TWO Blackburn primary schools will merge this summer -- two years before their new school is built.

St Andrew's CE Primary, in Scotland Bank Terrace, and St Bartholomew's, in Bolton Road, will technically close this summer as part of a planned merger.

A new school, costing about £3m, will be built over the next two years in Ewood, on the Fernhurst Farm estate.

The new school is being built because housing development on the Fernhurst estate will increase the school population.

There is no room to expand St Bartholomew's on its present site and no access from the new housing to St Andrew's.

Head teacher designate Alison Taylor said: "Technically St Andrew's and St Bartholomew's will close for good this summer and the new school will come into existence in September.

"The school will operate on two sites for the first term and pupils will remain in their existing buildings.

"At the end of December, the St Andrew's site will close and pupils will transfer to the former St Bartholomew's site. They will stay on that site until the new school is built."

But the merger means that for two years 218 pupils will be forced on to one site, so four purpose-built temporary classrooms will be go up at St Bartholomew's.

This term, Alison will be working with the two existing acting head teachers to begin planning the merger of the two schools.

The name of the new school for 420 pupils is yet to be announced, although Ewood CE primary has been proposed.

It will be bigger than the two present schools and boast state-of-the-art facilities, including integrated ICT facilities, custom designed teaching areas, playing fields and a centre for worship next to the school.

It is due to open in 2006. The new school has been granted permission by the borough council to use accumulated balances from St Andrew and St Bartholomew School on closure in August 2004.

Ms Taylor, formerly deputy head at Cedars Infants School and head teacher of Hawthorns Junior School, Blackburn, added: "We will be having lots of joint events and activities for staff and pupils from both schools to get to know each other and they will run on until January 2005.

"We will also be looking at joint curriculum planning. Both schools are Church of England schools so share the same Christian ethos."