WORRIED parents in Melksham fear their children's education could suffer as a result of a proposed education shake-up in the town.

Governors at Lowbourne Infants School have approached Wiltshire County Council about becoming a primary school, while Lowbourne Junior School and St Michael's Primary School, both of which have been placed in special measures after failing Ofsted inspections, have been discussing the possibility of a merger.

This means that the three schools could become two primary schools by September 2005, with one site being sold off to finance extensions and improvements at the other two.

Anxious parents were at a meeting at the infants' school on Tuesday to voice their concerns about the proposals.

One father said: "What seems to be happening is we have a very successful school here merging with two failing schools.

"I'm concerned that this school will be dragged down to the level of the other two."

Stephanie Donovan, assistant director of education at Wiltshire County Council, reassured parents at the meeting that nothing will be done without consultation with them.

She said: "No decisions have been made. We are looking at the schooling in this side of the Melksham area and three schools are involved in that."

If a merger went ahead consultation processes mean it could not happen until 2005 at the earliest, which means that children due to move from Lowbourne Infants to the junior school this year could face having to move again a year later.

Parent Jayne Rendell has collected 32 signatures on a petition amongst parents of children in their final year at the infants school who want them to simply stay on at the school from September 2004, if it is decided it will convert to a primary the following year.

She said: "I don't understand why our children can't just stay here."

Wiltshire County Council is carrying out a feasibility study looking at the sites of St Michael's and Lowbourne Juniors to see which would be the most suitable if a merger were to go ahead and the report is due to be completed in April.

This will then be followed by a six-week consultation period with parents at all the schools.

Nigel Pugh, chairman of governors at Lowbourne Infants School, said: "What we are now looking at is how we put all three schools together so as to develop an education setting for the future for the children in all three catchment areas."