WORK started on the new Radcliffe Primary School this week.

As decided last year, Radcliffe Infant School and Radcliffe Junior School will be unified to tackle the problem of falling pupil numbers.

The two schools are located next to each other on Coronation Road and on Monday (June 2) builders began relocating the nursery. The work is due to be completed by the end of the summer term.

Following that, the two schools will be physically linked, a new entrance and administrative area will be built, the existing nursery will be converted into a central staff room and there will be other internal adaptations.

It is anticipated that all the work will be done by December, but the newly named Radcliffe Primary School will open at the beginning of the autumn term.

Education chiefs spent months looking at the increasing number of unfilled primary school places caused by fewer birth rates across the borough. Fewer pupils meant less cash for the schools.

Radcliffe Infant Schools can cater for 230 pupils and Radcliffe Junior School 293. But last year there were only 149 infants and 266 juniors. By 2006 it was estimated the schools would have had just 153 and 201 pupils respectively.

The decision to unite the school was backed by parents, the governing bodies and residents.

Junior school headteacher Glen Webb, who will be the headteacher of the new school, said: "The schools are next to each other and work together closely. Parents and pupils will notice no difference and we will continue to provide a good education."