A change in plans to merge two Great Yarmouth Schools has been announced following a public consultation.

Eastern Daily Press: Dame Rachel de Souza, Inspiration Trust chief executive. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYDame Rachel de Souza, Inspiration Trust chief executive. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

In September the Inspiration Trust proposed merging Trafalgar College and Great Yarmouth Charter Academy.

However, the plan met with resistance from Trafalgar College parents who were concerned about the impact it would have on their children's education.

Concerns were also raised about the distance between the two school sites, which are two miles apart, and whether buses would be put on.

Under the plans, the trust said the two secondary schools would come together on Charter's existing Salisbury Road site, which would be redeveloped with new buildings and facilities.

The educational charity also proposed opening a new sixth form in 2019, two years earlier than currently approved.

Following a four-week consultation, the trust has now revealed revised plans that would still see the schools merging but with the sixth form not starting until 2021.

It has also pledged to look at transport arrangements to help pupils living nearer to Trafalgar College's current home in Thamesfield Way.

The revised plans would still see the schools formally joined from September 2018, with a staged transfer of pupils from Thamesfield Way to Salisbury Road leading to all pupils being taught at the merged location by September 2019.

Inspiration Trust chief executive Dame Rachel de Souza said: 'We have listened to the consultation and revised the proposals, and I would like to thank everyone that took part.

'These have been very difficult decisions but we have to face up to changing circumstances.

'Forecast pupil numbers have been substantially downgraded from when we first put forward the idea for Trafalgar and we have to reflect that in our plans.

'Bringing the two schools together gives us the most secure way of offering the high quality education that we promised and that young people in Great Yarmouth deserve.'

According to a Norfolk County Council website, Trafalgar College had a planned admission number of 120 pupils for 2018/19.

As of May this year, there were 87 pupils on roll.

When Trafalgar opened last year, it became the first new high school in Great Yarmouth in 50 years.