A CONTROVERSIAL merger of two schools looks set to go ahead despite fears voiced by parents that standards would be dragged down.

The plan to amalgamate Staples Road Infant and Junior Schools in Epping was put to a public meeting where parents had the opportunity to grill a panel of governors and council officers.

Introducing the scheme to a packed hall of parents, Essex County Council schools officer Graham Ranby said: “There's no such thing as a cosy amalgamation.

You can't just bring two schools together. You have to close both schools and open a new one.

“Both headteachers are retiring. That's brought the opportunity for the amalgamation of the schools.”

One mother said: “We have got three children. I know if you speak to any parents in the playground most of them will be honest and say they love the Infants, but the Juniors is a different matter. I think that's a huge problem if it's not addressed.

"I'm all for the amalgamation but it'll need a very strong headteacher.”

Another pointed out that, of the two schools, the Infants had a noticeably better Ofsted report than the Juniors.

Infant School governor Lyn Baber said: “We have very good teachers at both schools. What we have got to make sure is we have a good headteacher who can bring the best out of those teachers.”

After the meeting, long-standing Infant School governor Ken Faulkner, who resigned over the proposals, said he remained adamantly opposed.

He added: “I feel just as strongly as ever. They're going to get in a real muddle because they won't get things done on time. When they get a new headteacher they've got to spend time integrating themselves in and also work on integrating the two schools.

“It's going to be more of a management job than a teaching job. I don't see how they can give the same attention to the children.”

Advertisments for the new headteacher will be published after Christmas, and the successful candidate should be in place by the time current heads Melvyn Cardy and Anne Davison step down in September 2010.