SCHOOLCHILDREN past and present are invited to a grand gala on Saturday, July 13, to mark the end of an era -- as two Bamber Bridge primary schools merge.

St Saviour's CofE in Church Road and Bamber Bridge Methodist School, in Wesley Street, are amalgamating due to falling numbers, according to Lesley Frearson, associate headteacher for St Saviour's.

From September this year pupils will be wearing a new school uniform of navy and gold as they start the new term in their new voluntary aided school -- Cuerden Church School -- due to be based at the two current school buildings.

St Saviour's premises will be used to teach key stage one infants, aged four to seven years, and the juniors will be taught at the Wesley Street complex.

In the future an extension could be made to the schools or a new building built, according to Denise Sanderson, who has been headteacher of Bamber Bridge Methodist School for four years.

The school will be mixed denominational with governors responsible for ten per cent of the funding. The remaining costs will be met by the Department of Education and Skills (DFES).

Mrs Frearson has been in charge of St Saviour's for just over a year. She said: "It is a historic moment. The school has been open since 1837 and we would love to see former pupils and teachers especially if they have stories, photographs or an old school tie."

The gala day which will be held at St Saviour's from 1.30pm on July 13 with South Ribble Mayor, Councillor David Pownall popping in for a visit.

Mrs Frearson will move to another school along with some of the four class teachers who work alongside her, while Mrs Sanderson will govern Cuerden Church School.

Mrs Sanderson said: "The falling numbers resulted in mixed age classes at both schools. Bamber Bridge Methodist School had only five classes for four to 11 year olds."