We are committed to providing the best possible education for the children of this city and that requires tough decisions to do that," he said.

Education bosses scrapped plans to amalgamate Glenfield Infant and Beechwood Junior or reduce the number of pupils at Townhill Junior School.

Cllr Horner said Beechwood's admission number was to be reduced because there would be less demand for junior places if Moorlands was a primary.

Any changes are to come into force in September 2006.

A separate consultation into school places in Millbrook and Redbridge is due to begin later this month because of falling numbers.