Children are settling down at their new-look merged school at Hempland Primary School in York.

Head teacher Kaye Ledger with junior pupils David Stead and Rachel Dales and infant pupils Rona Perry and Adam Pottage at Hempland Primary School

The school, in Whitby Avenue, Heworth, was created by a merger of the old infant and junior schools and building work to physically link the two was completed over the summer.

Head teacher Kaye Ledger, who was previously infants head, said the work had gone very smoothly.

"The pupils are absolutely thrilled. They feel like they're coming to a new school and we've had so many positive comments from parents."

A new central entrance has been built on to the front of the merged school, together with new administration offices and a new staff room.

Behind that is a new corridor connecting the two buildings. Previously the buildings were only linked by the kitchen.

The junior staff room and library have been converted to a new IT suite and the infant library has been extended.

Meanwhile, building work has begun at Copmanthorpe Junior and Infant Schools in preparation for their merger in the new year.

The two schools will open as one in January after a new block has been completed to link the two buildings.

And plans to link Yearsley Grove Junior and Infant Schools have been given the backing of governors and, if all goes to plan, should open as one school in September 2000.

The City of York Council has consulted in all three areas about the mergers because it is believed that children's education benefits from being at 5 - 11 primary schools.

In addition, new legislation requires that all schools have separate governing bodies and several pairs of infant and junior schools have traditionally had joint governors.

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