PARENTS of children at a Worcester school fear it could be next to be swallowed up by its bigger neighbour.

Warndon infants could follow its counterpart in Ronkswood by merging with its adjacent junior school.

And already a petition against the move has attracted 180 signatures since it was drawn up yesterday morning.

It is understood letters have gone out to parents informing them about the possibility when the current headteacher leaves at Christmas.

Worcestershire County Council confirmed a merger was possible because it believed combined primary schools were better.

Parent governor Mark Brookes, who has two daughters at Warndon infants and a son at the junior school, said his biggest concern was how large and anonymous an enlarged school would be.

"The last thing we want to do is see our children suffer

in an amalgamated, larger school," he said.

"There are 86 children with special needs at the infants' school. We're worried that, within a much larger structure, some of those are going to slip through the net.

"I sincerely hope the authority will listen to us but at the moment we just don't know where we stand."

A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said the authority was "duty-bound to explore ways in which educational environments can be improved".

"We believe primary schools are a better option than infant and junior schools," he said.

"We will therefore ask the county council's cabinet in September if they wish to go out to consultation on a possible merger.

"If they do, we will ask parents, governors and staff what they think of such proposals. If they don't, we will drop the idea."

Ronkswood Infants' School is to close at the end of this week, coinciding with the retirement of its headteacher Janet Cope.

The Warndon Infants' School headteacher, Margaret Probett, announced she would be leaving at Christmas, which parents feared would trigger merger talks.