Glasgow City Council has approved proposals for the next phase of its strategy to improve educational benefits for the city’s primary and nursery children.

The strategy aims to reduce the number of children being taught in crumbling and under-occupied buildings by merging a number of primary schools and nurseries.

From August, 11 primary schools and nine nursery schools in Glasgow will close and pupils will move other establishments. One primary school – Barmulloch Primary School - will relocate.

At a special meeting of the full Council on Thursday, April 23, it was agreed that Ruchill Primary school and Autism Unit, Shawbridge Nursery school and Nithsdale Road Nursery school will remain open.

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As part of the strategy, the council will spend £5m on refurbishments at the receiving schools and nurseries and there will be no compulsory redundancies.

Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "We have had long experience of merging schools across the city and are confident the result provides a new school community that the parents and children feel is as much part of them as their previous school."

He added: "Over the last 10 years, the council has spent £550m to improve the condition and quality of its school buildings.

"In the past, when we have closed schools we have built new ones, but in the current global financial climate, we can’t afford to build new schools and nurseries, and can no longer use PPP."

It is forecast that through the school and nursery mergers, the council will achieve efficiencies of £2.29m in financial year 2009/10 rising to £3.72m in financial year 2010/11.

(GK/BMcc)