PLANS to merge two Hampshire schools are set to go ahead.

Hampshire County Council education bosses are pressing ahead with the proposal to merge The Quilley School with Crestwood College following a consultation with staff, pupils and parents.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo parents were told about the plan to effectively close Quilley and expand Crestwood to encompass the Quilley site.

PICTURES: Can you spot yourself in our gallery of pictures from Quilley School over the years?

In a report to the council, officers said the Quilley school had not been performing well against government measures over the past three years and that with only 335 pupils on roll it was less than half full.

Both sites were needed, said officers, to accommodate the forecasted increase in students coming into secondary education.

Krista Dawkins, headteacher of Crestwood, has now assumed the role of executive headteacher at Quilley.

As reported the headteacher of Quilley Chris McShane left with the deputy head carrying out duties on an interim basis.

She will continue to oversee the day-to-day running of the Quilley site under the title of Head of School.

As part of the consultation a number of meetings were held with parents who voiced their concern over pupils working across a split site and the inevitable disruption forming a 'new school' would cause.

According to the results of the consultation across all those who contributed a narrow margin disagreed with the proposal, although when broken down parents from both schools were slightly more in favour of the merger.

The report does not make clear whether some jobs will be lost as a result of the move as it states that "most Quilley staff with transfer to the amalgamated school" with a consultation planned for those staff who will be affected.

Under the new arrangements school bosses have pledged that current Quilley pupils will continue their education at the Quilley site.

If enough applications for places at Quilley for the next academic year, thought to be around 70, are received a year 7 cohort will be based at Quilley site. If not Year 7 pupils who have been offered a place at Quilley will be transported to the Crestwood site to join their peers and returned at the end of the day.

Students at both schools will also have the same hours with the school day lasting from 8.30am to 2.50pm.

Author of the report Chris Holt, programme manager for Children's Services says: "Both Quilley and Crestwood's governing bodies have carefully considered the proposed amalgamation and support it, recognising that the amalgamation offers the opportunity to create one shared vision for secondary age pupils in the area of Eastleigh which the schools serve, with the aim of providing consistency, high aspirations and expectations and a drive for excellence."

Notices of the plan will now be formally published before a final decision is taken in March.