INFANT and junior schools across Southend could be merged to make them more cost-effective.

Southend Council will review each infant and junior school in the borough over the next 14 years with a view to merging them into either primary schools or foundation schools.

Primary schools have one headteacher and one pot of money, whereas foundation schools have a controlling governing body, but separate heads and budgets for the infant and junior schools.

Roger Hadley, councillor responsible for education, said each school’s circumstances would be taken into account when deciding what to do with them.

Mr Hadley said: “With infant schools, we are looking into the future and maybe amalgamating them to form primary schools or foundation schools.

“If there is a change in a school’s circumstances, then the borough would review it and look at whether amalgamation or a foundation school is the right way forward.

“It depends on the circumstances, such as a head retiring. The schools would probably remain on the same sites if they were amalgamated.”

Mr Hadley said larger schools are more cost effective and smaller schools proportionally cost more.

The council’s Primary Strategy For Change programme states its preference for primary schools, rather than separate infant and junior schools.

There are eight junior and nine infant schools in Southend, and the review mentions Barons Court Infant School in Westcliff as an example of a separate infant school with no partner junior school whose future would be examined.

It states: “Most, but not all pupils transfer in Year 3 to the nearby Milton Hall Primary School. The Primary Strategy for Change represents an opportunity to consider the future of Barons Court, with a preference for a primary school.”

The programme also aims to review the organisation of schools below 200 pupils, but Mr Hadley said there were no plans to close smaller schools.