Placard-waving children who have joined the fight to stop their schools being merged greeted education chiefs last night.

Three hundred parents, pupils, governors, and staff from Monkwick infant and junior schools met Essex County Council officers and councillors to air their views on the proposal.

The meeting was part of a review of primary-age schools in Colchester, which includes plans to amalgamate junior and infant schools.

At the fiery event parents said the two schools had good Ofsted reports and test results and they could see no educational need for a merger.

Four pupils presented officers and councillors with a petition against the plan.

The mother of three former pupils including international athlete Sarah Claxton, said: "The teachers are brilliant. The children were happy and I have never once heard them say they did not want to come to school. I ask them to think about this."

Other parents said they were worried about the children's safety during building work to create one school on the junior site, and the upheaval.

One major issue was the £150,000 one-year-old nursery school at the infants which, if the plan went ahead, would move to the new site.

One parent said classrooms in the proposed new school were smaller and there was not enough space for the children to be educated in.

"We haven't made the final decision," said AlanBarclay, county director of planning and pupil services.

Governors from both schools had already told Essex County Council they opposed the proposal. At an earlier meeting yesterday they said the new building would be unsuitable, and the review a "blunt and insensitive exercise aimed at pure cost saving".

To get Government cash to build new schools in developing parts of town, Essex County Council is looking to see where there are surplus places it can get rid off, such as at Monkwick, so it qualifies to bid for new investment.

The consultation period ends on February 18, and a final decision will be made on April 10.

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