A new £1 million school could be built if another infants school in the Harwich area shuts, it has been revealed.

Essex County Council is considering closing Little Oakley Infants School due to its lack of numbers.

However, if it shuts, nearby Ramsey Primary School would be in for £1.75 million improvements.

Dilys Patten, headteacher at Ramsey, said yesterday (Thursday) if the two schools were amalgamated, Ramsey would be in line for a major building scheme.

This is Essex has revealed how Little Oakley Infants School was under threat following a new review.

It follows a change in the way schools are funded and a broader national curriculum. All Saints Primary School in Great Oakley is the other school which could be affected.

Mrs Patten said there would be several benefits if Little Oakley's school was to join with Ramsey's.

She added: "It would mean the seven-year-olds would not have this break in their school life. They could start to go to school at four and go straight through.

"We would be getting a new building and getting away from this transition."

There are two full-time staff at Little Oakley and they would not lose their jobs if the move went ahead, she said.

Ramsey Primary School has 185 pupils and is 1.3 miles from the Little Oakley school. A series of public meetings are to be held to discuss the options.

Maureen Reddrop, headteacher at Little Oakley, said: "The village school is under increasing pressure as its budget is squeezed and it becomes harder to provide the broad and balanced curriculum that is required nowadays.

"A falling birth rate has damaging effects on our funding and our limited site prevents expansion."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.