EDUCATION chiefs will today decide the fate of two Newton Aycliffe primary schools which could be merged.

Durham County Council is considering closing Elmfield and Stephenson Way Primary Schools and amalgamating the two into a new community primary school.

It would be located in the existing school buildings at Stephenson Way, which would be given a £350,000 revamp.

Both schools have a high number of surplus places - 86 at Elmfield (57.3 per cent) and 101 at Stephenson Way (25.8 per cent) - which the Government considers to be "a poor use of resources".

Education bosses believe that moving the 60 remaining pupils at Elmfield to Stephenson Way will be more cost- efficient and secure the long-term future of that school.

But parents from Elmfeld will attend today's meeting of the school organisation committee, at Durham Leadership Centre in Spennymoor, to make an 11th hour plea not to close their children's school.

Maggie Atterby, a governor and lunchtime assistant at Elmfield, which her two sons attend, said: "We are not completely opposed to an amalgamation because we know the schools cannot survive with falling numbers.

"The parents and children love this school and the teachers are marvellous. It is situated in the middle of a great community and we will fight all the way to save our school."

Headteacher Steve Walker said: "We are both good schools and the children do really well - that is not the issue.

"I'll be sad to see the school close if that is what happens."

Some parents and residents of the town called for the new school to be on the Elmfield site because its building is in better condition and farther from a busy road. But the committee says Stephenson Way is already big enough to accommodate all the pupils and that integrated childcare services, including a nursery and SureStart family centre, are also on-site.

Headteacher Barry Dobson said: "We have no wish to see local schools close but we need more children and this could secure our future and see the building improved."