A NURSERY school is to be closed and the service transferred to a nearby primary school after a council gave the plan the go ahead.

Members of Hartlepool Borough Council’s children’s services committee agreed to close Seaton Carew Nursery School and extend the age range of the village’s Holy Trinity C of E Primary School.

Councillors were told that Seaton Carew Nursery School in Brompton Walk is under-performing, it has surplus places and is no longer considered to be financially viable.

A purpose-built nursery with places for 26 children will now be built on the Holy Trinity site as part of a completely new school, which is due to be completed in 2015.

The new nursery arrangements will come into effect from the start of the 2014/15 academic year, starting in September.

Councillor Chris Simmons, committee chairman, said: “An opportunity has arisen which will enable us to build a brand new nursery at Holy Trinity C of E Primary School and provide a much better standard of education to local children from the earliest possible age.”

Amanda Baines, headteacher at Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, said: “Whilst it will be sad to see the nursery close, the future of education for children aged 3-11 in Seaton Carew is entering a very exciting period and the benefits of the new arrangements will be considerable.

“We are going to have brand new facilities which will enable us to provide seamless, high-quality education to children right across the age range. We will be a proper school community, like other primary schools in the town.”

The decision to close Seaton Carew Nursery School follows a lengthy consultation process last year.