TWO primary schools which have provided education to children in Melksham since the 1830s will merge onto one site under plans approved this week.

Lowbourne Junior School and St Michael's Primary School will become a single primary school in September.

As part of the plans Lowbourne Infant and Nursery School, which takes children up to seven years old, will expand to become a primary school.

The proposals were approved by Wiltshire County Council on Monday and will result in either Lowbourne Junior or St Michael's Primary School being sold, with all children moving to the remaining site, and profits used to improve the combined building.

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said: "Lowbourne Junior and St Michael's Primary will collaborate closely together as separate schools until September 2005.

"At that point, they will become a single primary school. Initially, the school will have a single governing body and headteacher, but will be split across the two existing sites.

"The aim is to move as quickly as possible to the sale of one of the sites to provide funding for replacement, extended and improved buildings at both the primary schools.

"It has not yet been decided which site should be retained and which should be sold."

Both schools were placed in special measures last year, after failing Ofsted inspections, but Lowbourne Junior, on Ruskin Avenue, was removed from special measures in December, two months early.

Beverley Martin, headteacher of St Michael's, will become head of the merged school. She said: "I am committed to retaining and building on the strengths which already exist as well as developing a creative and innovative school which prepares our children for their future."

Mark Bartlett, deputy head teacher at Lowbourne Junior School, said the students would recommend a name for the new school and the colour for the new uniform.

The approved plans mean Lowbourne Infant and Nursery School will become a fully-fledged primary school.

Headteacher Annetta Hemmins said: "It's something we have been wanting for a number of years."

She said the changes would benefit children, who would no longer have to move schools halfway through their primary education and revealed plans to increase the size of the playground and add a new playing field.

The school has appealed to parents to come up with a new name. Suggestions made so far have included Parkside Primary and Kings Park Primary.

Mrs Hemmins said: "We are aiming to have a big party to mark the end of Lowbourne Infants because it has a long history."