A NEW school will be created in Church Hill north after the proposed merger of Ravens Bank and Marlfield Farm first schools cleared its final hurdle.

Worcestershire County Council received no objections during the formal notice period advertising the proposal, which means the issue does not need to be discussed by the independent School Organisational Committee.

The governors from both schools approached the county council last year to look at the possibility of amalgamating the schools because of dramatically decreasing pupil numbers.

After assessing both sites, it was decided that Ravens Bank would be the most suitable for a merged school.

Both schools will close on August 31 and a new school will open on the Ravens Bank site on September 1.

County policy officer for schools Alison Cartwright said: "Even though there were no objections at this point, I'd still like to thank everyone who contributed to the discussion and consultation on the future of these two schools.

"Hopefully the new school will receive the level of support it now needs to thrive and flourish."

A temporary governing body has been established and the temporary governors will soon look at appointing a headteacher.

A name for the new school has yet to be chosen. The responsibility for choosing will fall on the temporary governing body.

Both schools were earmarked for closure in the Redditch Review of 1998 but strength of feeling in both communities was so strong that they were omitted from the final list of closures.