THE future of Falmouth's last separate infant and junior schools looks uncertain this week as plans to bring the two under one management appear set to go ahead.

The amalgamation of Beacon Junior and Beacon Infant schools into a one "all through" school will be put to the public in a consultation process starting with an open meeting next week. If no formal objections are heard the two schools will be under a single name by 2005.

The move will bring economic and teaching benefits although there could be staff losses.

The two schools cater for a huge catchment taking in the densely populated areas of Old Hill and Penwerris. Beacon Junior, with 202 pupils, is led by head teacher Richard Carter, and the infant school, with 138 children excluding nursery places, by Dr Suzi Clipson-Boyles.

Both heads were advised not to speak to the press this week about the proposals, which stem from years of falling enrolment figures in all Falmouth schools with a total of 174 spare places between the two Beacon schools alone.

Forecasts show the number of children attending the Beacon schools is due to fall considerably further from its current figure over the next five years.

Supporters of the scheme say that by bringing the two schools together it will help tackle the problem and provide more continuity for children as well as making more efficient use of resources by having a single governing body.

Vice-chairman and secretary of the parents group Tracy Rolling, said she was largely in favour of the scheme. " I can see why they are doing it because the numbers are falling. You can see it when you go into school and see all the empty classrooms," she said.

Mrs Rolling said that fundraising for the schools would become easier if they were merged, as there was currently "not a lot of comradeship" between the two schools' efforts.

"As far as it will affect the children I'm going to wait and see," said Mrs Rolling whose own children attend the school. "I know when my three came across to the juniors they found it quite a shock. Maybe if it's one school it will be easier for them. I can't see that bringing them together is going to be a bad thing."

LEA governor Gerald Chin-Quee from Old Hill, said: "I think it's a highly sensible idea that will benefit everybody, even down to the fairly mundane things like parents not having to buy new uniforms.

"The governors haven't taken a formal position on this yet but I haven't heard anybody against it. It will make the working of the school more efficient I am sure," he said.

If merged, staff numbers at the new school will be similar to the present level, but the LEA has warned that if pupil numbers continue to decline redundancies may be necessary. They are expected to come with retirement or voluntary redundancy.

No additional classrooms will be required if the plans go ahead although the LEA intends to build a £450,000 Neighbourhood Nursery at the junior school site in addition to the nursery class already at the infants school.

The public meeting is due on Wednesday, January 28 at 7pm at Beacon Junior School. A final decision is due in June.