Parents in York received letters this afternoon telling them of proposals to close Oaken Grove Primary and Shipton Street Infant Schools.

The proposals, which are to be considered by City of York councillors next week, follow public consultations during the autumn.

Oaken Grove, which is three quarters full, would close in 2002 under the plans and children would move on to one of the other three primary schools in Haxby and Wigginton.

The closure of Shipton Street would see its children going to Kingsway Junior School from 2002, with Kingsway developing into a primary school.

A new joint headteacher would be appointed from September 2001. Burton Green Infant School would also become a primary, serving the other side of Clifton and taking in more children from Water Lane.

The council is also proposing to merge Westfield Junior and Infant Schools in Acomb from 2001 and to close Northfield Special School's nursery, which has no pupils and no demand for places.