Departure paves way for schools merger

Wedderburn Infant and Nursery School and Woodlands Community Junior School will become one school from next Easter – allowing pupils to move on from key stage one to two without having to move to a new site.

Woodlands head Richard Whiteley retires next Easter and governors of both schools felt it was the ideal opportunity for a merged school offering places for 3-11 year olds with about 500 pupils on roll.

Helen Davey, currently in charge of Wedderburn infants, will be in charge. She said: "This is a very exciting opportunity. The new primary curriculum comes on stream in 2011 so this is an opportune time for everybody to be working together.

"The transition from key stage one to two will be a lot smoother for our children. We strongly believe this is the right thing for them, which is at the heart of everything we are doing."

She underlined there would be continuity and progression for children, and the new school would offer better professional development for staff.

"The two schools have worked very closely together over the years and the move to one school gives us the chance to be the best that we can be," she added.

County Councillor Jim Clark, North Yorkshire's Executive Member for Schools, said: "The two schools share the same site on Wetherby Road and already work together in many ways. The short-term additional funding we are making available will help with the transition to one school."Vibrant schools make for vibrant communities and we believe the new school will provide the best possible education for our children."