RADCLIFFE'S two high schools could be officially amalgamated following the failure to attract millions of pounds for a new school.

Education bosses say they will consult over the summer term on formal proposals to amalgamate Coney Green and Radcliffe High by September 2004.

If approved, pupils would continue to be taught at both sites, but only initially: the ultimate plan is still to create a single high school in the town.

At the moment, the schools are becoming "federated" under the executive headship of Coney Green head teacher Diana Morton. It means they keep their separate names and their governing bodies. This, though, will end with amalgamation: there will be one set of governors, and a new name for the combined school.

As reported in last week's Bury Times, a bid for £37.5 million of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) money (some £12.2 million of which was to be spent building a new high school in Radcliffe) was unsuccessful.

Councillor Steve Perkins, executive member for lifelong learning, said that this failure was a blow, but not fatal.

"The federation will see the two schools working closely to raise standards for the benefit of all pupils in Radcliffe," he said.

"Now though, as a result of discussions between the Local Education Authority (LEA) and the governing bodies of the two schools, it has been agreed that a proposal be examined to formally amalgamate them from September 2004. That being the case, we will be consulting with all interested parties during the forthcoming summer term."

Coun Perkins said it remained the objective of the council and the governors to have a new building. He said discussions were taking place with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on alternative funding sources for the Radcliffe project.

"I'm determined to get it, we need it," he said. "2006 is still our target date, and I hope we will move into the new school from the existing two sites: I do not foresee having to shut either Coney Green or Radcliffe and move into the other."

The Radcliffe councillor said that admissions to the two existing schools would be reduced over the next few years, from a combined pupil roll of 1,200 to 900, the size of the proposed new school. This ties in with the LEA's strategic review of secondary school provision, which will begin in the summer.

"A strong wave of expectation has been generated in Radcliffe," he added. "We are keen to see that expectation become a reality."