A UNIT for badly behaved youngsters and a school for children with emotional problems are set to open on the sites of two former schools in Matchborough.

A pupil referral unit for children who have been expelled from mainstream school, face expulsion or are persistent truants, is to open up on the site of the former Claybrook First School

And Redgrove School, for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, is set to re-locate to the site of Icknield First School after original plans to build it on the former Bridley Moor High School site were quashed.

A report into the feasibility of moving Redgrove to Icknield instead of Bridley Moor explained: "Icknield First School is deemed to be a better educational option than Bridley Moor as it is more self contained, has its own hall and playing fields.

"It will be close to the Key Stage 2/3 Pupil Referral Unit provision due to be re-located to the former Claybrook First School.

"Redgrove parents are also likely to prefer the re-location of the school to the Icknield site rather than Bridley Moor."

Worcestershire County Councillor Colin Beardwood said: "We've agreed to press on with the Icknield site and dispose of the Bridley Moor High School site.

"It will go for an open bid and somebody looking to build houses will probably buy the site."

He added: "The playing fields will remain and some of them will go to Birchensale Middle School."